Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb food

[HobbsMom]

Hello all

First of all thank you so much for your help with Hobbs. He's doing well.. we are drop dosing him and he is starting to get to an OTJ trial again. (We ended up 4 day and then 5 days without a drop... but then had to travel and so the stress got to him a little... but he's handling it like a trooper. Even during the trip he didn't need some insulin... I'm super proud of my little guy.)

Now, of course, another issue has raised that I am hoping you will be able to help me on. Calvin is his brother, same age but with normal glucose numbers (usually between 57-89) so he can handle carbs if needed is losing weight eating what his brother, low carb high protein. I've given him Hills rx a/d for about a month now but hes is still not gaining like he needs to. He is hungry and eats whenever he wants- but being only 8 lbs the food doesn't seem to be sticking. I need him to be 9.5blbs for his body type. (Vet agrees.) What food do you suggest? I've heard of the pills that will help him get more hungry but I can't imagine that being good as he already had a healthy appetite. (Hungry when he should be, not when he shouldn't.) What do you suggest. I've tried Hills a/d and giving it whenever he's awake. It doesn't seem to be enough. His blood is testing within the normal range for everything... but I see this as not good and therefore wish to deal with it now.

Thank you in advance for all your help on this one.

 

[Alexis & Nikki (GA)]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

You might want to look for a higher calorie food, not a higher carb food. Dr. Lisa's list has the calorie content for each food listed so that you can look for a low carb, high calorie food.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

do you have a scale at home? I'd suggest you weigh him a couple times a week and increase his portion size and/or calories instead of putting him on higher carb food. That also makes it easier to keep Hobbs from eating something he shouldn't.

If you're (for example) feeding 1/2 can 4 times/day, you could try increasing to 1/2 can 5 times a day( or just adding a little more to each of his 4 feedings) then keep weighing him...keep increasing his portion size until he's starting to gain. I also bought a kitchen scale so I know exactly how much I'm feeding..and even more important, how much is being eaten.

I know you said his bloodwork was normal, but did they check his thyroid? That's another big reason for not gaining weight. Right now my brain isn't working really well, but I know there's more than just one thyroid test that needs to be done when you're testing for problems. I can't remember the names of the tests at the moment though, but I do know there are at least 3 tests dealing with the thyroid, and doing all of them in the only way to know for sure. I think they're T4 Free, T3 Free & TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)

Good luck and I hope you find the answer soon!

Have a Happy Easter!

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Good idea to get the thyroid checked. What LC food are you feeding? Wellness is about the highest calorie food on the list (40kcal/oz), but Wild Calling! is a new food and is LC and fairly high calorie too (32-45kcal/oz). Nature's Variety raw foods are mostly LC and are the highest calorie per ounce (65kcal/oz), probably because of less water.

 

[BJM]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

I second the increase calorie feedings and thyroid check. Wellness is pretty high cal due to the fat content.


If those don't do the trick, another problem which may cause weight loss is cancer. You can do a massage body check to feel for unusual lumps in the abdomen and skin, observe walking for signs of lameness (a sign of bone cancer), and observe fecal quality (intestinal lymphoma may present as loose stools, possibly with blood).

 

[Marje and Gracie]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Glad to hear Hobbs is doing well but here is another vote to have Calvin's thyroid checked. Be sure they do AT least a total T4 and a free T4 with ED. At the least.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Quite honestly, it's not surprising that Calvin lost weight. You've been feeding him a species appropriate diet vs. all of those carbs. It's like a human going on to the Atkins Diet.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon for a higher calorie food. You can try to feed Calvin separately with a higher carb food but you'll need to watch his bowl like a hawk to make sure Hobbs doesn't think that he should have the higher carb stuff, too. It's a lot easier on you if both are eating the same food. You could always feed Calvin more. When I feed my two guys, I give Gizmo a head start (his bowl goes down when I'm testing Gabby) and his portion is also bigger.

As others noted, getting his thyroid checked is also a good suggestion just to rule out a hyperthyroid problem.

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

You might want to look for a higher calorie food, not a higher carb food. Dr. Lisa's list has the calorie content for each food listed so that you can look for a low carb, high calorie food.

Thank you sooo much, I'll do that!

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

do you have a scale at home? I'd suggest you weigh him a couple times a week and increase his portion size and/or calories instead of putting him on higher carb food. That also makes it easier to keep Hobbs from eating something he shouldn't.

If you're (for example) feeding 1/2 can 4 times/day, you could try increasing to 1/2 can 5 times a day( or just adding a little more to each of his 4 feedings) then keep weighing him...keep increasing his portion size until he's starting to gain. I also bought a kitchen scale so I know exactly how much I'm feeding..and even more important, how much is being eaten.

I know you said his bloodwork was normal, but did they check his thyroid? That's another big reason for not gaining weight. Right now my brain isn't working really well, but I know there's more than just one thyroid test that needs to be done when you're testing for problems. I can't remember the names of the tests at the moment though, but I do know there are at least 3 tests dealing with the thyroid, and doing all of them in the only way to know for sure. I think they're T4 Free, T3 Free & TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)

Good luck and I hope you find the answer soon!

