Diesel has lost 4lbs

[Knom3]

So when finding out Diesel had diabetes he was 15.8lbs on 10/15, and now he is 11.1 I could tell he was losing weight.

I called my vet asking her about his thyroid to see if that was normal per advice given, and it was when they tested him in October. It was normal levels.
He has been OTJ since 11/19 and his numbers have been doing really well.

I made an appointment for the vet but do yall have any suggestions of what it may be?

 

[Panic]

Would you consider Diesel to have been overweight at 15 lbs? Does he seem underweight to you now?

Was Diesel on different food when he was diagnosed? It's possible if he were switched from dry to wet food that he is getting fewer calories now. How many does he eat a day?

 

[Knom3]

Would you consider Diesel to have been overweight at 15 lbs? Does he seem underweight to you now?

Was Diesel on different food when he was diagnosed? It's possible if he were switched from dry to wet food that he is getting fewer calories now. How many does he eat a day?
View attachment 58537

Thanks for sending that diagram that somewhat helps. His ribs aren’t showing, but his hip bones and spine I can feel more clearly now. Like he just feels more bony?

Yes he was on only dry food when he was diagnosed and we eventually switched him over to only wet now. So I tried to feed him small meals through out the day but I feel like that isn’t enough for him. Usually like 4-5 times a day of canned food.
He’s become increasingly needy and asks like he’s hungry and jumps on me asking for food.
Besides that his numbers are still good. And if I play with him he plays back. So I’m not sure what’s happening and the vet is saying that should get another blood panel done that I can’t afford of course.

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi Kayla,

Here's an alternative version of the body condition chart. Where would Diesel score:

(a) when he weighed 15.8lbs?

(b) now, at 11.1lbs?

The tips at the bottom of the chart to help you gauge 'boniness' are very helpful.

Also, how many calories does Diesel consume per day?


Mogs
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[JanetNJ]

Can you ask for a copy of the latest labs

 

[Knom3]

Hi Kayla,

Here's an alternative version of the body condition chart. Where would Diesel score:

(a) when he weighed 15.8lbs?

(b) now, at 11.1lbs?


View attachment 58538



The tips at the bottom of the chart to help you gauge 'boniness' are very helpful.

Also, how many calories does Diesel consume per day?


Mogs
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It’s so hard to say cause he’s longhaired and I can’t see his ribs. I could always try and post pics.
But A- probably between 5-6
B- now I feel like he’s like 2-3

Im so used to him being a larger cat cause he is a big boy so idk it seems abnormal for him to be this small.

 

[Knom3]

Can you ask for a copy of the latest labs

Do you think they would release that to me?

 

[Knom3]

 

[Panic]

You could up his food and see if it makes a difference. My civvie lost a couple pounds when his arthritis got so bad he hurt too much to bend down and eat. At the same time of the arthritis discovery I switched him to wet food (around the time Panic was diagnosed) but he never gained the weight back. Took me way too long to realize the calorie count had gone down significantly and that's why he was still under his average weight.

Do you think they would release that to me?

They legally cannot without it from you, you paid for it.

 

[Critter Mom]

You're right, he's too thin at the moment. You can really see it in his hindquarters.

How about aiming for a weight target of c. 13.5lb? (Mid-way between October and current weights - a guestimate based on his ideal body condition score being mid-way between the A and B assessments.)

Very roughly, a kitty needs a daily energy intake of about 20kcal per lb of ideal weight for maintenance, so for a cat at 13.5lb that would be 270 kcal (c. 3 full cans of Fancy Feast classic paté per day).

For weight gain, more would need to be fed. The following article recommends feeding the daily 'ideal weight' amount of calories plus 20% extra:

https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/what-feed-cat-weight-gain

It's also got a useful checklist of things to cover with the vet (thyroid function, parasites, etc., etc.). When you go to the appointment it would be a good idea to bring a stool sample so the vet can check it for parasites.

Feeding a low carb kitten food can promote weight gain.

Dr. Lisa's US food list includes info on calorie content of popular commercial cat foods. Also the Chewy website provides info on the calories in the foods they sell.


Mogs
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[JanetNJ]

Do you think they would release that to me?

Yes. I get my lab reports emailed to me every time. If I'm paying hundreds of dollars to treat my cat, those lab reports are mine!

 

[Knom3]

You're right, he's too thin at the moment. You can really see it in his hindquarters.

How about aiming for a weight target of c. 13.5lb? (Mid-way between October and current weights - a guestimate based on his ideal body condition score being mid-way between the A and B assessments.)

Very roughly, a kitty needs a daily energy intake of about 20kcal per lb of ideal weight for maintenance, so for a cat at 13.5lb that would be 270 kcal (c. 3 full cans of Fancy Feast classic paté per day).

For weight gain, more would need to be fed. The following article recommends feeding the daily 'ideal weight' amount of calories plus 20% extra:

https://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/what-feed-cat-weight-gain

It's also got a useful checklist of things to cover with the vet (thyroid function, parasites, etc., etc.). When you go to the appointment it would be a good idea to bring a stool sample so the vet can check it for parasites.

