|Articles|December 7, 2010

Case 4

Based on these findings, you conclude that Miss Kitty has renal disease (azotemia, nonregenerative anemia) and hyperthyroidism. In this case, a urinalysis and urine culture are still indicated to evaluate urine specific gravity (to confirm that the azotemia is renal vs. prerenal) and to look for evidence of proteinuria, inflammation, or infection.

QUESTION 2

What is the most appropriate therapeutic plan for Miss Kitty at this time?

a) Recommend I-131 therapy as soon as possible to treat the hyperthyroidism.

b) Place an intravenous catheter and begin fluid therapy for rehydration. Consider antiemetics if vomiting persists.

c) Initiate twice-daily methimazole therapy and send her home.

d) Recommend starting a renal diet for now and send her home to be rechecked again in two weeks.

<< Back | Next Step >>

From exam room tips to practice management insights, get trusted veterinary news delivered straight to your inbox—subscribe to dvm360.

Related to this article

September 22nd, 2026

Q&A: Caregiver burden can begin early in pet illness. Are veterinary teams equipped to support clients, and how can veterinary social workers help both parties?

Caroline Cox, LSW, MSW, and Erika Krick, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology), discuss the role of veterinary social workers in supporting clients, communicating with veterinary teams, and helping practices address the human side of veterinary care in this Q&A from an interview at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.

Southern white rhinoceros calf Twuda. Photo courtesy of Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch

September 22nd, 2026

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch welcomes third southern white rhino calf in 3 years

After more than 20 years of work toward its first rhino birth, the Texas ranch has now welcomed 3 calves in 3 years.

September 21st, 2026

Recent acquisitions: IDEXX buys CoVet, The Farmer's Dog acquires Woof

Two notable pet-industry acquisitions closed in September. One bringing AI-powered clinical documentation into IDEXX's software ecosystem, the other marking the first acquisition for fresh-food brand The Farmer's Dog.

September 21st, 2026

Paws and profits: Schwarzman AMC names zoological department head, Mars names chief digital and information officer, and more updates

New leadership moves, recognition, and achievement.

September 19th, 2026

Why pet owners decline vaccines: Survey insights and strategies for navigating hesitancy

In a keynote address at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Jessica Pritchard, VMD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), shared research showing that many owners decline vaccines because they do not think their pet needs them, and discussed ways veterinary teams can address those concerns.

September 19th, 2026

Veterinary triage for technicians: Assessing urgency, communicating with clients, and coordinating the team

Alyssa Mages, BS, CVT, FVTE, outlines key considerations for veterinary technicians during triage, from rapid patient assessment and prioritization to client communication and team coordination, in this interview from the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference.

September 18th, 2026

Good flea control is good tapeworm control, veterinarian tells Fetch attendees

In a session at the 2026 Fetch National Harbor Veterinary Conference, Nathanael Oster, VMD, MBA, walked attendees through the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of the flea tapeworm in dogs and cats, including why cats are affected more often than dogs.

September 18th, 2026

SNAP-P: If rotisserie chicken, why not pet food?

SNAP-P is a proposed high-impact program that would provide at least $4.4 billion in benefits to low-income pet owners at marginal cost to federal and state governments.