My baby lost some weight and I am worried-

Hello Everyone,

I'm pretty new here.  I posted once about my kitty, Francis Xavier, and it turns out that he has asthma and allergies.  Through alot of trial and error, we've found that he needs an inhaler and an antihistamine.  Just started the inhaler and so far, so good.

But, I'm writing about my other baby, Beau Edward.  Beau is two years old, and very, very energetic.  He is a happy kitty and all his prior vet check ups have been excellent (last appt in February).  He looks great, acts great........but, he's lost some weight since that February checkup.

He was 11.6 lbs on 2/2/13.  I weighed him on my scale at home and he is now 11 lbs.    So, a .6 ounce loss in just two and a half months.

Now, I know home scales aren't as accurate as the vet, but I weighed him on the same scale a few times over the last few months, so there is consistency there.

How much is too much for a cat to lose in a couple of months?  I am very worried about .6 ounces.  He is not a big eater, never was, and is extremely active, and still is.  Eyes clear, not bathroom issues, etc.  I know all about diabetes, my kitty Eddie was diabetic for almost eleven years.  I also know the signs of kidney disease, cancer.......have seen weight loss in cats, in other words.  Just not sure about the .6 lbs in two and a half months.  (The other weight losses were a bit different and more drastic, not that I like this any).

Any ideas?

I am talking to the veterinarian tomorrow morning about this, but need some clues tonight as I am pretty upset.

Thanks

Eddysmom1

Sorry, mistake up above--Beau has lost six ounces not six pounds in two and a half months.  I accidently put six pounds in the last sentence about it.

.6lbs is 9.6oz. So he has lost 5% of his previous weight in 2 1/2 months. I'm not sure I would consider that a lot of weight lost especially since he seems healthy otherwise. By all means call your vet tomorrow and ask if that's something to be concerned about, but please try not to worry about it tonight. Did the vet say what a good weight for Beau is?

Thank you so much for your reply.  I made a couple of mistakes in my initial post........was not writing his loss correctly.  It was six ounces (I kept writing .6 ounces and then put .6 lbs). 

I felt better reading your post.  If you didn't find 9.6 ounces to be that bad, than six ounces most likely isn't anything at all.  I will talk to the vet today and run it by her, though, as I am talking to her about my other kitty, Francis. 

The vet thinks Beau was at a great weight at the 11.6.  He is long and lean.  She said he was in excellent health and was pleased with him.  It's me who's used to a kitty being a bit bigger.  Now I've got one lean and one chubby one.  (my other kitty, Francis, gained some weight on steroid pills as he has asthma, we're weaning him off those and he's been on an inhaler for a week now, but he needs to lose weight). 

Once again, thank you SO much for responding.

Have a great day!

Eddysmom1

A 6 ounce loss of weight is significant, especially if one can see reduced appetite at the same time. Do you know what's going on with that? Have you changed the diet in any way? Is your kitty going outside? How is his appetite in general?

Weight loss (unless a diet change and/or reduced food intake for the reason of making kitty lose weight is involved) always has underlying reasons and one needs to find out what could be going on. Has a blood chemistry profile and CBC been done? Do you have a copy of the results? What about previous chemistry profiles and CBCs? Do you have copies of those?

(Extremely important for keeping an eye on blood values that may show seemingly insignificant changes.)

PS

Some reasons for unexplained weight loss don't show up in blood test results. These most often involve the digestive system and require other ways of testing.

Also, are the results of a thyroid test in the normal range?

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I had been doing some thinking after writing my last post.....and knew I would be bringing him in. I already made the appointment.

I have been through alot with kitties this past year and a half...have lost two. Went through cancers, kidney disease, diabetes, etc.

I research everything extensively and keep copies of any and all results, get second opinions, etc.

I asked the doctor to do a

Sorry, wasn't finished. I am having the dr do a CBC today. I am also requesting a weight supplement.

Beau's thyroid level was checked recently and is normal. It may need to be checked again, but we will start with the bloodwork and supplement.

His diet has not changed but he is an extremely fussy eater. I've tried to bring home many different foods (all researched and healthy, no junk), but it may be time to do that again. The one food he loves he can not have alot, he gets a 'bathroom issue" if given more than a few times .

The vet is not overly worried but does want to start addressing the issue.

So, I'll be bringing him today to start the process of figuring out what is wrong.

Once again, thank you for corresponding and for your great advice.

