The treatment process involves injecting a single dose of radioactive iodine into the patient.  When absorbed in the body, Iodine is concentrated in the thyroid gland and those cells that are most active (i.e. thyroid tumor cells) will absorb most of the Iodine. Therefore, the radioactive iodine will preferentially enter the tumor cells in the thyroid gland.  The radioactivity kills the tumor cells while doing very little damage to the normal thyroid cells. Through normal bodily processes, the radioactive iodine is replaced with normal iodine. The radioactive iodine is removed from the body and lost mostly with the urine and somewhat in the feces so that within a few days to a week, most of the radioactive iodine will have been removed from the body. Each day during treatment, we will scan the patient to determine the level of residual radioactivity remaining and when the levels are low enough, your pet can go home.

When your pet goes home, there will still be a low level of radioactivity remaining in his/her body and it will slowly diminish over the next two weeks.  The level will be low enough so that casual association with your pet poses no direct threat to you or your family, however, prolonged direct contact must be avoided.   The following precautions must be taken over the nest two weeks. 

Home Instructions and General Precautions

Please take the following general precautions over the next two weeks.

	Avoid direct body to body contact.  You may pet your cat but limit the amount of petting time per day;
	Do not let your cat sleep with you or any member of your family;
	Line the litter box with a plastic bag or liner;
	Use scoopable, clumping cat litter;
	When you change the litter, wear rubber gloves (we will send some disposable gloves home with you);
	Discard the litter with your regular trash in a plastic bag;
	Do not take your cat on any public airplane trips for two weeks;
	Encourage your cat to eat and drink which will speed up the removal process;
	Do not let your cat outside during this two week period; and
	Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water any time you have had close contact with your cat or the used litter.

 

Upon discharge we will review these procedures with you to ensure that you have a full understanding of the safety precautions you should take at home.