Chronic kidney disease in cats with hyperthyroidism

Chronic kidney disease in cats with hyperthyroidism: Chronic kidney disease is a common co-morbidity of hyperthyroid cats. The diagnosis of chronic kidney disease in hyperthyroidism can be challenging due to the effect of excess thyroid hormone on the biochemical tests used to detect renal disease. Consequently, chronic kidney disease is often ‘masked’ in hyperthyroid cats, and only becomes biochemically apparent after treatment.

Treatment leads to the development of azotaemia in around a third of hyperthyroid cats, however this does not adversely affect the survival time of these cats and should not lead to suboptimal treatment of hyperthyroidism. However, concurrent iatrogenic hypothyroidism is associated with a decreased survival time in cats with azotaemia, therefore overtreatment of hyperthyroidism should be avoided.