Remembering Rhaegar the Cat
Radioiodine (I-131) Hyperthyroidism Therapy for Rhaegar the Cat!
(Please play this video for a calming piano soundtrack by James Andrzej Rushin while you read)
FEBRUARY 2022 "CONTINUED CARE" ADDENDUM:
In November 2021, Rhaegar has his much-needed Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy treatment, thanks to the astounding & touching generosity of almost 60 donors here. Please check the "Updates" section of this page for details and my 'realtime' journal entries. As of this writing , it all seems to be a big success! But, he has further checkups over the course of 2022:
(2021.11.09 - Radioiodine I-131 Therapy Date)
2022.01.04 - 2 month checkup - ($530)
2022.03.08 - 4 month checkup - (~$500)
2022.05.XX - 6 month checkup - (~$500)
2022.08.XX - 9 month checkup - (~$500)
2022.11.XX - 12 month checkup - (~$500)
This means I am basically on the hook for an extra ~$2530+ in Vet fees related *only* to November’s Radioiodine I-131 procedure. Not including transport etc. Therefore, I have decided to do the following:
1. I will extend this GoFundMe Campaign until December 31st, 2022.
2. The Goal amount has been increased by $2800 to a FINAL total of $7000.
3. The focus of this campaign page will change to “Continued Care”.
Though donations have slowed greatly over the past few months, this page still occasionally does get messages from kind strangers and old friends - and a lovely $50 donation just today, in fact. So it’s a resource I would like to keep open through this new year. As always, Rhaegar and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
That said: there will only be 5 more updates over the year on this matter. Communication won’t be as frequent or urgent as it was before.
But Rhaegar is always your friend and would be happy to hear from you anytime. :) Thank you SO, SO MUCH again for such amazing support throughout the past year!!!!
With love,
Rhaegar & Dave
February 14th, 2022
BACKGROUND
In January 2020, my beloved cat Rhaegar was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. "Hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland." Rhaegar's mood, eating & drinking habits, and stool/urine patterns changed significantly and he lost a tremendous amount of weight in a very short amount of time.
As an older cat (Rhaegar will turn either 17 or 18 in November 2021), I was terrified that I was facing his final days with him not eating, hardly moving, peeing frequently and crying in discomfort while losing more & more weight. Seeing such a negative turnaround in any loved one is really sad and scary.
Rhaegar's vet is the exceptional Dr. Eric Dougherty of The Cat Practice, NYC. Dr. Dougherty diagnosed the condition and immediately put him on a daily pill treatment of Methimazole (5mg). This improved Rhaegar's condition considerably - however, the results have not always been consistent. Rhaegar is a fussy eater and would spit out the pills. He'd run & hide when trying to drop it into his mouth, or, eat the Pill Pocket only and spit out the pill inside. Depending on what life throws my way, it can sometimes be difficult to consistently deliver this much-needed medication every 12 hours as required. Daily Methimazole doesn't cure hyperthyroidism, either - it only manages it.
With this GoFundMe, I am seeking funds for Radioiodine Therapy (I-131) . This is a one-time, inpatient procedure that neutralizes the thyroid gland(s) responsible for overproducing the hormone. I've been referred to Dr. Mark E. Peterson of the Animal Endocrine Clinic in NYC, who is a pioneer in this treatment for felines. Rhaegar's vet assures me Dr. Peterson is the very best.
The procedure will happen on November 9th, 2021. I will find a way to afford Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy in 2021 for Rhaegar, regardless of this campaign's outcome. This GoFundMe aims to give loved ones and animal lovers a path to help me defray the high cost of this important procedure. As any pet parent knows, animal care is an ongoing and expensive responsibility not to be taken lightly.
It is hard to describe how important Rhaegar is to me; how loved he is. He is a delightful, chill little guy who is always affectionate and curious. He has an endearingly loud "purr" that makes him sound like a little motorboat. When he's happy, he drools - this accumulates into a cute little dewdrop on his mouth. He loves playing & running around with other cat friends, and always comes up to snuggle when I'm about to go to sleep. When he senses I'm waking up, he'll start to lick my nose saying, "let's start the day!". In these little ways & more, Rhaegar has absolutely saved my life through some heartbreakingly difficult times. Especially this past year of COVID-19.
Rhaegar came into my life in 2015, and I don't know much about his years before that. I don't know how he lost his right ear (the hematoma). Both his ears were seriously infected when we first adopted him. Rhaegar's personality does hint that he has lived a varied life with multiple 'owners' - his older vet records list his name as "Biffy". Since 2019, I've had to board Rhaegar a few times due to moving apartments and such. He also stayed with friends for a bit, all of whom absolutely adore him. These events did disrupt the consistency of his medication somewhat, and surely added to his stress. I believe Rhaegar's quiet, affectionate nature hints that he knows the trauma of abandonment in his past. For this reason, I am committed to being the best Dad Rhaegar can have through to his final days.
Any amount you can spare to help Rhaegar would be significant and so appreciated. These are difficult times for most, and people are doing all they can to just survive. I understand that. This is an expensive procedure that some might view as 'unessential'.
But Rhaegar is essential to me. He's a life that was brought into this crazy world, and fate made me his steward. In his little (yet meaningful) ways, I know that he has brought so much joy to others. He absolutely has for me. He and I both need help to address this health concern and afford the treatment. He deserves love, happiness, and health just like any living creature. Even a small donation to help us secure that would mean so much.
