Before now, most therapeutic options for hyperthyroid felines included administering medication, surgical correction or radioactive iodine treatments. Many times, medication is given because surgery and radioactive iodine treatments can be costly and inconvenient. Hill's has come up with a new solution! Feline Y/D is a prescription diet that will manage your cat's hyperthyroidism without medication!

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrinopathy in felines. Most patients are between 12-13 years old with weight loss despite a ravenous appetite and have an unkempt and thin coat.  It is relatively easy to diagnose with a simple blood panel. Hyperthyroid cats produce too much of their thyroid hormone (T4) and blood levels will be elevated. Medication is often turned to as the treatment option because of the cost of surgery or radioactive iodine.  While some cats will eat their medication in a soft treat, some object and must be pilled. This can put stress on the cat and the owner if it has to be done twice a day, every day.  Medication can be compounded into a transdermal gel, but may still prove difficult to stick to a regimen. 

This is where Hill's Y/D comes in! Hill's said, we all have to feed our cats...so why not manage this problem with diet?  They've suceeded. Hill's Y/D comes as a dry kibble or canned patte.  The thyroid hormone increases in response to the amount of iodine in a diet.  Y/D has a very low iodine level, which decreases the amount of thyroid hormone produced by your cat.  Hill's tested their diet on a group of cats for months; they saw improvement in just 3 weeks. 90% of the patients had normal thyroid gland function by 12 weeks. The decreased amount of iodine in the diet doesn't affect your cat's health in any other way.  With Y/D, you do not have to give medication!

If you feel feeding Y/D will benefit your cat, talk to your veterinarian today!  With this diet therapy, it is important to only feed Y/D. Because commercial diets have higher amounts of iodine, they will be counterproductive.  Even if you have more than one cat in your household, don't worry-- Hill's Y/D is a safe diet for them too.