Thank you for your interest in radioiodine, also called I-131 treatment for your cat. You have contacted our Cats Veterinary Treatment Center location located in Clinton Township, MI. This email is to provide you with the information you may need in deciding how to treat and/or manage your hyperthyroid cat. 

 

Your veterinarian may have already discussed hyperthyroidism, but if you need  an additional resource, we recommend visiting https://catfriendly.com/feline-diseases/hyperthyroidism/ for more information. 

 

What is radioiodine/ I-131?

Iodine is an element needed for normal health. In the body, it is used primarily by the thyroid gland to produce the thyroid hormone. Radioiodine is a form of iodine that has been made radioactive. It its radioactive state, it undergoes a natural process (decay) in which it gives off radiation. The radiation given off consists of three types: alpha, beta and gamma. When taken into the body, a large percentage of radioiodine accumulates in the thyroid gland, while the remaining is excreted in the urine and feces. Once the radioiodine is taken up by the thyroid gland (or tumor in the hyperthyroid cat), the gamma rays and beta particles are released. The beta particles are particularly lethal to the thyroid tumor and will destroy the thyroid tumor and thus treating the hyperthyroid condition.

 

Are there side effects to radioiodine/ I-131?

Since the iodine is specific in its site of action (localized to the thyroid), there is no hair loss or changes in skin pigmentation as may be seen with other forms of radiation therapy. Some cats seem to experience mild discomfort of the thyroid region at the beginning of therapy, but this resolves spontaneously and does not cause a problem. Occasionally, a cat will develop Hypothyroidism after treatment. Overall, side effects of radioiodine are extremely rare.

How is radioiodine/ I-131 administered? 

The radioiodine is given as a single oral capsule on the day your cat is admitted to our treatment facility. The radioiodine is formulated specifically to the needs of your cat by a specialized pharmacy. 

 

 

What is the success rate of radioiodine/ I-131?

Our studies have shown that a single oral dose of radioiodine is effective in curing hyperthyroidism in over 98% of cats that are treated. Even the 2% of cats that are not completely cured after one treatment do show some lowering in their circulating thyroid and improve clinically. If hyperthyroidism persists for longer than three to six months after treatment, re-treatment with radioiodine is generally recommended to cure the disorder. Virtually all cats that remain hyperthyroid after the first treatment are cured after the second.

 

Reoccurrence of hyperthyroidism is very uncommon and occurs in less than 3% of cats treated with radioiodine.

 

What if my cat is currently being medically managed and I am interested in pursuing radioiodine treatment instead?

If your cat is currently being medically managed with Methimazole/Tapazole/Felimazole or a prescription diet and you have decided to pursue radioiodine, rest assured in most cases this is still an option. There are very specific steps that need to be followed prior to scheduling radioiodine. If your cat falls in this category, please alert the staff during the follow up phone call so the process can be explained.

How do I know if my cat is a candidate for radioiodine/ I-131?

Your veterinarian will have already performed a physical examination and blood work. Before the actual treatment, your cat will also needs an urinalysis and chest radiographs. Our treatment center veterinarian will review records from your veterinarian, the blood work, chest radiographs and urinalysis results to decide if your cat is a candidate for radioiodine/ I-131. 

 

Is radioiodine safe for people to be around?

Radioiodine is a radioactive material. Our veterinary staff is specially trained to handle radioiodine and patients in a safe manner. Due to the half-life of the radioiodine, your cat will be at its highest radioactive level while in our treatment facility. You will be educated on safe handling of your cat and what precautions need to be taken after your cat leaves our facility. 

What is involved in the actual radioiodine treatment?

 If your cat is a candidate for radioiodine and you choose to proceed with treatment, there will be many phone and email communications leading up to the actual admission day. There are specialized and time-sensitive steps leading up to the treatment, but our staff is ready to help you and your normal veterinarian prepare for it. Once we have collected all of the necessary information for the treatment, the staff will order a radioiodine dose specialized to the needs of your cat.

 On the day of the appointment, you will have a consultation with the treating veterinarian. This consultation will provide you with information regarding radioiodine and safety measures for at-home care. After the consultation, your cat will be examined by the treating veterinarian. The treating facility will give your cat an anti-nausea medication and take a blood pressure reading (if not done at your veterinary office). After the consultation and examination, your cat will be admitted into the radioiodine portion of the facility and will be given their radioiodine dose. Your cat will then be given a comfortable housing unit for a minimum of four days.

 During the hospitalized care, our trained veterinary staff will care for your cat providing any medications, monitoring appetite,litter box usage and offering your cat some exercise time inside the treatment room. We are required to minimize staff exposure to the radiation inside the room. Therefore, we use cameras to keep an eye on your cat so they can be monitored during business hours.  The veterinary staff provides care and attention to your cat minimally twice per day. Owner visitation is NOT permitted. Owners are able to bring one small bedding item (standard bath towel size) for their cat, however this item cannot be returned to you.

What is the cost of radioiodine/ I-131?

 

The current fee of radioiodine varies based on the dose needed for your cat. The fee range is $1,800 to $2,350. This cost includes:

•  Owner consultation
• Examination at admission by the treating veterinarian
• Injectable anti-nausea medication prior to treatment
• Blood pressure testing (if not yet performed)
• Radioiodine dose ordered specific to the needs of your cat
• The administration of the radioiodine dose to your cat
• Four day hospital stay and care of your cat by our veterinary team
• Owner consultation-discharge

Additional boarding is available upon request for an additional fee and must be booked when setting up nuclear appointment. Any other additional services will be estimated for prior to treatment. Follow up care is NOT included in the treatment fee. Payment is due in full the day of treatment. Cats Veterinary accepts VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER, AMERICAN EXPRESS, CASH, CareCredit, Scratchpay.

 

Due to the nature of the treatment, a non-refundable $700.00 deposit must be paid when the dose is ordered from the pharmacy. This amount will be applied to the cost of treatment.