Help!! I am receiving a radioactive iodine treatment next week and have been told that it won't hurt my cats and I've been told that it will. I guess being an intelligent human I assume if it will hurt to be around a pregnant woman or small child that it would hurt them. Does anyone know for sure???
If it were the other way around and your cat was receiving radioiodine treatment, yes, pregnant women and children could be at risk (since the radioiodine is exreted through urine and fecal material), for this reason, radioiodine clinics usually keep the feline patient at the clinic until the risk of exposure is limited.
I would suggest calling your vet on this one (or Davet here might be able to answer).
back when radioactive pellets were first used, especially in cattle,no one could go near the cow except for a persons gowned and gloved....that was for tumors of the eyes etc but now day, i beleive, but cannot be positive that, they would keep the patient in the hospital if they felt it were a risk to the general public, which includes pets, they would not allow the patient out of the hospital.. however any assumption your or i or Traci would make would be speculative because we don't know the dosage or the amount of radiation the patient is eminating...i think your radiographer or physician would be the best source...personally i don't think you are a hazard to the public or pets because they would not let you out if your were...but check with the physician or group that gave the radioactive material...hate to say this but it is a wee bit ourt of my line....check with the MD's,they know the half life etc of the iodine....
Well the problem is... I can't go back to work for a day and have to stay at lease 9 feet away from people fo 3 days, and for 2 weeks be especially careful of pregnant women and small children. Sounds really scary to me!!! You know that the cats won't stay off of me if I am home for 3 days!! Also my aby ALWAYS sleeps with me. He'll be really upset with me!! Thanks everyone
I just put in two different calls to my vets...neither of them knows for certain. Davet is right, it depends on the half-life of the radioiodine in your system. You might contact the Animal Control Poison Control Center for more information, if your vet doesn't know, but chances are, your physician should be able to advise you accordingly.
May I ask you post what your physician tells you? This would be helpful to us if the question is presented again...(thanks in advance)
I've gotten 3 different answers so far. NO it won't hurt anything from the nuculear lab guy. Well don't let them sleep with you and wear gloves if you pet them from the vet and YES keep them away from you for a couple of days from the radiologist. Not sure but, I guess I'd rather be safe and put them in the basement!
Heh, add a third opinion (from my favorite vet)...she suggests not letting the cats sleep with you as well as not letting them near your neck. At least for 3 days.....To play it safe I would concur....keep them in a seperate area for at least 3 days (ask your physician how long he feels the radioiodine will be in your system).
Since the most cautionary thing you could do if the situation were reversed (cat receives radioiodine), you would want to use extra precautions when handling and handling the litterbox, since it is excreted through saliva, urine and feces. Since this is a human situation with radioiodine, your cat's won't come into contact with the above, less of a risk. I would still keep them seperated from you at least for a few days.
A person I know well had the radioactive seeding process last year for a prostate tumor (very small and nonthreatening but they decided why take chances)... He was advised about not being near children or pregnant women but didn't think to mention his cat. I did think of it, so he kept the cat from sitting in his lap - which annoyed the cat no end but she got over it - and he was later told this was a wise precaution.
PS: This seeding process is a wonderful medical advance in our opinion. Here's wishing you the same trouble-free results!
Thanks everyone. I had decided to keep seperate anyway... but, wanted to be sure it was necessary. The answers have made me feel a little better about locking them in the basement!!
Help!! I am receiving a radioactive iodine treatment next week and have been told that it won't hurt my cats and I've been told that it will. I guess being an intelligent human I assume if it will hurt to be around a pregnant woman or small child that it would hurt them. Does anyone know for sure??? 
Thanks everyone
- and he was later told this was a wise precaution.