Want the good news or not so good news?
Chunk's calcium levels have been maintained in the normal range on the Iams food!! His urinalysis was normal as well, PH was right smack dab in the middle of normal. No crystals!!
But, his glucose levels are in pre-diabetic range. The vet said to remove carbs from his diet and since he is doing fine on the canned Iams just to keep him on that and remove his kibble. There is the chance it was "vet visit stress" related, but given that all he has always tested out in normal range before, and given his size, we are assuming it isn't stress. We will recheck in a month. I'm not going to stress over this too much yet.
Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
- Tina B and crew
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Re: Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
Great news on the urinalysis and bloodwork!
If you can get him to lose weight slightly, and slowly, over the next few months and keep him maintained, hopefully will be able to prevent diabetes.
He hasn't been drinking or urinating more than normal, has he? Or, rapidly lost any weight in last couple months?
If you can get him to lose weight slightly, and slowly, over the next few months and keep him maintained, hopefully will be able to prevent diabetes.
He hasn't been drinking or urinating more than normal, has he? Or, rapidly lost any weight in last couple months?
..........Traci
- Tina B and crew
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He's ALWAYS been a heavy drinker (ha!) and massive urinator. So no, nothing has changed there. Last year at this time he was at 16 lbs. Today he was at 20. To me he looks "slimmer" than he was in the spring. But he's apparently not lost weight rapidly if he's at 20. He doesn't look grossly obese to me. Not in the same way Doc looks. Doc is round. Chunk at least has a slight waist. Not nearly as pronounced as what Lucy has.
http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/ ... ore-chart/
Looking at that chart Chunk is in between a 5 and 7. He has a waist without a doubt though. Doc is about a 7 (yes, I know! We are working on it! ). Lucy is probably a 2-3. She's thin but her ribs are not easily palpable nor is her vertebrae, so I figure she's OK.
That's what the vet said, get his weight down slowly and steadily. At first he said to just cut back on kibble but after the blood work was done he said to cut it out completely. Increase the canned food.
http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/ ... ore-chart/
Looking at that chart Chunk is in between a 5 and 7. He has a waist without a doubt though. Doc is about a 7 (yes, I know! We are working on it! ). Lucy is probably a 2-3. She's thin but her ribs are not easily palpable nor is her vertebrae, so I figure she's OK.
That's what the vet said, get his weight down slowly and steadily. At first he said to just cut back on kibble but after the blood work was done he said to cut it out completely. Increase the canned food.
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
You never mentioned that (other than when he had the urinary problems), and with increased weight, he is definitely at risk for diabetes. A pound or so more, diabetes will cause rapid weight reduction, excessive drinking and urinating (usually dilute urine), and general malaise - you'd definitely have a new health condition to worry about.Tina B and crew wrote:He's ALWAYS been a heavy drinker (ha!) and massive urinator. So no, nothing has changed there. Last year at this time he was at 16 lbs. Today he was at 20.
Be diligent with his diet starting today, and try to encourage all the cats to play and exercise more. If you give treats, I would cease giving them, until you can get Chunk at a maintained weight (even then, I would not give them for the sole purpose you wouldn't want them in the habit again). At this point, giving treats or anything else will defeat the purpose.
..........Traci
- Tina B and crew
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Re: Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
I mean he's always been that way with water and pee...even as a kitten. We always had a running joke about the size of his bladder and the grapefruit sized litter clumps he left in the box. In fact, when he had the crystals I had noticed a slight reduction in urine output which was part of the reason I had taken him in last year.
No treats. We kind of stopped those a while back. And we did start with the new diet today. No kibble.
No treats. We kind of stopped those a while back. And we did start with the new diet today. No kibble.
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
Ok, gotcha. Just remember though, with diabetes, cats will increase their water consumption, and urine output (as well as lose weight rapidly if they were already overweight) - these are the first tell-tale signs that diabetes might be a problem and to get to the vet for urinalysis and bloodwork.
..........Traci
- Tina B and crew
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- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia
Re: Just a wee pre-emptive prayer for Doc - nothing wrong!!
If Chunk increases his urine output we might best build an ark.
So far they have done well with the removal of kibble. They were actually quite throughout the night last night and Lucy wasn't obnoxious this morning in her demands to be fed. She really never ate much of the kibble anyway. I'm guessing Chunk's water intake will decrease some on the canned only diet. But I am always alert to their intake/output levels. I can tell who the "peeballs" in the litter box belong to by size. Ditto for the BMs. I'm such a good furparent, aren't I?
(Actually I feel I failed on some level here...but my life has been chock full of responsibilities so I'm not going to be too hard on myself)
So far they have done well with the removal of kibble. They were actually quite throughout the night last night and Lucy wasn't obnoxious this morning in her demands to be fed. She really never ate much of the kibble anyway. I'm guessing Chunk's water intake will decrease some on the canned only diet. But I am always alert to their intake/output levels. I can tell who the "peeballs" in the litter box belong to by size. Ditto for the BMs. I'm such a good furparent, aren't I?
(Actually I feel I failed on some level here...but my life has been chock full of responsibilities so I'm not going to be too hard on myself)
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein