i-131 Hyperthyroid Therapy

In 2007, Dr. Dutton founded i131 New Hampshire, a veterinary practice dedicated exclusively to the care and treatment of feline hyperthyroidism using radioactive iodine injection (i131), the only cure for the disease.

Dr. Dutton is also a founding member of the Capital Area Veterinary Emergency Service (CAVES) hospital, and in 2009, i131 New Hampshire moved to their new, state-of-the-art veterinary facility on Intervale Road in Concord. CAVES shares hospital space with the Veterinary Referral Center of New Hampshire (VRCNH), a comprehensive veterinary specialty facility and veterinary referral center. When your pet needs the expertise of a specialist, Veterinary Referral Center of NH is the location of choice for you and your regular veterinarian. Each of its referral veterinarians has completed a rigorous academic program in his or her area of expertise, representing years of advanced study beyond the standard four-year veterinary college curriculum.

Many older cats develop a thyroid disease where too much thyroid hormone is produced. This elevated hormone causes your cat’s metabolism to run too high, causing weight loss, heart disease and kidney disease. Other signs can include hyperactivity or lethargy, appetite changes, increased drinking, behavioral changes, and/or diarrhea. Left untreated, hyperthyroidism is fatal. Fortunately, over 98% of cases are curable with the use of a radioactive iodine injection - i131. One injection of i-131 will destroy the abnormal thyroid tissue in 98% or more cases.

CAVES/VRCNH is the only I-131 treatment center in central New Hampshire where your cat is monitored daily by Board Certified Feline Practitioners. We also offer a unique webcam service in which you may "visit" your pet as often as you want by viewing our streaming webcam on your computer.

The advantages of i-131 are:

1. No anesthesia
2. 98%+ success rate
3. No lifelong daily medications
4. Does not affect normal thyroid tissue or the nearby parathyroid tissue
5. Experts agree that I-131 is the preferred method of treating hyperthyroidism in cats
6. The total cost of I-131 is less than other treatment methods