Archive Case #8: Feline Hyperthyroidism

Clinical Clues

1. A 13-year-old domestic shorthair cat is presented for weight loss.
2. The owner reports the cat has been eating more than usual over the past several months.
3. The cat has also become more active and vocal than normal.
4. On examination the cat is thin, tachycardic, and a small thyroid nodule can be palpated in the neck.
5. Blood testing reveals a markedly elevated total T4 concentration.
6. This endocrine disorder results from excessive thyroid hormone production, leading to increased metabolic rate in older cats.

Diagnosis

Feline Hyperthyroidism

Feline hyperthyroidism is a common endocrine disease in older cats caused by hyperfunctional thyroid tissue, usually adenomatous hyperplasia.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.