Have a Happy Easter!

Thank you so much. It looks like I'll have to do that. I already have a food scale so a scale for him seems necessary... I am also bringing food to him all day and putting the raw food in front of Hobbs (in hopes I can outsmart them... giving then different food and staying there... but I know I won't be able to do that long term.) My oh my... how I love my boys!

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Quite honestly, it's not surprising that Calvin lost weight. You've been feeding him a species appropriate diet vs. all of those carbs. It's like a human going on to the Atkins Diet.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon for a higher calorie food. You can try to feed Calvin separately with a higher carb food but you'll need to watch his bowl like a hawk to make sure Hobbs doesn't think that he should have the higher carb stuff, too. It's a lot easier on you if both are eating the same food. You could always feed Calvin more. When I feed my two guys, I give Gizmo a head start (his bowl goes down when I'm testing Gabby) and his portion is also bigger.

As others noted, getting his thyroid checked is also a good suggestion just to rule out a hyperthyroid problem.

Great idea, get him to start eating first~ Great idea! and I had his thyroid checked, all in the middle normal range, his brother Hobbs.. my sugar boy... tested high thyroid which is why this was surprising. I'm okay with both gaining a little weight if they are doing it on a low carb diet... my Feline's Pride. I started mixing in the kitty formula a couple days ago and even though they won't drink that like they do the water, I'm happy to add it to their food... and it seems to be a good trick. My neighbor has a strong belief that we are smarter and should be able to outsmart them... somedays I believe that... and other days, I'm not so sure ;-)

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

I second the increase calorie feedings and thyroid check. Wellness is pretty high cal due to the fat content.


If those don't do the trick, another problem which may cause weight loss is cancer. You can do a massage body check to feel for unusual lumps in the abdomen and skin, observe walking for signs of lameness (a sign of bone cancer), and observe fecal quality (intestinal lymphoma may present as loose stools, possibly with blood).

Very good to know! I'll check him and keep a good eye on his walk and stool. No blood in them as I've watched that. Calvin was constipated during our last trip... but a little, very little, pumpkin cleared that up. Now that we are back home I'm able to keep a much better eye on his behavior.

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Good idea to get the thyroid checked. What LC food are you feeding? Wellness is about the highest calorie food on the list (40kcal/oz), but Wild Calling! is a new food and is LC and fairly high calorie too (32-45kcal/oz). Nature's Variety raw foods are mostly LC and are the highest calorie per ounce (65kcal/oz), probably because of less water.

I'm doing a mix of Feline's Pride, Friskie's kitten turkey formula, and Hills a/d. Since I wrote the post I've been adding some kitten formula to Calvin's food... I looked for the liquid one and haven't found it yet so I'll likely order it online. (I don't give Hobb's Hills a/d b/c it's 15% carbs and I can trick him to eating only Feline' Pride.. which reminds me... we are back to single drop dosing Hobbs and it looks like he is going longer and longer so I'll likely enter OTJ trial in about two days I let him, of course, decide by his numbers... the most he's had in the last week is 2 drops a dose- YAY! It just bothers me that I allowed them to team up... keeping me on my toes... but I do love how close they are

 

[HobbsMom]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

You might want to look for a higher calorie food, not a higher carb food. Dr. Lisa's list has the calorie content for each food listed so that you can look for a low carb, high calorie food.

Hi

I just wanted to let you know, I've been feeding Calvin and Hobbs some of the food from the list that was the lowest carb, highest calorie options... and haven't noticed anything, so I started doing a little independent research. The nutritional numbers aren't always matching the manufacture's website for the ones I've checked so far. Some are on... but others off. We can say that Soulistic Double Happiness was a typo because the calorie count was off the charts... and that's true (e.g., should be 133 for a 5.5oz can, which doesn't make it the number one as Nature's Logic Rabbit is 252, which is the same but the Artemis's which should be ranked 2 and 3 is only 170 and 180.) Wellness Core Kitten is 195... which also brings it down on the list. I just thought you'd like to know... as I find these lists usually really helpful but now know to use it as a rough guide and then check. Wellness brands, so far, are, on average, lower in calories per the manufacturer's website than the chart indicated. No big deal, I'm learning... but thought I'd share.

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

Jenn --

Most of the manufacturers post the guaranteed analysis information on their websites. You really can't rely on the information for carb counts -- you need the "as fed" values and you have to contact the manufacturer for that information. Often, the values are close but not always. I don't know how this effects the calorie count.

 

[BJM]

Re: Hobbs doing great but Calvin lost weight on low carb foo

The list from Cat Info is % calories, not % weight.

Calories per grams of weight:
3.5 for protein
3.5 for carbohydrate
8.5 for fat

The math to estimate for the guaranteed analysis is:
Grams * calories per gram for protein = calories from protein
Grams * calories per gram for carbohydrate = calories from carbohydrate
Grams * calories per gram for fat = calories from fat

Sum the 3 above to get total calories.

Now divide to get % calories from each source:
calories from protein / total calories * 100 = 5 calories from protein
calories from carbohydrate / total calories * 100 = 5 calories from carbohydrate
calories from fat / total calories * 100 = 5 calories from fat