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Hyperthyroidism is a hypermetabolic state that has profound effects on multiple organ systems (body condition, muscle, endocrine pancreas, parathyroid, and kidney).
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To best accomplish nutritional goals, hyperthyroid cats should be fed a diet containing a large amount of dietary protein (>40% of daily calories or metabolizable energy [ME] as protein; >12 g/100 kcal), a small amount of carbohydrate (<15% of total calories or ME; <4.5 g/100 kcal), and a moderate amount of phosphate (<250 mg of
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice
Dietary Management of Feline Endocrine Disease
Section snippets
Key points
Hyperthyroidism in cats
Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder of cats, and is one of the most common medical problems seen in small animal practice, affecting approximately 10% of all senior and geriatric cats more than 10 years of age.1, 2, 3 Despite nutritional factors and cat food having been proposed to have a role in the etiopathogenesis of this disease,4, 5 there are only limited published recommendations about what to feed these cats. The question of what to feed a hyperthyroid cat is commonly
Diabetes mellitus
Diet plays a key role in the successful management of the diabetic cat. However, the principles for management of diabetes mellitus differ greatly between dogs and cats with this disorder. Unlike canine diabetes, which results from absolute insulin deficiency secondary to beta-cell destruction (similar to type I diabetes in humans), feline diabetes is generally classified as type 2, characterized by insulin resistance and glucose intolerance but with some residual capacity to produce insulin.
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Cited by (5)
Nutritional Concerns for Cancer, Cachexia, Frailty, and Sarcopenia in Canine and Feline Pets
2021, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal PracticeCitation Excerpt :A similar trend was noted in aging dogs.18 Advanced sarcopenia, as with cachexia, is associated with physical disability, poor QOL, and increased death risk for pets.5,21,22 The pathophysiology of sarcopenia has been reviewed in several excellent publications.2,3,20
Hyperthyroidism in Cats: Considering the Impact of Treatment Modality on Quality of Life for Cats and Their Owners
2020, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal PracticeComplex Disease Management: Managing a Cat with Comorbidities
2020, Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal PracticeCitation Excerpt :From a nutritional perspective, hyperthyroidism is a hypermetabolic state that has profound effects not just on the kidneys, but also on body condition, muscle, the parathyroid, and endocrine pancreas. Peterson and Eirmann47 recommend feeding “a diet containing a large amount of dietary protein (>40% of daily calories or metabolizable energy [ME] as protein; >12 g/100 kcal), a small amount of carbohydrate (<15% of total calories or ME; <4.5 g/100 kcal), and a moderate amount of phosphate (<250 mg of phosphate per 100 kcal).” For diabetes, a catabolic condition, they recommend feeding high protein (>40% ME; >12 g/100 kcal) to help maintain muscle mass.47
Priorities on treatment and monitoring of diabetic cats from the owners’ points of view
2020, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
Funding sources: None.
Conflict of interest: None (M.E. Peterson); Veterinary Communications Manager, Nestle Purina PetCare (L. Eirmann).