Hyperthyroidism In Cats Diet
Once your cat is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism you must manage their lifestyle from their medication to their cat hyperthyroidism diet.
Hyperthyroidism in cats diet. In cats thyrotoxicosis is usually caused by a benign tumor on one or both thyroid glands. Cats suffering from hyperthyroidism can become emaciated if not diagnosed and treated promptly. Limiting dietary iodine intake reduces thyroid hormone production Daily medication.
Forty-nine client-owned cats with. Conveniently the main use of iodine in the body is the production of thyroid hormone so a deficient diet shouldnt cause any other health issues in a hyperthyroid cat. Protein is the primary macronutrient responsible for maintenance of muscle mass.
Exclusive feeding of an iodine-restricted diet has been proposed as a method for controlling clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism in hyperthyroid cats. Hills Pet Nutrition produces a prescription diet for cats with strictly controlled iodine levels. Tell your veterinarian which foods you are feeding and how much you are feeding so that he or she can ensure that the diet should help your cat gain weight and muscle mass while medical treatment is started.
To determine the effect of feeding an iodine-restricted diet on TT4 concentrations and clinical signs in cats with spontaneous hyperthyroidism. Cats with hyperthyroidism can lose a noticeable amount of weight especially older cats who may already find it more difficult to absorb essential nutrients. Increased metabolic activity often results in weight loss and loss of muscle mass so increasing your cats protein intake will help him gain weight and rebuild muscle.
All cats require a protein-rich diet but protein is particularly important for cats trying to recover from hyperthyroidism. Beef and poultry consumption leads to a lower risk of developing hyperthyroidism. Four potential options for managing cats with hyperthyroidism are.
Since iodine is needed to build thyroid hormones the lack of iodine in your cats food would prevent thyroid hormone production in your cats body. We encourage you to read cat food labels and consider these guidelines. Without iodine the thyroid gland cannot make any hormones.