Simba

Simba, a very tired kitten and his journey to better health.

Before visiting the Specialist
While growing up as a kitten, Simba’s owner noted that he seemed slow and lethargic, and he had difficulty in passing stools. He also grew slowly, and his adult teeth had not come through by the time he was 6 months old.

Simba’s Care
Diagnostic tests at a veterinary specialist hospital revealed that Simba was anaemic and had incomplete development of his bones. Tests of his hormonal function showed he was severely deficient in thyroid hormones, which control normal development in growing animals. He was born with this problem, which was probably caused by a mutation in an enzyme in his thyroid gland.

Simba’s treatment and progress
Simba received supplementary thyroid hormones, which he will need to continue to receive for the rest of his life. He has now grown considerably since receiving treatment and his adult teeth have come through. He is much more active than before and is able to go outside! He will be monitored closely in future because he also seems to have been born with abnormal kidneys.

Article provided by James Swann
Specialist in Small Animal Internal Medicine