ABSTRACT:
When presented with a hyperthyroid patient, medical treatment should always be instigated prior to surgical stabilisation to reduce the anaesthetic risks involved. However, stabilisation prior to surgery is not always an option owing to cost and the fact that medical treatment may not always be successful.
The following case describes an unstable hyperthyroid feline patient undergoing surgery for a total thyroid removal. The surgery was performed in a ‘charity’ environment and it therefore outlines the essential equipment required when cost is an issue.