Risk Factors for Feline Hyperthyroidism

Wakeling J, Everard A, Brodbelt D, Elliott J, Syme H. Risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism in the UK. J Small Anim Pract 2009; 50: 406-14.

Hyperthyroidism is an important disease of cats, and while risk factors for cats in the USA and New Zealand have been studied, no equivalent study has been done for cats in the UK. These researchers investigated UK risk factors using a case-controlled questionnaire-based protocol. The study included 109 hyperthyroid cats, and 196 normal cats over eight years old as controls. They found that older cats were more likely to be affected with hyperthyroidism, while purebred animals were less likely to suffer hyperthyroidism. There was no difference in risk for males versus female in this study. In the univariate analysis, hyperthyroid cats were more likely to have used a litter box, to be fed wet cat food, to have been fed wet food from a can (as opposed to being fed wet food only from pouches), to be fed all categories of table food including high-fat dairy products, and were more likely to have been exposed to smokers in their environment and to household flea treatments. These findings were similar to those of previous studies. Exposure to food packaged in cans was identified as the major risk factor for the development of hyperthyroidism. [MK]
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Olczak J, Jones BR, Pfeiffer DU, Squires RA, Morris RS, Markwell PJ. Multivariate analysis of risk factors for feline hyperthyroidism in New Zealand. N Z Vet J 2005; 53: 53-8.
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Edinboro C, Scott-Moncrieff J, Janovitz E, al e. Epidemiologic study of relationships between consumption of commercial canned food and risk of hyperthyroidism in cats. J Amer Vet Med Assoc 2004; 224: 879-886.
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