Feeding a low carb kitten food can promote weight gain.

Dr. Lisa's US food list includes info on calorie content of popular commercial cat foods. Also the Chewy website provides info on the calories in the foods they sell.


Mogs
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Oh wow okay! For the fancy feast are we talking about the small or larger cans? I have the larger cans currently but if I need to go small ones I can.
It’s probably my fault? I may not be feeding him as much as I thought. I usually use the big can and split that between my 3 cats though out the day. I usually use maybe 1-2 cans a day.

 

[Knom3]

I just called my vet to reschedule for now and they were guilt tripping me telling me he needs his insulin even though his numbers are good.
I really dislike this vet office they always like make me feel bad.

 

[Knom3]

You could up his food and see if it makes a difference. My civvie lost a couple pounds when his arthritis got so bad he hurt too much to bend down and eat. At the same time of the arthritis discovery I switched him to wet food (around the time Panic was diagnosed) but he never gained the weight back. Took me way too long to realize the calorie count had gone down significantly and that's why he was still under his average weight.


They legally cannot without it from you, you paid for it.

I think the issue was me and I’m not feeding him enough. I’m going to go get some more cans and try feeding him more

 

[Critter Mom]

For the fancy feast are we talking about the small or larger cans?

IIRC it's the 3oz cans. If you look up the varieties you have in Dr. Lisa's food chart or on the Chewy website you should be able to get the precise number of kilocalories the different varieties contain. (If looking at the Chewy site I think you need to open the nutritional information tab to find the info on calories.)

I just called my vet to reschedule for now and they were guilt tripping me telling me he needs his insulin even though his numbers are good.
I really dislike this vet office they always like make me feel bad.

What??? Balderdash. Diesel's in (very good) non-diabetic numbers. His body is producing enough insulin for his needs. If he's underweight then it certainly doesn't look like it's due to lack of insulin.

Are you going to get them to recheck his thyroid levels? (Test usually needs to be ordered in addition to more standard blood panels.)

Is Diesel's poop OK (consistency/frequency)?


Mogs
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[Knom3]

IIRC it's the 3oz cans. If you look up the varieties you have in Dr. Lisa's food chart or on the Chewy website you should be able to get the precise number of kilocalories the different varieties contain. (If looking at the Chewy site I think you need to open the nutritional information tab to find the info on calories.)


What??? Balderdash. Diesel's in (very good) non-diabetic numbers. His body is producing enough insulin for his needs. If he's underweight then it certainly doesn't look like it's due to lack of insulin.

Are you going to get them to recheck his thyroid levels? (Test usually needs to be ordered in addition to more standard blood panels.)

Is Diesel's poop OK (consistency/frequency)?


Mogs
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Yeah I know. Idk I feel uncomfortable at that vet they make me feel incompetent. The lady on the phone asked me if I was giving him insulin and I said no his numbers have been really good to where I don’t need to give him insulin anymore and she basically was saying that he needs insulin to survive because he’s a diabetic cat.
I might try and look for a vet that actually understands more about diabetic cats.

His bathroom breaks have been consistent and normal. Nothing abnormal at all.

 

[Critter Mom]

she basically was saying that he needs insulin to survive because he’s a diabetic cat.

Pah! In the strictest sense, he'd need insulin to survive even if he wasn't a diabetic cat (we all do!). Non-diabetic cats make enough of their own insulin. So do diabetic cats in remission (and therefore don't need additional injected insulin). If she does it again, perhaps ask her what her understanding of feline diabetic remission is.

I might try and look for a vet that actually understands more about diabetic cats.

Nothing wrong with that idea.


Mogs
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[Critter Mom]

Another thought: if you haven't already got one, a cheap 'n' cheerful electronic baby scale is a great help for monitoring a kitty's weight. (eBay or Amazon usually have them at reasonable prices.) Also, it's helpful to keep a little journal with the amount fed each day. Between the two you would be able to get quick feedback on whether Diesel starts to regain weight with the increased food amounts. All going well, the extra grub will do the trick, and after he gets back to ideal weight the daily journal and the scale will help you to his weight stable going forward.


Mogs
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[Knom3]

Another thought: if you haven't already got one, a cheap 'n' cheerful electronic baby scale is a great help for monitoring a kitty's weight. (eBay or Amazon usually have them at reasonable prices.) Also, it's helpful to keep a little journal with the amount fed each day. Between the two you would be able to get quick feedback on whether Diesel starts to regain weight with the increased food amounts. All going well, the extra grub will do the trick, and after he gets back to ideal weight the daily journal and the scale will help you to his weight stable going forward.


Mogs
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I shall def look into getting a scale! I weighed him with a human scale LOL by weighing myself first and then holding him which I know isn’t accurate but it was the best I could do.

 

[JanetNJ]

I shall def look into getting a scale! I weighed him with a human scale LOL by weighing myself first and then holding him which I know isn’t accurate but it was the best I could do.

Get a baby scale.

 

[Critter Mom]

Get a baby scale.

You know it makes sense!

They're great yokes altogether.


Mogs
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