Hi,
Does anyone have any experience with using the Hills y/d thyroid diet for their hyperthyroid cat? My vet has advised me that it is not an effective long term solution as it eventually stops working, but they don’t know how long it would work for.
I know it is currently working for my 12 year old cat, but she has only been on it for about one month. I am trying to gauge how long this could help her for.
Has anyone else tried their cat on this diet? If so, could you let me know your experience, how long it worked for?
Thanks
Leanne
Hyperthyroidism - Hills y/d thyroid diet
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Mollycat
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Re: Hyperthyroidism - Hills y/d thyroid diet
Yes I have. My girl was on it for 6 months while we waited for radioactive iodine, and it worked a dream the whole time. Not sure on what basis your vet is claiming it will stop working, it might be worth asking the question of Hills direct, they are very helpful and approachable. The only thing that's special about y/d is the ultra low iodine content so it works by starving the tumour of material to make excess thyroid hormones. It's not anything like a medication where the body can get used to it and it stops working.
I asked Hills how strict I had to be with the diet and they said even a lap from a rainwater puddle in a seaside environment could completely ruin the diet. I can't say that statement is wrong but because it was a limited time for Molly I wasn't strict, I gave her treats of fresh meat, and it still worked. On it her T4 was 30 and off it, 50 - so she wasn't dramatically hyper.
Are you planning to keep your cat on it for life, or are you looking at surgery or radioiodine?
I asked Hills how strict I had to be with the diet and they said even a lap from a rainwater puddle in a seaside environment could completely ruin the diet. I can't say that statement is wrong but because it was a limited time for Molly I wasn't strict, I gave her treats of fresh meat, and it still worked. On it her T4 was 30 and off it, 50 - so she wasn't dramatically hyper.
Are you planning to keep your cat on it for life, or are you looking at surgery or radioiodine?
Re: Hyperthyroidism - Hills y/d thyroid diet
Thank you for your response, much appreciated. That is good to know that someone else has used it with success for six months. I shall contact Hills.
She was on thyronorm for a few weeks but unfortunately suffered severe side effects from this so it had to be stopped.
I was hoping to go for the radioiodine treatment, and she actually just had her assessment for this last week. However, they found that part of her heart is enlarged so we are now waiting on a cardiology appointment so they can assess her heart in more detail to see if she is at risk of heart failure, so I won’t know if she is suitable for the radioiodine treatment until she has this appointment.
Also, the initial costs I received for the radioiodine treatment seem to now be spiralling out of control, and it’s becoming less of a viable option, and that’s with a second job that I have recently picked up.
I feel awful for having to consider money when making decisions about her health. I had money set aside for her, but she got extremely ill in December, and that was very expensive. But I was very lucky she managed to pull through, she has medication for that disease now and it is mostly well managed.
She was on thyronorm for a few weeks but unfortunately suffered severe side effects from this so it had to be stopped.
I was hoping to go for the radioiodine treatment, and she actually just had her assessment for this last week. However, they found that part of her heart is enlarged so we are now waiting on a cardiology appointment so they can assess her heart in more detail to see if she is at risk of heart failure, so I won’t know if she is suitable for the radioiodine treatment until she has this appointment.
Also, the initial costs I received for the radioiodine treatment seem to now be spiralling out of control, and it’s becoming less of a viable option, and that’s with a second job that I have recently picked up.
I feel awful for having to consider money when making decisions about her health. I had money set aside for her, but she got extremely ill in December, and that was very expensive. But I was very lucky she managed to pull through, she has medication for that disease now and it is mostly well managed.
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Mollycat
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Re: Hyperthyroidism - Hills y/d thyroid diet
Fingers crossed for the heart exam and that she will accept the y/d.
I don't much like the costs of RI spiralling - my local centre is a fixed price and the only thing I was charged extra was tuppence ha'penny for a Gabapentin tablet I didn't want and she didn't need. The follow-up bloods at your own vets add a cost but that was it, a 2 day assessment stay then 11 days treatment at a world class centre where everything under the sun was tested for was charged at £2,500 4 years ago. We didn't have insurance or savings, and that was only the first of a series of vet bills and we're now in debt until we retire, but I have no regrets and would not start insuring future cats.
I don't much like the costs of RI spiralling - my local centre is a fixed price and the only thing I was charged extra was tuppence ha'penny for a Gabapentin tablet I didn't want and she didn't need. The follow-up bloods at your own vets add a cost but that was it, a 2 day assessment stay then 11 days treatment at a world class centre where everything under the sun was tested for was charged at £2,500 4 years ago. We didn't have insurance or savings, and that was only the first of a series of vet bills and we're now in debt until we retire, but I have no regrets and would not start insuring future cats.