Prevalance of hyperthyroidism in cats and ultrasonographic examination of the thyroid gland

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hyperthyroidism in cats through the measurement of serum total T4 levels and to investigate the diagnostic significance of ultrasonographic evaluation of the thyroid gland. Material and Methods: The animal material of the study consisted of cats presented to the Internal Medicine Clinic of Aydın Adnan Menderes University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and various veterinary clinics and polyclinics in Izmir. These cats were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism based on clinical examination findings and elevated serum total T4 levels. Breed, sex, and age distinctions were not considered in case selection. Following anamnesis and physical examination, blood samples were collected preferably in the morning and the cervical region was shaved for ultrasonographic examination of the thyroid gland. Normality of data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Since the data were not normally distributed, comparisons between groups were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25, with p-values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Findings: The cats included in the study were categorized as either euthyroid or hyperthyroid. The prevalence of hyperthyroidism among the evaluated cats was found to be 8.6%. Ultrasonographic examination of the thyroid glands in hyperthyroid cats revealed significant differences in volume and echogenicity compared to euthyroid cats. Additionally, it was observed that the majority of cats with elevated T4 levels were aged 10 years or older. Results: The cats included in the study were categorized as either euthyroid or hyperthyroid. The prevalence of hyperthyroidism among the evaluated cats was found to be 8.6%. Ultrasonographic examination of the thyroid glands in hyperthyroid cats revealed significant differences in volume and echogenicity compared to euthyroid cats. Additionally, it was observed that the majority of cats with elevated T4 levels were aged 10 years or older.