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Oregon Veterinary Specialty Hospital

Cat sitting on examination table being held and examined by a doctor in uniform

Referring Veterinarians

We Are Here To Help You & Your Patients!

Our goal is to be an extension of your excellent care. We look forward to partnering with you in providing this amazing life-saving curative procedure to your patients.

Our highly trained team of cat lovers is solely focused on hyperthyroid cats and radioiodine. We are in the clinic M – F 8 – 6 pm. Feel free to contact us if you have questions about a case or the referral process.

Referring a Patient for Radioiodine

Program Information

We strive to make referring to us as seamless as possible.

No formal referral is needed! Please

  1. Send full records from 1 yr prior to diagnosis to present (a brief note is helpful!)

  2. Refer your client to our website, or ask them to call or email us and we’ll take it from there!

  3. Please note that “gray zone” patients are not ideal for radioiodine as they are at increased risk of iatrogenic hypothyroidism. See the Discussion below.

Refer your clients and patients with confidence

  • We successfully petitioned for a 48 hr stay for low-dose radioiodine patients and updated our license to provide high-dose radioiodine for adenocarcinoma patients – all a 1st for I-131 in Oregon!

  • We are a high-touch referral practice. We are aware that clients may be anxious about radioiodine and are dedicated to taking care of them as well as the cats that they love.

  • We have a well-delineated procedure for sharing the information needed to prepare for this advanced medical procedure. We are experienced in seeing clients through the process with as little stress as possible.

  • The client has a 30-45 minute detailed medical consult with Dr. Decker, then another 10-15 minute conversation with one of our technicians for after-care questions. The staff also gets to know the clients and patients to help them have the best visits with us as possible.

  • Almost all our patients gain weight during their stay with us. We attribute this to 1) Our beautiful, large treatment room which sits in a back quiet corner of the hospital with a 16’ floor-to-ceiling picture window overlooking a wooded lot 2) We are proactive in supporting the patients’ appetite and anxiety, and managing co-morbidities 3) The bonds that the staff form with the patients. We say they “get as much love as a radioactive cat can get” and it’s true! Even the shyest kitties are at the front of their kennels asking for scritches by the time they leave.

What to Expect From Us

  • We provide you with detailed medical records after each visit and post-radioiodine results with tracked hyperthyroid and pertinent history, bullet-pointed assessment, and plan with timeline and specific requests.

  • We do not provide routine veterinary services or address other health conditions unless they could affect stability during the hospital stay (e.g. wounds, etc).

  • We include you in pertinent client communications so that you are kept well-informed of your patient’s case.