Thank you so much for your consideration & be well!
Love, Rhaegar and Dave.
TERM & USE OF FUNDS:
The cost of one-time Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy is approx. $3,500 USD total, factoring in about $150 in miscellaneous, transaction, & transport fees. There's also an additional $675 in boarding fees, so on Sept. 12th I increased this campaign's target to $4,200. (See Update #4 for more details).
100% of any collected fees will go toward this procedure & related care. Donors will be provided occasional updates & photos detailing Rhaegar's journey.
I will keep this GoFundMe active until 2 months after Rhaegar's treatment; which will occur on November 9th, 2021.
If applicable, any fees above the $4,200 target will go to Rhaegar’s immediate care post-procedure for up to 4 weeks after his discharge date. Any fees left over *after that* - if any - will be donated to The Cat Sanctuary in Southpoint Park (Roosevelt Island), NYC.
COSTS, NUMBER-CRUNCHING, LIFESPAN DATA & SUCH:
(This section was updated on September 12th, 2021).
Rhaegar was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in January 2020.
The cost of one-time Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy is approx. $3,500 USD total, factoring in about $150 in miscellaneous, transaction, & transport fees. There's also an additional $675 in boarding fees, so on Sept. 12th I increased this campaign's target to $4,200.
Methimazole 5mg tablets cost $70 USD for a bottle of 100 pills. Rhaegar requires 1/2 pill per day (0.25 pills every 12 hours). That's 35 cents per pill / day.
At current prices / his current dosage, $4,200 could buy 60 bottles of Methimazole - i.e. 6,000 pills / 12,000 days of treatment. This amounts to about 32.8 years of daily treatment.
Rhaegar will turn either 17 or 18 in November 2021.
Sadly, there is zero chance that Rhaegar will live to be 50 years old.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aging_in_cats
Per Wikipedia , “Estimates of mean lifespan [of domestic cats] in … studies range between 13 and 20 years, with a single value in the neighborhood of 15 years. At least one study found a median lifespan value of 14 years and a corresponding interquartile range of 9 to 17 years. Maximum lifespan has been estimated at values ranging from 22 to 30 years although there have been claims of cats dying at ages greater than 30 years”.
To be fair, daily Methimazole treatment is clearly a much cheaper solution - objectively. But, the lifespan prognosis is shorter with Methimazole versus I-131 therapy. It manages the condition, but doesn't cure it - and leaves much more room for error and inconsistency in the long term.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16478432/
According to this peer-reviewed study comparing the survival span of cats with hyperthyroidism treated with iodine 131, Methimazole, or both: “Cats with preexisting renal disease had significantly shorter survival times than did cats without preexisting renal disease. When cats with preexisting renal disease were excluded, median survival time for cats treated with Methimazole alone (2.0 years; interquartile range [IQR], 1 to 3.9 years) was significantly shorter than median survival time for cats treated with 131I alone (4.0 years; IQR, 3.0 to 4.8 years) or Methimazole followed by 131I (5.3 years; IQR, 2.2 to 6.5 years).”
Thus, Radioiodine (I-131) Therapy could possibly extend Rhaegar’s life by about 3.3 years. It is a ‘permanent’ solution that doesn’t require daily medication - it eliminates the chance of him missing his medication in the future for whatever reason. The treatment will undoubtedly give him a more consistent quality-of-life in his final years.
TREATMENT PROVIDER:
Dr. Mark E. Peterson, Animal Endocrine Clinic
Hypurrcat™: A Treatment Center for Hyperthyroid Cats
21 West 100th Street, New York, NY 10025
www.animalendocrine.com
“Dr. Mark Peterson is recognized as both a pioneer and an expert on feline hyperthyroidism. He has authored over 175 scientific articles on the diagnosis and treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats. Dr. Peterson was the first veterinarian to use radioiodine treatment for hyperthyroid cats, and he has personally treated over 10,000 cats during his 30-plus year career.
Thyroid scintigraphy is considered the “gold standard” in diagnosing mild hyperthyroidism in cats. We routinely perform thyroid imaging to accurately confirm the diagnosis of any cat that needs it. At Hypurrcat, we personally tailor each I-131 dose based on a number of patient-specific factors. This individualized dosing method not only results in a >98% cure rate, but also greatly decreases the incidence of permanent hypothyroidism after therapy.
Dr. Peterson examines, treats, and evaluates all cats during their stay. Your cat’s caretaker feeds, monitors, and brushes your cat throughout the day, then calls or emails the owner with a daily update. Dr. Peterson customized spacious cat cottages with hiding boxes, perches, litter box alcoves, and individualized ventilation systems to ensure that all cats get the pampered experience they deserve.At Hypurrcat, our hyperthyroid patients are housed in a large, quiet ward with their own flat- screen TV that plays relaxing nature videos. We also provide the cats with live entertainment. At our NYC facility, the cats have a window view of the back courtyard, where they can observe birds and squirrels eating from feeders. Live web cams in each of the cat condos allow both cat owners and referring veterinarians to watch their cats during their stay with us (even on a smartphone!).
Dr. Peterson is always available to consult with the primary veterinarian in charge of a cat's healthcare during the cat’s hospitalization as well as anytime after the cat has been discharged.”
