TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Cat Health › Sasha has lost a lot of body mass~!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Sasha has lost a lot of body mass~!  

post #1 of 277
4/12/06 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
Sasha, the elder statesman of the household, will turn 14 next week. The coyote-clubber of Maple Valley has lost quite a lot of weight or body mass through his chest, forearms and hips. He used to be 21 lbs and how he is down to 14 lbs, but it has not happened fast, although this winter I have really started to notice. I can feel his spine.

He has a full Senior Panel this Saturday so we'll see what's going on. He's strong as a rock - only sypmtoms are excessive food intake. He wants to eat all the time, and last night pulled the spaghetti off the counter! I know this signals something is malfunctioning and he's indeed aging now, I just pray he's gonna be ok. He has a bit, just a bit, of lethargy that nobody else would notice but me.....he's not nearly as interested in Spring, his favorite season, as in years' past.
post #2 of 277
4/12/06 at 1:19pm
E Sasha

Hope this is nothing serious, and whatever's going on can be handled easily.

Keep us posted, eh?
post #3 of 277
4/12/06 at 1:30pm
Oh E I pray everything is ok when the results come back.

Only a mother knows when theres something different with her fur kids

Sending (((((healthy vibes))))) for Sasha
post #4 of 277
4/12/06 at 1:35pm
I hope that it is nothing serious.
post #5 of 277
4/12/06 at 1:36pm
i hope that he will be ok
post #6 of 277
4/12/06 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sashacat421
Sasha, the elder statesman of the household, will turn 14 next week. The coyote-clubber of Maple Valley has lost quite a lot of weight or body mass through his chest, forearms and hips. He used to be 21 lbs and how he is down to 14 lbs, but it has not happened fast, although this winter I have really started to notice. I can feel his spine.

He has a full Senior Panel this Saturday so we'll see what's going on. He's strong as a rock - only sypmtoms are excessive food intake. He wants to eat all the time, and last night pulled the spaghetti off the counter! I know this signals something is malfunctioning and he's indeed aging now, I just pray he's gonna be ok. He has a bit, just a bit, of lethargy that nobody else would notice but me.....he's not nearly as interested in Spring, his favorite season, as in years' past.

It sounds a lot like a thyroid problem (weight loss, loss of muscle mass, increased appetite), so the senior panel should show that. I know this sounds funny, but do his ears feel warm or hot? I used to gauge whether Spot's thyroid was out of whack by how his ears felt. Fortunately, thyroid problems are very treatable. We will be wishing you the best.
post #7 of 277
4/12/06 at 2:01pm
I agree with Cloud_Shade, glad you got a senior panel, it should help you sort this out.

Skritches to Sasha,
post #8 of 277
4/12/06 at 2:53pm
I agree that it sounds like hyperthyroidism. My 14 year old, Khadija, lost a lot of weight, yet ate like a little pig. And she just didn't look right. A blood test showed hyperthyroidism, so she has been on thyroid medication ever since.

Unfortunately, the thyroid medication can be hard on kidneys and indeed, her kidneys are starting to have problems (elevated creatnine and BUN levels). So, she now takes thyroid meds in the morning and evening and phosphate binders with each meal. I feed her three HUGE meals each day and let her free feed dry food 24 hours per day in order to keep her weight at a good level.

I hope the senior blood panel detects what is going on with Sasha (though I'm putting my money on a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism).
post #9 of 277
4/12/06 at 3:11pm
I hope that the tests show nothing serious. Wish you both the best of luck!
post #10 of 277
4/12/06 at 6:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloud_shade
It sounds a lot like a thyroid problem (weight loss, loss of muscle mass, increased appetite), so the senior panel should show that. I know this sounds funny, but do his ears feel warm or hot? I used to gauge whether Spot's thyroid was out of whack by how his ears felt. Fortunately, thyroid problems are very treatable. We will be wishing you the best.

Thank you so much~~ everyone, I can hardly concentrate at work. I need a Kitty Cam!

Nope - his ears feel cool or at room temp, not warm or hot. His nose is cold, and his water consumption is quite normal. I'm taking a bet it's the hyperthyroidism thing....and hope the panel shows it. My other thought is FeLV. Sasha lost his beloved baby brother, Freddie, to FeLV at 7 months 11/09/2003 RIP, but not from the same litter. Sasha has tested negative every year, but he is an outdoor cat and his vaccinations are good.
post #11 of 277
4/12/06 at 6:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat & Alix
I agree with Cloud_Shade, glad you got a senior panel, it should help you sort this out.

Skritches to Sasha,
I too am so glad Sasha got a senior panel ... hoping it is nothing serious
post #12 of 277
4/13/06 at 7:23am
to you and Sasha. I hope his senior panel shows what the problems are, and that they are easily treatable. Any kitty who can whup a coyote is a fighter, and we know Sasha will fight to stay with his Mama.
post #13 of 277
4/13/06 at 7:28am
Sound like hypertyroidism to me to! Jazz had all these symptoms. Will keep my and send healthy vibes and prayer to Sasha. Please keep us posted.
post #14 of 277
4/13/06 at 8:25am
Go to the vet asap and check for diabetes, my cat go through the same thing. Good luck.
post #15 of 277
4/13/06 at 8:59am
Oh E and Sasha

I hope you can find out speedily what is ailing Sasha and get him on the road to recovery soon!

