Hyperthyroid cat...update and a question

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robxr4ti@nowhere.com - 01 Feb 2006 12:37 GMT

All,

Just wanted to drop a note to everyone to let them know that Katie's
thyroid has finally stabilized and her dosage is one half a Tapazole
daily. Her behavior has changed somewhat since she's been on the
meds. She's become a lot more needy and loves to sit on my lap all
the time. This is not really a bad thing, but a change I noticed
since the meds. The other thing that is a concern is that she's
become very finicky about her food. This was absolutely unheard of
before the meds. We need to keep her on wet food as she is prone to
constipation, but she'll eat something once or twice and then refuse
to eat it again, all the while looking for more food. She seems to
long for her dry food. My suspicion is that since she's missing her
front teeth, she has to shove her face in the bowl and it becomes too
much work for her. Is anyone aware of some dry food that contains
sufficient fibre that she won't become constipated if we transition
her back to dry food?

Thanks,
Rob

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Phil P. - 01 Feb 2006 13:36 GMT

> All,
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> become very finicky about her food. This was absolutely unheard of
> before the meds.

Don't forget, most hyperthyroid cats have ravenous appetites before
treatment and will usually eat many foods that they would never normally
touch. So, its possible that the medication has simply unmasked her normal
finicky nature.

Also, anorexia is sometimes a side effect of Tapazole. I'm not completely
sure if anorexia is actually a side-effect of the medication itself or a
result of the bitter taste. Try putting the pill in a #4 gelcap to mask the
taste and see if that helps. If not, you can also fit 1/2 of 4 mg tab of
cyproheptodine in a #4 with the 1/2 tab of Tapazole.

We need to keep her on wet food as she is prone to

> constipation, but she'll eat something once or twice and then refuse
> to eat it again, all the while looking for more food. She seems to
> long for her dry food.

If you have any of her dry food in the house, either get rid of it or seal
it in an airtight container so she can't smell it. The sealed bag isn't
enough. Forget about trying to hide it- I tried that and it doesn't work.
Cats have a tremendous sense of smell. So, as long as she smells it, she'll
hold out for it.

My suspicion is that since she's missing her

> front teeth, she has to shove her face in the bowl and it becomes too
> much work for her. Is anyone aware of some dry food that contains
> sufficient fibre that she won't become constipated if we transition
> her back to dry food?

Is she normally prone to constipation?

Phil

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robxr4ti@nowhere.com - 01 Feb 2006 18:13 GMT

>> All,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>touch. So, its possible that the medication has simply unmasked her normal
>finicky nature.

Last night, she didn't eat for 12 hours, but kept acting like she was
hungry.

>Also, anorexia is sometimes a side effect of Tapazole. I'm not completely
>sure if anorexia is actually a side-effect of the medication itself or a
>result of the bitter taste. Try putting the pill in a #4 gelcap to mask the
>taste and see if that helps. If not, you can also fit 1/2 of 4 mg tab of
>cyproheptodine in a #4 with the 1/2 tab of Tapazole.

Yeah, I think we're going to go back to that.

>We need to keep her on wet food as she is prone to
>> constipation, but she'll eat something once or twice and then refuse
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>Cats have a tremendous sense of smell. So, as long as she smells it, she'll
>hold out for it.

Great....

>My suspicion is that since she's missing her
>> front teeth, she has to shove her face in the bowl and it becomes too
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>Is she normally prone to constipation?

When on dry food, yes.

Thanks for your input,
Rob

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