When I took in Archie from the pound and took him for his first vet visit, he weighed 11 and 3/4 lbs. and was good sized at at weight. That was in July.
He has been eating and eating... his food and the other boys. He came to me with chronic diarrheah, smelly butt and gas and it has been an ongoing problem.
I met a wonderful vet who is working with us on changing policy at a local county pound, so I decided to take Arch there...
Well.. he tipped the scales at 14.8 lbs!!
She said - not an ounce more on him. Cut way back on the carbs... more wet food, much less dry and she didn't like the LID dry for him b/c of the pea carbs.
She also took him off the low dose metronidizole (yes!) and said let's try a water soluble fiber - Metamucil - and see if that sucks up the liquid in his gut.
I was also directed to keep a journal of what he eats, how much, state of his poo and pee and what is going on in the house - she is wondering if unseen stress is causing or adding to his problem as one possibility. Given his weight and only a few inflammatory cells in his cytology... she does not think he has IBD....but that the gut is "unhappy" to use her word.
So - we just wrapped up day one of the new regimen. He didn't like the Metamucil. He knew it was in his food so I will have to use stinky fish to get him to eat it.
No treats for him. Well, maybe one or two. I have really been over indulgent with that.
I figured they are approx 2 cals each... if he eats 10 or 12 in a day.. .that is 40-50 cals... times seven... times one month... approx 1,200 cals in a month. That is a third of a pound. So... he is getting maybe one or two a day... Let's see if that helps.
Also .... back to an exercise regimen. He is more like.. Hey, mom...bring that toy over here so I can kill it!
I am making him work for it more. And the other cats are having fun chasing the Feline Flyer ( Da Bird knockoff).
Wish me luck.
He has been eating and eating... his food and the other boys. He came to me with chronic diarrheah, smelly butt and gas and it has been an ongoing problem.
I met a wonderful vet who is working with us on changing policy at a local county pound, so I decided to take Arch there...
Well.. he tipped the scales at 14.8 lbs!!
She said - not an ounce more on him. Cut way back on the carbs... more wet food, much less dry and she didn't like the LID dry for him b/c of the pea carbs.
She also took him off the low dose metronidizole (yes!) and said let's try a water soluble fiber - Metamucil - and see if that sucks up the liquid in his gut.
I was also directed to keep a journal of what he eats, how much, state of his poo and pee and what is going on in the house - she is wondering if unseen stress is causing or adding to his problem as one possibility. Given his weight and only a few inflammatory cells in his cytology... she does not think he has IBD....but that the gut is "unhappy" to use her word.
So - we just wrapped up day one of the new regimen. He didn't like the Metamucil. He knew it was in his food so I will have to use stinky fish to get him to eat it.
No treats for him. Well, maybe one or two. I have really been over indulgent with that.
Also .... back to an exercise regimen. He is more like.. Hey, mom...bring that toy over here so I can kill it!
I am making him work for it more. And the other cats are having fun chasing the Feline Flyer ( Da Bird knockoff).
Wish me luck.