Sending many strength and health }}}VIBES{{{ to Sasha and many hugs, strength and calm }}}VIBES{{{ your way!

Sasha is certainly a fighter and he'll beat whatever it is (with the wonderful love and perfect care of his Meowmy! )

post #16 of 277
4/14/06 at 1:35pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you so much everyone~~~ This morning when he came up on the bed to kiss my nose to say he's hungry (always hungry) I cuddled him and he felt so thin, thinner than ever, I could feel his entire frame, I was a little alarmed. Tomorrow at the vet can't come fast enough!
post #17 of 277
4/14/06 at 1:45pm
Those little kisses mean so much. Keeping sasha-man in my thoughts, and looking forward to hearing you know what's what, and what can be done.
post #18 of 277
4/15/06 at 12:39am
Precious Sasha, I'm praying for you and your Mama. Please feel the extra love and strength we're sending. Snuggly hugs to you both from S3 as we plan for a prompt pinpointing of what's going on as well as an immediate solution. For a little cheer, your favorite happy smilie, Eddie!
post #19 of 277
4/15/06 at 6:46am
Sasha
I am sending lots of healing thoughts your way sweet boy.
post #20 of 277
4/15/06 at 8:15am
Elizabeth, I sending you and Sasha lots of positive vibes, and hoping the senior panel shows nothing seriously wrong.

Btw, my Snowball is 14 1/2 years old now, so I know what you're going through. It's so hard to watch our precious furbabies getting old isn't it?
post #21 of 277
4/15/06 at 8:21am
Eddie, I'm just catching up with your thread now. I hope that the Senior Panel shows that whatever has caused Sasha's loss of body mass is treatable relatively simply How wonderful that he welcomed in the morning with you today. I'm sending you loads of hugs and good vibes for Sasha's Vet visit today

Good luck Sweet Sasha
post #22 of 277
4/15/06 at 4:55pm
Thyroid problems are common. Not that I hope anything would be wrong with Sasha, but this is something that is that can be treated (and the pills are small, too) . I am sending mega prayers for his recovery. Please post as soon as you hear. I'm sorry I am just finding this. He is a real fighter!
post #23 of 277
4/15/06 at 10:55pm
Thread Starter 
Well....we are home from the vet. Had a powerful squall come through earlier and the power just came back on. Sasha has a audible heart murmur, category 2 (2/6 - 6 being fatal) and that was all the bad stuff they found right now. His urine looked good and the Super Senior Panel won't be back until Monday. The Vet did say that he indeed shows all the classic symptoms of Hyperthyroidism, and that it would be in the early to mid stage, if what she surmises is proved true. Sashie weighed 12 lbs!! He was 20 lbs...he's lost so much weight but Dr. Redmond said "..he's still a big boy!".

He's in good spirits, ate a ton, and is sleeping with little Saba nearby, keeping an eye it seems on her older brother.

So...we'll wait until Monday. I'll have my cell phone strapped to me.

Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes. It doesn't matter if you read this late or early or here nor there....you understand that I've had this big guy since he was three days' old and his eyes were closed. He's my rock and there's nothing I won't do for him - and yes indeed - he's gonna make it to his 14th birthday this Friday the 21st. He sure will.
post #24 of 277
4/15/06 at 11:19pm
to you and sasha! I hope it is the thyroid thing and is easily treated.
post #25 of 277
4/15/06 at 11:25pm
for both of you and Sasha happy birthday
post #26 of 277
4/16/06 at 1:11am
Sasha's Vet visit sounds so promising - I'm keeping those good vibes winging their way across the ocean so that his Senior Panel results are good ones too.

It's great that the Vet doesn't seem to be too worried at the moment. I hope that it is identified soon so that treatment can begin and your big boy doesn't feel he needs to eat up a storm every single day.
post #27 of 277
4/16/06 at 5:25am
I'm also just seeing this. Lots of good vibes coming for the blood tests. When my Molly developed her thyroid problem, she also had a heart murmur. I think that is fairly common.
post #28 of 277
4/16/06 at 5:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AbbysMom
When my Molly developed her thyroid problem, she also had a heart murmur. I think that is fairly common.
Ditto one of my parents' cats.
I'm glad to hear that Sasha is in reasonably good health, other than the weight loss. I'm willing to bet that his blood work reveals hyperthyroidism, which luckily is fairly easy to treat, and once he's on medication, he should gain back a lot of the lost weight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the "coyote clobber"!
post #29 of 277
4/16/06 at 6:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sashacat421
you understand that I've had this big guy since he was three days' old and his eyes were closed. He's my rock and there's nothing I won't do for him - and yes indeed - he's gonna make it to his 14th birthday this Friday the 21st. He sure will.
E... you probably won't get any rest until you have some answers.
Sasha will be in my prayers that he will celebrate his 14th birthday and many more to come.
post #30 of 277
4/16/06 at 10:09am
We'll be waiting for that call right here with you, Eddie! This is so treatable, and Sasha will be back to his big muscular self running off coyotes in no time! This Friday will be such a spectacular occasion!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cat Health
This thread is locked  
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Cat Health › Sasha has lost a lot of body mass~!