Avondale Cat Hospital

Avondale Veterinary Healthcare Complex of Des Moines, Iowa

Avondale Animal Hospital ~ Avondale Cat Hospital ~ Avondale Pet Resort

4318 S.E. Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa 50320 Telephone: (515) 262-6111 or (800) 339-4873

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Welcome to Avondale Cat Hospital

Avondale Cat Hospital offers full service feline veterinary care and

boarding facilities dedicated to the health and well-being of your

furry, four-legged, feline friends.

Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and care that you seek for your cats. We live in a time when the advances in human medicine are astounding and those resources are being passed on to our family pets.

We believe strongly in preventative medicine with a dedicated wellness program designed to fit our individual client needs, with the hope of providing longer and healthier lives for your pets.

What Is Hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a condition resulting from secretion of excess thyroid hormone. In cats, this usually results from a tumor on the thyroid gland.

Cancer of the thyroid gland is a very rare cause of hyperthyroidism in cats. We do not know why cats develop thyroid disease, but it is a disease seen in cats over 4 years of age.

What Are The Signs Of Hyperthyroidism?

Typical signs of feline hyperthyroidism is a cat that is losing weight but still eating normally, or eating more than normal. Other signs include a rough or greasy appearance to the hair coat, behavior changes (such as hyperactivity or aggression), heart murmur and heart enlargement, increased liver enzymes, increased drinking and urinating, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or panting.

Blood tests should confirm elevated thyroid hormone levels. Our veterinarians can usually feel a small lump in your cat’s neck when abnormal thyroid tissue is present. However, normal and abnormal thyroid tissue can be anywhere from the base of the tongue to the base of the heart, and when it is inside the chest it cannot be felt or located except with specialized nuclear imaging studies.

How Is It Treated?

Treatment with Radioactive Iodine (I-131) is the preferred treatment for cat hyperthyroidism. It is as easy as one injection just under the skin, much like a routine feline vaccine. I-131 is safe and effective. The I-131 is absorbed quickly into the cat's bloodstream and the diseased thyroid tissue.

Once in the thyroid, it destroys the overactive portions of the thyroid gland. The radiation is excreted through the urine and feces, and a safe level of radioactivity is obtained within 3 to 10 days.

CLICK HERE for more information on Radioactive Iodine Therapy

Want To Sleep Over?

Avondale Pet Resort CAT CONDOS are air conditioned/heated and offer our feline guests a quiet, sunny, spacious place to relax far away from "talkative" dogs. Each condo offers a resting shelf and an east window along with a fleece bed.

Need A Moment Of Zen?

Our staff visits each cat three or more times each day and attends to their litter box, food and water. Our cat playroom provides extra space to explore the aquarium and climbing tree. It also features a view of the Cat Hospital lobby. We do ask that feline playroom visitors be tested negative for feline leukemia.

CLICK HERE to visit Avondale Pet Resort!

Is Your Cat Just Too Cute For Words?