You may want to discuss the info below with your vet..........

Here is a link that might be useful: side effects

I know that the itching is a common side effect of the Tapazole Thankfully, my Rex doesn't seem to suffer from it.

Ok, I dug thru the garbage & found her previous prescription for the pill form. They had her on 1/2 of a 5mg pill once/day. The thyroid test says it was Antech-T4. After the 2 wk trial period on the pill they called & said her T4 levels were perfect but they didn't give me any #s. I can always call & get them I'm sure. And will if you need them. I wasn't sure why they switched to the transdermal either (which the pkg says to use .05ML). I told them she was eating the pill fine if I crushed it into her soft food. I signed up for the Yahoo Feline HyperT group too. Thank you for that info. I appreciate any info I can get. She's started eating small amounts of food again but is picky....like she's not feeling good quite yet. usually not a very picky cat.

Some cats do not tolerate any form of methimazole- the itching and lack of appetite are both pretty common. If your cat's kidney values are good after a month of the methimazole, I would strongly recommend I-131 radioactive iodine to cure the hyperthyroidism. It is important to know the kidneys are in good shape before doing I-131 because being hyperthyroid is beneficial to the kidneys, and if you do I-131 then you cannot tweak methimazole to decrease symptoms of hyperthyroidism AND keep the kidneys healthy. If the kidneys are already healthy even after a month of methimazole, then doing I-131 isn't likely to harm the kidneys.

Some cats do not itch on the transdermal methimazole as much as the pill. I have seen cats with SERIOUS secondary infections and permanent scars because of the methimazole itching problem- that is why your vet switched to transdermal. But it is harder to regulate thetransdermal dose, and some cats get nauseous on methimazole in either form.

The only permanent cure for hyperthyroidism is I-131; methimazole simply suppresses the symptoms. Removing the thyroid glands helps some cats, but there are serious risks associated with the surgery and some cats continue to be hyperthyroid despite surgical removal of BOTH glands.

The forum Laurie mentioned is an excellent resource and I highly recommend it to all my hyperthyroid patients. Good luck with your kitty.

I have started my cat on Methimazole 1/2 tablet twice daily. Her personality has changed. She seems thinner. She shys away from me most of the time. She now started to have diarreha (sp). I feel she has totally change. I don't want to do the radioactive procedure...she is 14 years old and I feel if she is away from me in a cage for 2-3 weeks for the procedure she would just die. She is a siamese and she is very hi strung to begin with. I don't feel that this pill is doing the right thing for her. I will check up with my vet on Monday.

I too have a Siamese, male - he has been taking Methimazole - 2x a day - however now he wont take it at all - He is a very good kitty for me even lets me pop it into his mouth - however now he goes around the corner and spits it out, even hours later I find it in the house in different places -

I have noticed a definite change in his behavior - he has always been a friendly cat, sleeps with my husband and I, plays with my boys and just overall hangs out with the family - He is over 11 years old and I love him to pieces - But lately none of this is the same - He never comes in our bed anymore he sits in the corner all day and cries in the night for no reason - the kind of cry he used to use when he missed us - I feel he is depressed - I know the vet says he had hypothyroidism and he needs this drug - but he is just not happy and I miss my old kitty - I am thinking about just letting him live out his years happy. How can this be ok when I know the medicine will help, he will probably die without it - Now he is even starting do run from me and that is killing me!

Seems like a major issue is that your cat's medication has effectively ceased. Talk to your Vet about alternatives or suggestions about more effective pill administration.

I am more a dog person, but have had cats over the years. With the dogs, I'd wrap the pill in Liverwurst, or Cream Cheese, or Peanut Butter, or in Jelly, or.....

With cats, I would firmly hold the cat in my lap and put the pill in the side "pouch" of the mouth - as far back as possible - and then hold the mouth shut for a few seconds until he swallowed.

BTW, that technique works for liquid via Oral Syringe for both dogs and cats. Actually, liquids are a piece of cake.

I suspect some "cat people" here may have some alternative suggestions.

Most places keep the cat 3-5 days depending on regulations when they do the radioactive iodine treatment and if their kidneys are good (proven while euthyroid) then it is a one time solution that cure almost all cats. I found a vet who had the best care and kept them as short as possible and did not require multiple visits as long as my vet did the pretesting. No medication to give, regulate, or cause side effects after that. Also cheaper in the long run. The care card credit can help if you cant pay all at once. It was around $1250.

I asked for a change from oral liquid to transdermal methimazole 3 1/2 weeks ago as I was going on vacation and it would be easier for my neighbor cat sitter to dose her. Well, I had to return from vacation early as my cat got a severe reaction in her ears and then yeast and bacteria took hold as well. It's been almost 3 weeks and 4 vet appointments and we're finally getting better even though the inflammation took hold in her paws as well. She's had steroid shots, oral antibiotic plus topical Tresaderm (mite, yeast, steroid, antibiotic), paw soaks with epsom salt/warm water and ear cleaning/soaks twice a day . Now we're adding chlorhexadine to the paw soaks and continuing a 3rd week of the treatments. The cat and I are exhausted from the treatments. We've gotten quite good at swaddling her with a towel. I'm writing to say that this all started with the change to the transdermal methimazole. The vet says he's seen reactions before with this vehicle of methimazole. I called the pharmacy and she says there is soy in the lipoderm vehicle and some cats are allergic to it. My advice is to avoid the transdermal methimazole. We're back to the oral liquid and found it easier to give if she is swaddled in a towel. Used to give it in her wet food, but she refused it after awhile even with switch in flavor.

My cat refused the pills, always spat them out. she refused the ear gel, it irritated her ears like crazy and she was doing no better. i eventually saved up and got her radio-iodine therapy, and it cured her completely. she gained a ton of weight back and is cured, doing really well! only problem is early stage kidney disease, because now that her thyroid isn't so high, there's less blood pumping to the kidneys, its a side effect of the cure. but a good diet helps a lot. better than dealing with hyperthyroid symptoms.

My love of our life was failing very fast from the thyroid the medication was making her so sick she couldn’t hold down water. For her to live like this is so cruel. Did some research and found a product( or what I call a gift from God it’s called NHV Resthyro it’s a natural herbal . My little Sara is back to herself eating and drinking.she put a little weight back on this is not a cure but neither is all that other medicine she was on,but at least she not suffering no more even her howling stopped . I am not recommending this product but do some research on it Godbless

1 hand feed 1/4 can at a time your towel wrapped, knee held kitty burrito. 2 call the vet.

Tapazol is tough.