CATS across Oxfordshire now have the opportunity to become radioactive as part of a special treatment that could save their lives.

Chipping Norton Veterinary Hospital has opened up the first radioiodine unit in Oxfordshire – becoming just the 13th centre in the country to offer the service.

The treatment involves injecting cats with radioactive iodine to tackle deadly hyperthyroidism. The felines then have to be contained until the levels of radioactivity are low enough for them to safely return home.

Hyperthyroidism is an over-activity of the thyroid gland, resulting in a rapid heartbeat and an increased rate of metabolism. The disease, which is usually found in older cats and can be found in human beings, can be fatal.

Martin Whitehead, a director of the hospital in Chipping Norton and advanced practitioner in small animal medicine, said: “There are medications that work, but you may have to give the cat tablets for the rest of its life. And then there’s surgery, but for that the cat would have to be put under anaesthetic.

“For this treatment, we an injection and then your cat becomes radioactive for a week or so.

“We inject a dose of radiation into the cat and they excrete it very quickly. It works because the only bit of the body that uses iodine is the thyroid gland and so it absorbs some of the radioactivity.”

The radioactivity defeats the hyperthyroidism by destroying abnormal thyroid cells.

Following the treatment, the radioactive cats have to stay in the unit's luxury cat kennels until the radiation levels are low enough for them to return home. The hospitalisation period varies across the country, and at Chipping Norton’s unit is 10 days, which is shorter than most other centres.

Dr Whitehead assured patients that the £1,800 treatment is less dangerous than the alternatives.

He said: “When the cats get to go home they’re still a little bit radioactive but just by living you’re exposed to radiation all the time.

“It’s a really safe treatment. Safer than medication and surgery – that’s why we like to do this therapy because it’s the best way to treat cats.”

The hospital has so far treated one cat, but in future will treat cats from practices all over the area, as well as the vet’s own patients.

Dr Whitehead continued: “It will take a couple of months to get the unit full. We can take four cats at a time so about 10 a month.

“Once people know we're here we hope the unit will be full forever. It’s really exciting and something I’ve had in mind for years to do.”

For more information visit chippingnortonvets.co.uk