Cat cannot get prescription refill

Older male cat was diagnosed with thyroid problem. Given 1 month of methiazole 5mg 2x/day. Blood tests were then good and new prescription given for 3 months. Vet wants another blood test but cat has developed fear of carrier. Trying to get him in makes him very aggressive. Vet doesn't return calls. I don't want him to get sick again but this seems to be the only choice. What if anything can I do?

Hello!  I'm afraid that if a vet has given a drug, they often feel obliged to check that it is working before they can issue a long-term prescription.  I realize that you think it is working and it may feel as though the vet is being difficult, but there is good science behind this.  Hyperthyroidism increases a cats' blood pressure.  Once the thyroid hormone drops, pre-existing kidney disease can be revealed that wasn't obvious on the bloods previously (the high blood pressure masks kidney disease).  If the thyroid levels remain high, even if the cat feels better, they may be putting strain on the organs.  Certainly, I would insist on a repeat thyroid test before issuing hyperthyroid drugs for any length of time.  If your cats' behaviour has become more erratic since your last visit, this would be unexpected - most hyperthyroid cats become calmer and easier to handle with treatment.  There may be behavioural reasons for this, but it may also be connected to the hyperthyroidism, constituting an even stronger indication for checking the patient before issuing medication long-term. The concern is that if the drug isn't working, or works so 'well' that it causes hypothyroidism (too low thyroid hormones), the vet could be accused of negligence if they don't carry out the tests to pick this up. Some vets are prepared to check the patient at home, a so-called 'home visit,' although these are time-consuming for the vet, who may lose time in clinic and need to take a nurse along for the bloods.  For this reason, home visits are generally expensive. If you are really unable to take your pet into the surgery and a home visit isn't an option, it may be worth asking a local pet taxi to help you in collecting the cat from home and transporting them.  You could also have a look at your carrier;  is it an easy one to put a cat into?  Can it open through the sides and the top?  Some carriers are easier to put an unsuspecting cat into than others and sometimes a new carrier (or even borrowing a good one from your vet, if that option is available) will pay dividends. Why are the vets refusing to return your calls?  From a business point of view, the vets' time is one of the most limited and expensive resources in any practice.  It sounds as though a calm, respectful discussion may be needed about how best to transport your cat, but this could be had with a nurse or receptionist.  Alternatively, you could book and offer to pay for a consultation for this discussion in order to cover the vets' time. Either way, the rules can be difficult to navigate but medications do make a massive difference to a cats' life and this is definitely worth the effort.  Frustratingly, if the tablets have already run out, your vet may well have to ask for yet another consultation because they may need to assess / blood-test the pet while they are on the meds rather than after they have run out. We hope that you get this sorted one way or another.  Best of luck.