Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Nortina, My heart goes out to you. This is very possibly a manifestation of the disease. If you've been following this group you know what the results can be and that there isn't any 100% effective treatment out there. There's a lot of ideas in my head so I'm going to try to be as exact as I can. 1. Cheap things that can be done - bring in a stool sample without your cat and just ask them to do a fecal on it should be about 20 to 25 dollars. If there is a parasite you can treat it. 2. He still has an appetite that's good. If this is felv and it's end stages you may be fighting a losing battle, but you could try asking your vet for interferon - ask if you can get it without bringing him in. Call the vet that has seen him before and is aware of his felv status. Interferon is relatively inexpensive and may help. 3. You could try supplements that do not require vet prescription. This would include Vitamin C - mega C, Vitamin E, and N-acetyl cysteine. I recently have communicated with a man who did studies on felv cats and did this protocol with good success (he included prednisone, which I would not do as long term outcomes are not good with it). If you want to try this, be aware that it could cause GI upset so I would leary about it, but on a shoestring budget it may help. These things can be bought at a health store or ordered online. I can be more specific if you would like to try it. 4. Do a small exam on him. Obviously he has lost weight, I would also be concerned about dehydration. Pull the skin on the back of his neck up and let it go. If it snaps back quickly (you can use your other cat to compare) he is well hydrated, if it stays tented up and slowly drops down, he is dehydrated. You could give him pedialyte or plain gatorade to help if he is dehydrated. Look into his mouth at his gums and teeth. Look for any big bumps or sores that could be causing problems. Look at the color of his gums. If they are white (again compare with your other cat) he is probably anemic and this is likely felv. If they are pink, he is less likely anemic. Feel his abdomen and check for any big hard masses. This could be a lymphoma or other tumor - then this would likely be felv sequelae or an obstruction - obstruction would be quickly life threatening and they usually have no bowel movements or gas. 5. You could try changing the diet to something bland like boiled chicken and rice or sweet potatoe. or lamb and rice. This may or may not help. Well, hope this helps and if you interested in trying the high dose vitamins let me know and I'll send the specifics. I have no guarantee it will help, but it may. Jenny On 4/27/10, Nortina Bell nort...@sympatico.ca wrote: Hello, I've been a member here for awhile now (I've posted my original intro below), but haven't really participated. My cat, McFluffins, hasn't really appeared to be ill at all and I am not knowledgeable enough on the topic to have anything to share. I was actually hoping to not have participate again, as awful as that sounds, since I was hoping that my kitty would be fine. I am now no longer sure that he will be. McFluffins has always been a very energetic and cuddly cat. A few weeks ago he started to seem less cuddly and now he's a bit on the lethargic side. He's started to vomit this past week and has lost so much weight that his collar just hangs off of him. When he eats now he always sounds like he's going to vomit, but doesn't every time. Our family really cannot afford the treatment options that I read about on this list. Originally I thought that we would be comfortable in just giving McFluffins a comfy home for as long as he could stay with us. It was selfish perhaps because I knew we couldn't afford large vet bills, but I thought that it would be better than nothing. In addition to that, I was never able to find a placement for him that wouldn't just put him down. Now I am finding that it hurts to see him like this, but that doesn't make money magically appear, sadly. I suppose I am looking for any advice and support on how to care for McFluffins now at home. I am sorry for not having been more vocal in the group even though I have tried to keep up with reading all messages and my heart broke a little each time I read about another kitty who has passed on, even though I didn't share that. Thanks for listening. Nortina (April 27, 2009)Hello, I have been a member of this list for a few days now since I found out that our new kitty tested postive for feline leukemia. We already have one cat, Jasper, who is about 7-8 years old. The animal shelter was unsure of his age when I got him, so we aren't quite sure now either. Jasper, as a rule, really dislikes other animals. Cats, dogs, he shows them all who is boss. However, since we have moved to our new house in mid-January, we've had a stray hanging around. Jasper, who gets out every now and then even though we try not
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Nortina, There are many charities out there that can assist with vet bills. With the economy being what it is, donations have gone down, but they may be able to help you fund treatment to keep McFluffins comfortable. Here is a link I used when my Kong first became ill to see what was out there. I hope it helps you. http://www.itchmo.com/pets-medical-bills-piling-up-380 As someone else mentioned, Interferon is always worth a shot. My vet orders it from a place in Arizona called Road Runner Pharmacy, and they ship it directly to my house. For a 3 month supply (I'm giving my kitty 1ml a day for alternating weeks), it is around $38, including the shipping. FeLV is so expensive to fight, and even if you had thousands of dollars to spend, it never guarantees a positive outcome. McFluffins appreciates what you are doing for him and how much you care about him. --Ashley ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