Please excuse the typos I am on a cellphone typing this and I'm at work so I have to rush.

Please realize the CBC is a completely different test from a complete chemistry profile - which right now you need even more than a CBC. (My vet always does both at the same time and a thyroid recheck is always included in the blood work as well.)

Fussy eating is a tricky problem, quite often it can, just by itself, be a sign of a health or digestive problem, so if I might suggest, I would wait a bit with a weight supplement and concentrate on finding good foods that, hopefully will not cause any digestive issues. (I would be afraid of trying to mask a problem instead of trying to discover the root cause of it.)

The chemistry profile. You'll find great information here and I hope it will be helpful to you

http://www.nwlabs.co.uk/testinterp2.htm

Don't worry about the numbers in the reference ranges, the lab that will do your baby's blood work will include its own easy to understand, very clear reference ranges.

Very important: when the results are in, get a print out from your vet that you can study at home. And please, pay very close attention to any high-normal or low-normal blood values. Those values can mean something.  (Hopefully there will be no elevated values to worry about.)

I don't know what's writing with me today.....I do know the difference between a CBC and complete chemistry profile. From my kitties with cancer, we'd do both, sometimes, when they were doing okay, he wouldn't do the full profile to save me money.

I am not sure if it will be just the CBC today for Beau. Sadly, it will depend on what u can afford. We've spent thousands recently on surgeries, chemo, subq's, insulin....much more. Then, I adopt Francis....who, after different meds, bloodwork, alot of dr's visits, has asthma.....now it's inhalers and antihistamines (he also has horrible allergies. All if this mentioned has been in a year and a half time span.

Since Beau is otherwise very normal and not in dire shape, today I will have to start out with what we can afford. He will get any test needed, but I only have so much money this instant.

I will keep any and all results, I always have. I have actual journals and files on my cats medical histories.

Thankyou for providing the link. I will go to that site and read carefully. I am very proactive when it comes to my cats.

I am going to get new foods, not sure when to start the supplement. The vet wants to start that now, but I will tell her what you've advised.

Thank you for all your help.

By the way, Beau is the blonde one in the pictures with my profile....just to put a face to the name.

Believe me, I understand only too well the financial issues involved in our babies' care.

Unfortunately, the CBC will not give you the answers you're looking for right now. However, your vet can save you a great deal of money by picking the most important values in the chemistry profile that you absolutely have to have and doing only those for you. So please, talk to your vet about this.

The problem with some health issues is that, once they show up, they can become more serious very slowly. That's why some blood values need to be monitored and if there are any changes, monitored more often.

(As I mentioned before, some issues don't show up in blood work results.  Weight loss/fussy eating/lack of enthusiasm for food can be signs of such issues.  So it might be more helpful to work with foods right now instead of just trying to make kitty gain weight without knowing  something more about the reason for the weight loss.)      

I'm sending you hugs to let you know I really do understand and I care.

Good news! I will be getting the complete chemistry profile. I just called the vet and she said I could save a little by having a tech take the blood and since Beau was there recently they'd write the visit up as a follow up so no office charge, either.

I really do know how important it is to figure problems out sooner, rather than when things get worse, but, as I mentioned.......it's been tough to find the funds lately.

None of my babies have ever gone without, I've cashed in an IRA, borrowed, gone through savings, etc......but it's all been alot in a very short time period so no time to recoup.

Anyway, he'll get the complete chem profile today, nice of them to work with me on it. Thanks for encouraging me, kit gave me courage to see if they would help me out on the cost a bit.

Did you check out Beau? He says thanks...

Good news! I will be getting the complete chemistry profile. I just called the vet and she said I could save a little by having a tech take the blood and since Beau was there recently they'd write the visit up as a follow up so no office charge, either.

I really do know how important it is to figure problems out sooner, rather than when things get worse, but, as I mentioned.......it's been tough to find the funds lately.

None of my babies have ever gone without, I've cashed in an IRA, borrowed, gone through savings, etc......but it's all been alot in a very short time period so no time to recoup.

Anyway, he'll get the complete chem profile today, nice of them to work with me on it. Thanks for encouraging me, kit gave me courage to see if they would help me out on the cost a bit.

Did you check out Beau? He says thanks...

Yes it's wonderful that you can get the complete profile. This is great news and your vet is truly wonderful.

Of course I checked out Beau

Beautiful baby, he looks like a real sweetheart. What a sweet face he has. Please give him some kisses for me.