Author Topic: Feline Hyperthyroidism  (Read 853 times)

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Offline Pookie

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Feline Hyperthyroidism
« on: November 08, 2017, 09:00:14 PM »
http://catinfo.org/feline-hyperthyroidism/#What_are_the_causes_of_hyperthyroidism_

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Possible causes of hyperthyroidism include:

Iodine levels in cat food – either too low or too high.  Note that this is a very poorly regulated nutrient in cat food with levels varying over a 30-fold range.

I find it interesting that Dr. Pierson's treatment of choice is treating with radio-active iodine, but she doesn't consider that perhaps just supplementing with safe iodine might be a way to treat the disease.  Esp. since she refers to the following article:

https://endocrinevet.blogspot.com/2011/10/does-iodine-deficiency-cause-thyroid.html

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Because of the clear association between diet and hyperthyroidism, several studies have attempted to implicate iodine in the cause or progression of the disease. The iodine content of cat food has always been extremely variable. However, a definite trend for adding lower amounts of iodine to cat food has occurred over the last 30 years as the recommended dietary iodine requirements for cats has changed (14).


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Thus, between the 1980s and early 2000s, iodine concentrations appeared to range between non-detectable and extremely high levels in a variety of canned foods. Large variations in iodine concentration among cat foods may reflect the widely different iodine concentrations of ingredients used (e.g., glandular tissue, fish), as well as the amounts of iodine added to the foods by the different manufacturers.

The role that iodine plays in the development of hyperthyroidism remains unclear, but it can be postulated that wide swings in iodine intake over time may contribute to the development of thyroid disease in cats (19-21). It also possible that some cats will be consistently fed a low iodine diet, which would also predispose a cat to thyroid hyperplasia and goiter (22,23).

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Iodine deficiency is a known cause of thyroid hyperplasia and goiter in man and all animals, including cats (22-25). Iodine is a key element needed in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. As a consequence, inadequate iodine intake leads to low circulating thyroid hormone concentrations, which spurs the pituitary gland to increase its secretion of TSH (Figure 1). Persistently high circulating TSH concentrations will lead to thyroid hyperplasia and possibly goiter (22,23).

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So, based on the trend to lower iodine levels in cat food over the last two decades, could iodine deficiency be contributing to the explosion in hyperthyroid cases that we are seeing today? In support of that reasoning, a recent case-control study reported that cats consuming commercial foods which were relatively deficient in iodine were more than 4 times as likely to develop hyperthyroidism compared with cats that ate iodine-supplemented foods (6,14).
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Feline Hyperthyroidism
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2017, 09:04:38 PM »
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070815122354.htm?utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ScienceDaily_TMD_1&utm_source=TMD

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A mysterious epidemic of thyroid disease among pet cats in the United States may be linked to exposure to dust shed from flame retardants in household carpeting, furniture, fabrics and pet food, scientists are reporting in a new study. 

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The epidemic of hyperthyroidism in cats began almost 30 years ago, at the same time when PBDEs were introduced into household materials as a fire-prevention measure. Although the disease was first discovered in the U.S., it has since been diagnosed in Canada, Australia, Japan and many parts of Europe. Hyperthyroid disorders have also increased in humans--former President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush have the disorder, and even Millie, their Springer Spaniel, had contracted it.

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The danger of contracting feline hyperthyroidism might be greater in America, where people have the highest reported PBDE levels worldwide, the study said. Also, by the late 1990s, North America accounted for almost half of the global demand for PBDEs from commercial materials like furniture or upholstery, the report added.

If you've been following the thread about iodine, bromide is a goitrogen that blocks the body's cell receptors from binding to iodine, a very important nutrient for the thyroid.  Bromide is found in flame retardants used on furniture and carpet, as well as other sources.
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Offline Pookie

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Re: Feline Hyperthyroidism
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2017, 09:06:30 PM »
Last one:  http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/6/1751S.full

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Analyses from other countries have shown that iodine levels in prepared cat foods vary widely (4,5). Recommended iodine levels have been reported by several authors; however, figures disagree by a factor of 10 to 30 (4–8).

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Therefore, these findings may indicate that long-term feeding of cat foods with very low iodine concentration eventually represents a risk to feline thyroid health.
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: Feline Hyperthyroidism
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2017, 09:38:23 PM »
I've never really understood the reasoning of killing the thyroid or adrenals for hyperthyroidism or hyperadrenocorticism.

You'd think by now they'd have better treatments for those 2 diseases. Instead, they give them hypothyroidism or hypocortisolism because "that's easier to treat." Just still doesn't make sense to me to trade one disease for another.
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