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Animal Health – General (Expert Forum)
Weight loss
Answered by
Dean Vicksman, D.V.M. - General Veterinary Medicine
Evans East Animal Hospital
Denver - CO
This forum is for general pet health questions, such as questions about medications, parasites, vaccines, infectious diseases, breed specific and genetic problems.
Weight loss
by roo_ha81, Oct 07, 2009 07:04PM
My question is why is his weight continuously dropping? He's down to 6.6 lbs and I'm real worried about him losing any more. Tom has been tested for everything under the sun..T3 for hyperthyroid, leukemia, FIV, you name it! His FIV test is inconclusive since he's been vaccinated all his life. We have deductively come to the conclusion he has stomatitis and it flares up in the back flaps of his gums. He is currently getting steroid injections when they get real bad, about 2x month. He is eating fairly well, 2 packets of Whiskas at least and some cat milk a day or what every he wants. Sometimes more. Is there some diet or holistic remedies to help him pack it back on? I want to get him up to 8lbs. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Type of Animal
:
Cat DSH
Age of Animal
:
15
Sex of Animal
:
Male
Breed of Animal
:
Neutered DSH orange tabby
Last date your pet was examined by a vet?
:
October 01, 2009
City
:
Longmont,
State/Province
:
CO
Country
:
USA
Blood Test Results
:
neg for Fel Leuk, neg cancer, pos FIV (but has been vaccinated first half of life), T3 neg, everything neg.
All organs functioning normally
All organs functioning normally
Other pertinent test results
:
It all started with a skin infection under his chin in June. Antibiotics and Prednisone cleared that up in a matter of 2 months. Then his mouth began to flare up around his gums and in the back of his mouth. My vet has come to the conclusion he has Stomatitis and that seems to fit with his symptoms. He is currently taking Cortico-steriods about 2x a month. He has had 3 injections so far.
Doctor's Answer
by Dean Vicksman, D.V.M., Oct 07, 2009 11:20PM
, Oct 07, 2009 11:20PMTo: roo_ha81
Thanks for coming to medhelp.org
Its obvious you care for your kitty a lot. It sounds like your kitty is losing weight in the face of a normal to increased appetite. Several thoughts come to mind. You mention that the T3 was normal. More importantly what about the T4. Was it normal. I also assume the blood sugar was normal. One avenue that does not appear to have been explored is a GI problem. If it has not been done already I would recommend xrays of the chest and abdomen. If those are normal next I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound. That would allow us to look at all the abdominal organs including the intestines.
Finally its possible his stomatitis is related but I doubt it since he is eating well
Hope this helps.
Keep me posted.
Thanks,
Dr Vicksman
Its obvious you care for your kitty a lot. It sounds like your kitty is losing weight in the face of a normal to increased appetite. Several thoughts come to mind. You mention that the T3 was normal. More importantly what about the T4. Was it normal. I also assume the blood sugar was normal. One avenue that does not appear to have been explored is a GI problem. If it has not been done already I would recommend xrays of the chest and abdomen. If those are normal next I would recommend an abdominal ultrasound. That would allow us to look at all the abdominal organs including the intestines.
Finally its possible his stomatitis is related but I doubt it since he is eating well
Hope this helps.
Keep me posted.
Thanks,
Dr Vicksman
