Radioactive Iodine
Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Hyperthyroid Cats
Radioactive iodine treatment is a permanent cure and widely recognised by the veterinary profession as the treatment of choice for cats with hyperthyroidism because of its low risk and high success rate (92-95%).
The treatment is given as a single, calibrated oral capsule of radioactive iodine isotope 131. The calibration is calculated individually for your cat.
Half the treatment cost is required at time of ordering the capsule one week before the treatment date and is non-refundable, as the capsule is calibrated specifically for your cat. The balance is due on discharge of the cat.
You will be asked to bring your cat in to the clinic on the day prior to treatment to allow him/her to settle and not be too stressed from the move and new environment. The cat is fasted from food overnight and given an anti-nausea injection in the morning, to minimise the chance of vomiting the capsule once administered. The cat may also require a mild sedative to minimise the risk of the cat biting the capsule.
Once treated, the cat is boarded in an isolated but otherwise comfortable area that has protective shielding and they are then checked, fed and cleaned twice daily. The cat’s health and wellbeing are monitored by a veterinarian.
At the end of the boarding time (the length which will be determined by the administered dose - usually 7-9 days), a discharge appointment will be made with you, to discuss detailed instructions for handling the cat over the following 2 weeks to minimise any deleterious risks from radiation to you and your family. You do not need to worry about other pets in the household.
You will be asked to revisit your regular veterinarian 3 months post treatment for a follow up blood test including a thyroid level, to check efficacy of the treatment and their liver and kidney function. You should start to notice some improvements in your cats clinical signs 4-6 weeks after the treatment has been given. You are welcome to get a thyroid hormone blood level done at this time if you are interested, but the hormone level will take 3 to 6 months to stabilise, so may not indicate the end result. Always revisit you regular vet and get a blood test done earlier if you are concerned for the wellbeing of your cat or if you feel there has been no improvement in this time.
To read about the risks and possible sequelae of radioactive iodine treatment, please download and read the fact sheet below and ask us or your treating veterinarian any questions you may have.
The Cost
Currently the cost is $1800 which is inclusive of the treatment, the admission and discharge appointments, the boarding and any sedation that may be required.
You are welcome to bring your own food if your cat is fussy or on a special or prescription diet. Your cat otherwise will be fed Hills Science Diet or Royal Canin dry food for senior cats and a variety of wet foods.
You are also welcome to bring an old blanket or piece of clothing, to make your cat feel more at home, but unfortunately these cannot be returned, so don't bring in anything you wish to keep.
Half of the payment is made as a deposit one week before the treatment and the balance on discharge.
The price does not include any followup tests which are done at your regular veterinarian.
Unless it is an emergency, I do not perform any other procedures whilst your cat is in the treatment centre.
Want to Learn More?
We understand how difficult it can be when a loved member of your fur family gets diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
1. Cost - If you add up the cost of other treatments and monitoring over the course of the cat’s life, they are comparable, and in some cases, (especially if the cat is not too old), cheaper, to perform the radioactive iodine treatment. However, with RAIT the cost is an upfront lump sum payment, rather than spread over potentially, years.
2. Reduced access to treatment facilities – There are limited places to access this treatment as there are special licensing requirements by the person who treats the cat and for the facility where treated cats are housed.
3. Radiation safety– The radiation emitted from the cat is a combination of beta and gamma radiation. The radiation degrades over time, so by 3 weeks post treatment the radiation levels are similar to background environmental radiation. The half life (the time taken for the radiation emitted to be half the initial strength) of Iodine 131 is 8.02 days
In the first week the radiation is the strongest, which is why we hospitalise the cat in a special shielded environment.
4. Boarding the cat after treatment– Owners often feel it is stressful for the cat to board for 7-10 days post treatment. However, due to legal requirements for the radiation safety just discussed, it is essential for the health and wellbeing of the owners not to have the cat around them at this time. We endeavour to make your cat feel as comfortable as possible during their stay.