Pallina, hyperthyroid cat. Seeking advice

[Antonio]

The vet's reply that I was waiting for arrived on Monday in the afternoon. On the same day Pallina was visited by her regular vets and had a blood test.
Her liver has visibly improved, I think it's because of the supplements I am giving her.
Her kidneys are slightly better, despite a month long therapy with prednisolone that was prescribed to try to solve the chest fluid issue.
All other levels were fine.
I asked my vets to send the serum to two different labs for the thyroid check. The Ghent clinic asked me to have a thyroid test after 30, 90 and 120 days. The last test was due in mid February, but I asked them a new test in the middle to understand what's going on with her low T4 and fT4. Sending the serum to two labs should complete the panel (the second lab can run TSH test also) and rule out any error from the first lab.

The vet who replied said to keep the same therapy even if nothing has changed or improved. I replied that I'm not very comfortable with all that cortisone, but he hasn't replied since...

Thanks God in less than 48 hours time I will take Pallina to this IM professor. I hope he's more professional than this!

[Antonio]

I asked my vets to send the serum to two different labs for the thyroid check. The Ghent clinic asked me to have a thyroid test after 30, 90 and 120 days. The last test was due in mid February, but I asked them a new test in the middle to understand what's going on with her low T4 and fT4. Sending the serum to two labs should complete the panel (the second lab can run TSH test also) and rule out any error from the first lab.

I have received the report from the new lab for Pallina's thyroid test

T4 = 1.67 ug/dl [0.9-3.45 non hyperT / 3.45-5.0 slightly hyperT / >5 severe hyperT]
fT4 = 13.40 pmol/l [5.4-25.5 non hyperT / 25.5-40.0 slightly hyperT / >40 severe hyperT]
Canine TSH = 0.10 ng/ml

This should tell me that her thyroid is now alright.
Still waiting the report from the regular lab, just to compare them and see how reliable it is/was.

EDIT:

Wow, I have received the other report too!

T4 = 15.4 nanomol/l [19-65]
fT4 = 12.3 pmol/l [5-20]

The vet told me that the fT4 is very similar in both lab, so he has considered the two labs as equivalent.

The T4 is expressed in two different ways. The vet told me that he has converted the nanomol/l to ug/dl and 15.4 became something around 1.34. It appears that seen as "15.5 nanomol/l" it is lower than the range, but transformed into "1.34 ug/dl" it is in range, weird, though.
However the vet told me that we can definitely consider Pallina as euthyroid and he was pleased to have this cross check between the two labs done, in order to assess the reliability of them both. He thanked me for the opportunity I gave him.

[Lilith]

Ah

Congrats - at last!

Mousey sends big purrs and toothy kisses and we both hope that Pallina will enjoy many more years as an Ordinary Cat in good health

[Patricia]

Hi Antonio,

That's great news about Pallina - well done, it was worth all the hassle. How is she doing now in herself? Is there any sign of the throat problem still?

All the best to you both

[Antonio]

I have received the report for the last thyroid test for Pallina done on Feb 7. This was the test 180 days past the I-131 therapy, so it was the last one required by the clinic in Belgium.

T4 = 1.80 ug/dl [0.9-3.45 non hyperT / 3.45-5.0 slightly hyperT / >5 severe hyperT]
fT4 = 11.50 pmol/l [5.4-25.5 non hyperT / 25.5-40.0 slightly hyperT / >40 severe hyperT]

It seems that the efforts done were well worth it.
We have fixed her thyroid for good, but her issues with IBD and chest fluids are still to be controlled.

[Lilith]

Hey Antonio Congrats and to Pallina too

Hope the other problems get resolved as well.

I've got to get Mousey organised for her last tests in the next week or so; Emily had blood tests done on Monday, me yesterday, so we'll all be feeling like walking pincushions lol. I think Mousey's used to the routine by now, quite blase, oh what fun those Katkor granules. She won't be pleased at missing her breakfast though!

Lots of purrs from us lot to you lot

[Antonio]

Hi Lilith,
Hopefully Mousey will show good values too. Tell her that her breakfast will be stille there when she comes back from the vet

[fjm]

That is excellent news. Pippin is now off the Thyronorm, with a pre-treatment blood test scheduled for next Wednesday. Less than two weeks now to admission day - it seems to have come around very quickly!

[Antonio]

Fjm, glad to read that your appointment is drawing near!
Hopefully you'll have a positive outcome and Pippin will be fine in a few weeks time