# Owners’ Experience and Satisfaction with Radioiodine Treatment in Hyperthyroid Cats—A Prospective Questionnaire Study

## TL;DR

This study examines cat owners' experiences and satisfaction with radioiodine treatment for hyperthyroidism, finding that most are satisfied and see improvements in their cats' quality of life.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into owner motivations, concerns, and satisfaction with radioiodine treatment for feline hyperthyroidism.

## Key findings

- Most owners chose radioiodine treatment due to its status as the 'gold standard' or difficulty administering antithyroid drugs.
- Owners were primarily concerned about anesthesia risks and separation during hospitalization.
- Health-related quality of life improved significantly six months post-treatment, with no difference between euthyroid and hypothyroid cats.

## Abstract

Radioiodine treatment is considered the gold standard treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats. However, little research exists addressing owner concerns and experiences with radioiodine treatment. This study explores why owners choose radioiodine treatment, their worries and satisfaction, and changes in their perception of their cat’s health-related quality of life after treatment. Cat owners were asked to complete two online surveys (one before and one six months after radioiodine treatment). A total of 78 owners completed the first survey and 68 completed the second survey. The main reasons for choosing radioiodine treatment were its status as the “gold standard” (35%) and difficulty giving antithyroid medication (23%). Veterinarians (64%) and the internet (42%) were the most common information sources. The biggest concerns were anaesthesia risks and separation from their cats during hospitalisation. After treatment, most owners were satisfied with their decision for and the outcome of radioiodine treatment. The health-related quality of life improved significantly, and there was no difference between cats that had normal (euthyroid) or low thyroid values (hypothyroid). This study highlights the important role of primary care veterinarians and online resources in decision-making processes and provides valuable insights to improve owner counselling and support and education of primary care veterinarians.

Radioiodine (RAI) treatment (RAIT) is considered the gold standard for treatment of feline hyperthyroidism. This study aimed to assess owners’ motivation, concerns and satisfaction with RAIT and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes in RAI-treated cats. Two surveys (before and six months post-RAIT) were sent to owners of cats scheduled for RAIT between April 2023 and March 2024. The owners of 78 and 68 cats completed the first and the second surveys, respectively. The main reasons for choosing RAIT were that RAIT was considered the gold standard treatment (n = 27/78; 35%) and difficulties administering antithyroid drugs (n = 18/78; 23%). The primary care veterinarian (n = 50/78; 64%) and the internet (n = 33/78; 42%) were the main information sources about RAIT at the referral clinic. Owners were mostly concerned about the anaesthetic risk and hospitalisation, with the cat missing the owner and vice versa being the main worries. Most owners were satisfied with the outcome and their decision for RAIT. The HRQoL score improved within the first six months after RAIT (p < 0.01), with no difference between euthyroid and hypothyroid cats (p = 0.609). This study emphasises the role of the primary care veterinarian and the internet as primary sources of information regarding RAIT. The findings help to better understand owner concerns, improve owner counselling, and educate primary care veterinarians about RAIT.