Why is I-131 the Treatment of Choice?
I-131 Radioactive Therapy is considered the treatment of choice for most hyperthyroid felines. Treatment is cost effective when compared to long term medical therapy and required laboratory testing every 6 months while on medication. I-131 eliminates daily pilling, does NOT require anesthesia, typically does not affect healthy thyroid tissue, does NOT damage any other tissue or organs, does NOT have any harmful side effects, returns thyroid function to normal usually within one month, and selectively destroys thyroid tumors.
What Does the Treatment Involve?
Administration of I-131 by injection, like a routine vaccination!
Will My Cat Experience Any Side Effects?
No direct side effects from administration are expected. As the radioactivity destroys the abnormal thyroid tissue, there may be mild changes in individual patient behaviors, but your cat should not experience any significant undesirable changes.
What is the Quality of Care My Cat Will Receive During Their Stay?
Your cat will be in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere away from noise.
Can I visit My Cat During Their Stay?
Unfortunately, state and federal regulations currently limit access to the areas where patients recently treated with radioactive iodine are maintained to trained hospital personnel. Our technicians are thoroughly trained in working with radiation and must work under strict guidelines for their own protection.
How Will I Find Out How My Cat is Doing?
You can call anytime to receive an update from a technician.
When Can My Cat Come Home?
Patients are admitted on Monday morning and are discharged 3-4 days after treatment. We will monitor your cat’s radiation levels during their stay with us. Release is determined by compliance with federal and state regulations which define the “safe” level of residual radioactivity at which a patient can be discharged. As required by these regulations, please remember to bring your cat in a carrier for drop off and pick up.
What Do I Need to Do When They Come Home?
Your cat will need to be quarantined in a separate room away from you and your family for 7 days after going home when no children under 18 or pregnant individuals are present in the home; the quarantine is 14 days when children or pregnant women are present. You must use and flush flushable litter waste in the toilet during quarantine. Alternatively, you can store the waste for 81 days before placing it in the trash. Each non-pregnant adult may spend up to 30 minutes per day in the quarantine room feeding, playing with, and giving TLC to
their cat. During this time, you should be approximately arms- length distance from your cat rather than having them on your lap. If you have concerns during your cat’s quarantine, please contact us immediately.
Once you’ve decided to move forward with I-131 treatment, we will need to do an exam and perform some testing if not already done.
Tests needed within 30 days before I-131 treatment:
- Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC)
- Serum chemistry profile, including electrolytes
- Total T4 (not free T4) and fTSH
- ProBNP
- Urinalysis
- Thoracic X-rays
- Blood Pressure
If your cat is already receiving methimazole in any formulation, we will need you to stop the methimazole and retest the Total T4 blood test at least 14 days later. If your cat is being fed Hill’s y/d, then we need you to stop that food at least 30 days before checking the Total T4 blood test. We dose the I-131 based on the Total T4 levels, so we need an accurate un-medicated T4 level for successful treatment. Contact Kingstowne Cat Clinic today for more information.