I do know about the expenses! My cat is at $30,000.00, but well worth it! Sent from my iPhone On Apr 27, 2010, at 11:42 AM, Ashley Vanover ashley.vano...@gmail.com wrote: Nortina, There are many charities out there that can assist with vet bills. With the economy being what it is, donations have gone down, but they may be able to help you fund treatment to keep McFluffins comfortable. Here is a link I used when my Kong first became ill to see what was out there. I hope it helps you. http://www.itchmo.com/pets-medical-bills-piling-up-380 As someone else mentioned, Interferon is always worth a shot. My vet orders it from a place in Arizona called Road Runner Pharmacy, and they ship it directly to my house. For a 3 month supply (I'm giving my kitty 1ml a day for alternating weeks), it is around $38, including the shipping. FeLV is so expensive to fight, and even if you had thousands of dollars to spend, it never guarantees a positive outcome. McFluffins appreciates what you are doing for him and how much you care about him. --Ashley ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight/Hemobart
Hi Amy, My 1 1/2 year old cat Buzz, tested positive for FeLV in January of '08. He seemed to be asymptomatic until July when he became anemic. My vet treated him for hemobart using Doxycycline and Prednesolone. He responded very well at that point and his blood count went from 8 back up into the normal range over a time period of two months. He stayed in the normal range for approximately a month and then his red blood count started going down again. The medication was was no longer working and I lost him in November. My vet did not test for hemobart in July because of test results being untrustworthy, but he always thought that was the problem because he responded so well to the treatment the first time. Hope that helps a little. Sue Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: I've e-mailed my vet about my cat losing weight and I think we are going to do a test for hemobart and pancreatitis. She also offered to do a feline thyroid panel that is supposed to be best when you don't get the results you expect from the basic thyroid test (we've tested twice with neg results). She suggested we could also do a test to see if his intestines are malabsorptive if I want and also the option of an abdominal ultrasound. Just depends how far I want to go. She did have one question for me about hemobart so I want to ask here. Just a reminder, I lost Maverick quickly and unexpectedly last week. He had a hematocrit of 23 (compared to his normal 40%) and went downhill quickly. We didn't treat for hemobart (didn't suspect it) but rather put him on clavamox and prednisone. She wants to know how often the people on this board see hemobart in leuk positives and if they normally detect it right after the leukemia diagnosis or if it seems to pop up down the road, more distant. She said she honestly didn't suspect hemobart after doing 7 CBCs/smears on him over the past couple years. Still not sure how it could have stayed hidden on all those tests but his symptoms do seem like it was possible. Either way, we want to learn everything we can about this. I know some of you have mentioned treating for it regardless of the test results but we are just curious how prevalent it is among leuk positives. Anybody have any data or personal experience to help us out? Thanks Amy --- On Sat, 6/20/09, Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com wrote: From: Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009, 7:29 AM I would. Otherwise, you will always wonder and doubt yourself. On Jun 19, 2009, at 5:53 PM, Amy wrote: Wow! Maybe I should just do the blood test and rule it out. I'll join the group and learn more. Thanks! Amy Hi. When first diagnosed Frankie did not have other symptoms and the diagnosis was a surprise to all of us. In fact, he was ravenously hungry. He had an occasional fudgy stool. That was it. Later, when it acted up (pancreatitis comes and goes) he was anorexic and lost 2 lbs. Pls keep us posted! L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight/Hemobart
I've e-mailed my vet about my cat losing weight and I think we are going to do a test for hemobart and pancreatitis. She also offered to do a feline thyroid panel that is supposed to be best when you don't get the results you expect from the basic thyroid test (we've tested twice with neg results). She suggested we could also do a test to see if his intestines are malabsorptive if I want and also the option of an abdominal ultrasound. Just depends how far I want to go. She did have one question for me about hemobart so I want to ask here. Just a reminder, I lost Maverick quickly and unexpectedly last week. He had a hematocrit of 23 (compared to his normal 40%) and went downhill quickly. We didn't treat for hemobart (didn't suspect it) but rather put him on clavamox and prednisone. She wants to know how often the people on this board see hemobart in leuk positives and if they normally detect it right after the leukemia diagnosis or if it seems to pop up down the road, more distant. She said she honestly didn't suspect hemobart after doing 7 CBCs/smears on him over the past couple years. Still not sure how it could have stayed hidden on all those tests but his symptoms do seem like it was possible. Either way, we want to learn everything we can about this. I know some of you have mentioned treating for it regardless of the test results but we are just curious how prevalent it is among leuk positives. Anybody have any data or personal experience to help us out? Thanks Amy --- On Sat, 6/20/09, Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com wrote: From: Cougar Clan maima...