[Sticky] Request or give emotional support

My little cat Cleo is doing poorly. She has a thyroid disorder and for a long time has been on meds. I am going to try to get her back in to see the vet again. I don't know what else I can do to help her. In the past few months she has had a tapeworm and mouth sores related to her thyroid condition. She is still eating, drinking, cuddling, but weighs less and less. She is tiny to begin with, it's hard not to be alarmed. She is also having some other behaviors related to her thyroid disorder that are becoming more pronounced. The vet has explained that these are new symptoms of a progressive disorder. 

The vet has also said that the iodine treatment would be the next step but is costly and complicated.

I am seeing that she may be near the end of her life and I am hoping that is just my fear of losing her, and not psychic vision. Maybe it is both. I lost my darling dog Toby at the same age, 10 years. Perhaps it is an echo.

Any light, love, or insights for/about Cleo would be much appreciated. For now, I am just going to stay in the moment and enjoy her loving little soul. Here is a recent photo.

Also, any light and love for me would be nice. It is hard for me to see her so much in decline. Thanks friends

@ghandigirl 🙏🏻💚🪽🙌🪽💚🙏🏻

As a veterinary technician of 33 years I have often been asked "how do I know when it's time" I have always replied when their love for you keeps them here your love for them has to let them go"

Start keeping a daily health journal .... when Cleo starts having more bad days than good? You know the end is approaching. That being said? I know of many sweet kitties with hyperthroidism. The oral pills of methimazole given by mouth, or the compounded ointment placed on their ear pinna are common treatments for thyroid treatment. Developing kidney disease or cardiac issues is not uncommon but many kitties  go on to live full lives with the methimazole and weekly SQ fluid therapy of kidney issues present, there are also meds for heart and blood pressure too.

Regular labs monitoring of levels helps fine tune/tweak treatments.

I have seen many Hyperthyroid/kidney kitties make to 18,19,20 and 21. They get rail thin and scraggly looking but still enjoy life with their people. It varies from patient to patient and each patient is unique.

That is why I encourage owners to keep the "health journal logs" because it keeps everyone on the same page with patient status and helps when the time comes for tough decisions. 

I know treatments differ from country to country and that you are Down Under country but hopefully this is of help to you.

Saying prayers for the Highest Good for all concerned and sending Light,Love and Reiki Healing Energy. 

@journeywithme2 

Yes, she's been on the med you mentioned for 5 years. Vet adjusts the dosage up or down based on the tests at her vet checkups/sick visits. 

Thank you so much. That's very encouraging.  

Not sure what Down Under country means? Anyway I'm an American. :)

@ghandigirl my bad... I thought you were Australian. 😊

Posted by: @journeywithme2

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@ghandigirl my bad... I thought you were Australian. 😊

lol, she's actually Arcturian, not Australian- but you can see how easy it would be to mistake those two words 🙃 

@ghandigirl, just do your best for Cleo, and give her as much love and comfort as you can.  My cats are getting older, too, I know how that feels.   

 ps; tapeworms in cats usually come from fleas- even indoor cats can get fleas, and all it takes is one.

@journeywithme2 thank you for sharing the info with us.  ❤️ 

@unk-p  😘   As a Pleiadian I can respect that😊

and you are very welcome! My 18 year old sometimes seems the healthiest of the bunch as my 14 year old bottle raised feral kitten has epilepsy and my 10 year old has megacolon,diabetes and is hypothyroid. Us vet techs take these kiddos home to be ours because so many times the only other choice people give them is euthanasia. We bump along quite well in spite of all the challenges.

I've never heard of either types of aliens so that was an education for me.

@ghandigirl Could you ask the vet if you could feed her little bits of salmon?  There is iodine in fish.  Not as much as a med but perhaps it would put some weight on her.

@anya 

That is a good idea. Thanks! :)

@ghandigirl I suspect you are referring to the radioactive iodine treatment which is not the same as dietary iodine.

I am going to give you a link where you can read more about both. About a 10 minute read so be sure to read entire article.

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperthyroidism-cats