Cat practice in Liesing: New opportunity with rare radioiodine therapy!

Cat practice in Liesing: New opportunity with rare radioiodine therapy!

A new milestone has begun for all cat owners in the area at the cat practice in Liesing. From now on there will be one here Radioiodine therapy for cats with hyperthyroidism. This procedure can be life-changing for older cats suffering from this common hormonal disorder. To date, Liesing has been the first address in Austria dedicated to treating this disease in such a specialized way.

Radioiodine therapy is considered the most effective form of therapy for combating hyperthyroidism, which if left untreated can lead to serious health problems such as weight loss, high blood pressure and ultimately heart and kidney failure. In Europe there are only five other facilities offering this therapy, including VetMed in Vienna, one station in Bern, two in Germany and one in Madrid. This makes the cat practice in Liesing the sixth station in all of Europe to rely on this innovative therapy.

Adjustments for the well-being of cats

The feline patient requiring treatment is placed in a specially shielded area for a period of three to five days. There are numerous amenities available to the cats here: game tablets on which they can hunt fish or birds, daylight simulation and continuous video surveillance ensure a stress-free environment. The facility is completely tailored to the needs of cats and offers small retreats.

Karin Kamm and Marie-Theres Hoyer founded the practice, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, in 2015 and moved it to new, more spacious premises at Altmannsdorfer Straße 154 in the 23rd district in August 2025. This not only created more space, but also made it possible to offer the therapy to a larger group of cats. Up to six cats can be treated per week, which contributes significantly to the quality of life of the affected animals.

The course of the therapy

Before radioiodine therapy, there are some important steps to follow to ensure the treatment is successful. One week before the start of therapy, all antithyroid drugs must be discontinued, and switching to low-iodine food is also necessary up to two weeks before therapy. When you are admitted to the hospital, which takes place on Tuesdays, blood tests and, if necessary, cardiological examinations are carried out. A thyroid scintigraphy will be carried out under short anesthesia on Thursday.

Once injected into the body, the radioactive iodine accumulates in the enlarged thyroid. The cats are then isolated in the facility and released after a radioactivity measurement, usually five to eight days after therapy. At particularly high doses, this isolation can last up to four weeks, during which very strict safety measures apply: cats must be kept indoors during this time, and contact with pregnant women and children under 16 years of age should be avoided in order to exclude possible risks.

The cost of the therapy is around 1,900 to 2,100 euros plus VAT, although cardiological examinations can incur additional costs. Despite price increases due to global supply and production problems of iodine 131 that have occurred since the coronavirus pandemic, radioiodine therapy remains an essential component in the treatment of cats with hyperthyroidism.

The new therapy option in Liesing is already perceived as a blessing by many cat owners. It's just a shame that not all cats can be treated due to limited capacity. But the love and care that the employees in the cat practice offer give hope for the four-legged friends' successful recovery.