@duo-county.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009, 7:29 AM I would. Otherwise, you will always wonder and doubt yourself. On Jun 19, 2009, at 5:53 PM, Amy wrote: Wow! Maybe I should just do the blood test and rule it out. I'll join the group and learn more. Thanks! Amy Hi. When first diagnosed Frankie did not have other symptoms and the diagnosis was a surprise to all of us. In fact, he was ravenously hungry. He had an occasional fudgy stool. That was it. Later, when it acted up (pancreatitis comes and goes) he was anorexic and lost 2 lbs. Pls keep us posted! L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight/Hemobart
Hi Amy, I sent this link to you this morning, I quoted some of the info there below but there is much more to read on the website: https://www.vetcentric.com/reference/encycEntry.cfm?ENTRY=88COLLECTION=EncycIllnessMODE=full *AffectedAnimals:* Essentially all cats have the potential to be infected with /Haemobartonella felis/. *Cats infected with feline leukemia virus appear to be at higher risk for infection and are likely to have more severe signs of illness.* /Haemobartonella/ should be considered as a possibility in any anemic cat or any cat with evidence of hemolysis. The diagnosis is based on microscopic identification of /H. felis/ on a blood smear. Since the appearance of /H. felis/ on red blood cells is cyclical, the organisms may not be present all the time. In many cases, treatment is begun even if the diagnosis is only suspected and not confirmed. I also know of many kitties on the Feline Anemia list I'm on who have tested negative several times but turned out to have it, 5 times is the most negative results I have seen on the list but this was over a month or so period of time not years. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... http://bemikitties.com http://BelindaSauro.com ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
I would. Otherwise, you will always wonder and doubt yourself. On Jun 19, 2009, at 5:53 PM, Amy wrote: Wow! Maybe I should just do the blood test and rule it out. I'll join the group and learn more. Thanks! Amy Hi. When first diagnosed Frankie did not have other symptoms and the diagnosis was a surprise to all of us. In fact, he was ravenously hungry. He had an occasional fudgy stool. That was it. Later, when it acted up (pancreatitis comes and goes) he was anorexic and lost 2 lbs. Pls keep us posted! L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/ felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Hi. When first diagnosed Frankie did not have other symptoms and the diagnosis was a surprise to all of us. In fact, he was ravenously hungry. He had an occasional fudgy stool. That was it. Later, when it acted up (pancreatitis comes and goes) he was anorexic and lost 2 lbs. Pls keep us posted! L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Wow! Maybe I should just do the blood test and rule it out. I'll join the group and learn more. Thanks! Amy Hi. When first diagnosed Frankie did not have other symptoms and the diagnosis was a surprise to all of us. In fact, he was ravenously hungry. He had an occasional fudgy stool. That was it. Later, when it acted up (pancreatitis comes and goes) he was anorexic and lost 2 lbs. Pls keep us posted! L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 5:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks Sharyl, Thanks for the info. My vet said they have never seen a case where a cat had pancreatitis and showed no signs of discomfort or being sick but that they are more than willing to test if that's what I want to do. Amy Here is the link for the new Yahoo Pancreatitis group. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/feline_pancreatitis_support/ They have some really good info on dxing and treating pancreatitis. I think it is IDEXX that can do the new blood test so the sample doesn't have to be set to TAMU anymore. Usually a kitty will show signs of pain, nausea and inappetance when having a pancreatitis attack. Granted many vets don't really have experience treating pancreatitis but it is manageable. Amy, I don't think this is your problem since your kitty is eating. Sharyl --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com wrote: From: Laurieskatz lauriesk...@mchsi.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:35 PM Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Has he been tested for pancreatitis? Hyperthyroid? Those are two conditions that result in weight loss. That is what we tested for. Laurie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Sharyl Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10:36 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
