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Chaning cat's thyroid medication.

Species: Cat
Breed: Turkish van
Age: 11-15 years
Hi, my cat is 13 and 1/2 years old. He was diagnosted hyperthyorid 2 1/2 months ago. He is on transdermal Methimazole twice a day. For the first 30 days he was on 2.5 mg morning and 2.5 mg at night. Afterwards he was on 3.75 mg morning and 2.5 mg at night. He was like this for month and a half. Than I squirted little to much if the cream. I gived 2.5 mg at the morning at night and 2.5 mg in the evening for three days to make up for the lost cream and than I went back to 3.75 mg morning and 2.5 at night. Have I done damage to my cat? After three days on the increased dosage again he was constipated. Thank you.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi and thanks for your question. It's very unlikely that you have done any harm to Sindibad by altering his medication dose for a few days. In order to see a significant change in thyroid values, he would have to be on a different dose for well over a week. A mild change like this that just lasted a few days really would not have done much. Now, if you had kept him on 2.5mg twice daily for several weeks (when his does was supposed to be 3.75mg in the morning and 2.5 mg at night) then it's possible that he could still be showing some symptoms of hyperthryoidism. But again, just a few days really should not make a difference.

It is also very unlikely that the constipation is due to the dosage change. Having an increased thyroid level (which is what theoretically could happen when medication dose is reduced), if anything, usually causes diarrhea. Now, in very chronic cases, high thyroid levels can lead to kidney problems and kidney problems can lead to dehydration which can in turn lead to constipation. But again, this is not going to happen after just a few days of medication change.

Constipation in an older cat is a very serious matter. If he is still having trouble having a bowel movement then I would have your vet take a look. Sindibad may need to have an enema. Or, the vet may want to be testing him for underlying kidney problems.

I hope things work out ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.