Trickster's Thyroid Adventure

A few weeks ago, Trickster started hassling more when he would run around and play. He's also lost a little weight, and because he drinks a lot of water, I thought he might be developing kidney problems.

Nope.

The test results came back on Wednesday, and he has a hyperactive thyroid. We're very familiar with the ramifications, because my husband had the same thing.

Hubby took a radioactive pill that killed his thyroid. The cats and I had to move in with my mom for a few days, because hubby was radioactive right after he took the pill. It would be a difficult option for a "normal" human family because no one could get close to care for the cat after he had the treatment. In our case, though, Tim would be able to be around him without much risk. We asked about that as an option for Trickster, but the vet said it's very expensive because you have to have someone who's certified for dealing with radioactive meds give him the pill. I'm sure the pill itself is not cheap either.

We also asked about surgery, but the vet said he didn't like to do it unless the gland was very swollen. He felt Tricky's throat when we had him in for the blood test but didn't remark on it feeling particularly enlarged. Doc said the throat has so many important features that make surgery there difficult.

So, our option is to give him Tapazole, a medication that helps suppress thyroid output. I believe hubby was on that for a few months when he was first diagnosed.

The Good - it's non-invasive.

The Bad - risks of side effects; twice a day dosing of a cat that doesn't like pills; and $400 to $800 annual cost, depending on the dose.

I think we're going to try it for a while, though. We're not ready to say goodbye to Trickster. He's a little punk, but we love him.