He has been tested for hyperthyroid but not pancreatitis. Amy Has he been tested for pancreatitis? Hyperthyroid? Those are two conditions that result in weight loss. That is what we tested for. Laurie ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Hi Amy, A regular T4 thyroid test sometimes won't give a high reading until it gets fairly high. Fred always tested normal but my vet could feel a small nodule on his thyroid and we kept an eye on it. When he went in for his physical a year later she felt it had gotten slightly bigger so we did another thyroid test but we did the T4 and the T FREE 4 also. The T4 was within normal range and the T FREE 4 was very slightly high. We caught it very early and he had the radio iodine treatment. Some of Fred's symptoms were, he was always hungry, every time I got up to do anything he would get up and follow me, just in case I was going in the kitchen. He ate a lot of food but never gained any weight. He also would howl sometimes. He drank a lot and peed a lot but the was because he also had kidney issues which we diagnosed at the same time as when we found out about the hyper-t. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... http://bemikitties.com http://BelindaSauro.com ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Pancreatitis is a blood test (and/or ultrasound). They send the blood to Texas now. There is a yahoo group for feline pancreatitis. It is important to do the right test. There is an outdated one that some vets still use. It isn't really something they treat. My vet had me put Frankie on a low fat diet (that is what they do for dogs and it hasn't been proven to work for cats but did work for Frankie). L -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:52 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight Thanks for the ideas. Since I just bought some baby food for my other cat, I will definitely try adding stuff like that for calories. He really seems to eat fine so I'm stumped why he keeps losing weight :( Amy Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Thanks, I'll ask about this. We have tested him a couple times because she thought she felt something a bit odd last time. We had just tested him a few months before but tested again. I'll confirm which tests she has done. Amy --- On Thu, 6/18/09, Belinda Sauro ma...@bemikitties.com wrote: From: Belinda Sauro ma...@bemikitties.com Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009, 9:22 PM Hi Amy, A regular T4 thyroid test sometimes won't give a high reading until it gets fairly high. Fred always tested normal but my vet could feel a small nodule on his thyroid and we kept an eye on it. When he went in for his physical a year later she felt it had gotten slightly bigger so we did another thyroid test but we did the T4 and the T FREE 4 also. The T4 was within normal range and the T FREE 4 was very slightly high. We caught it very early and he had the radio iodine treatment. Some of Fred's symptoms were, he was always hungry, every time I got up to do anything he would get up and follow me, just in case I was going in the kitchen. He ate a lot of food but never gained any weight. He also would howl sometimes. He drank a lot and peed a lot but the was because he also had kidney issues which we diagnosed at the same time as when we found out about the hyper-t. -- Belinda happiness is being owned by cats ... http://bemikitties.com http://BelindaSauro.com ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
EVO dry took Bella from 8 lbs to 13 lbs! She also got canned Fancy Feast but the majority of her diet was/is EVO. Frankie (not FeLV but pancreatitis) gained 2 lbs on canned Fancy Feast Gourmet Salmon and Shrimp. Laurie -Original Message- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amy Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:37 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] Losing weight
Amy, I don't know what to tell you. The only suggestion I have is to try and increase his daily caloric intake to see if that helps him gain wt. So may things can affect wt. including thyroid issues. I know you said blood work looked fine but has he has a T4 and free T4 test recently? If he would tolerate it you could try adding some kitten food to his regular food for a calorie boost. Another thought is adding in come Clinicare. It is a liquid recovery food and may provide a calorie boost. I offer mine some Gerber Chicken and Gravy meat baby food as a treat. Each jar has 100 calories. Generally several small meal per day are best but you are already doing that. Hugs to him Sharyl --- On Wed, 6/17/09, Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Amy awilkin...@yahoo.com Subject: [Felvtalk] Losing weight To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 7:36 PM So after losing Maverick today, I'm even more worried about my boy who's been steadily losing weight for the past 4 years. He has no other apparent symptoms but does have leukemia. He's down to 11 pounds, from 15 lbs. He eats numerous times a day (no loss of appetite) and we have him on a high protein, high fat diet to try to get him to gain. He seems to have stopped losing for now but is not gaining it back. Bloodwork looks fine. Any suggestions? I think I posted about this a while ago but didn't get much response. Thanks Amy ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
