If your cat loses weight suddenly, pay attention! Sudden weight loss in a cat can be a red flag for potentially serious medical conditions, especially if his/her appetite remains normal (or is increased).  Some of the more common causes of sudden weight loss in cats include: diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and cancer. However, that is NOT to say all cats with weight loss fall into these categories, so please have your cat checked out by your veterinarian!

Take, for example, Sunny. Sunny was about 8 years old when he was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. His weight chart shows you how dramatic his weight loss was–he went from a hefty ~17 lbs down to 12 lbs in a matter of months! (This is also why it’s so important to take your cat into a vet for regular check-ups, even when everything seems fine, because changes can also occur gradually, and your vet can help you detect these more subtle signs.) His owner also noticed he seemed to be drinking more than usual.

Blood work and urinalysis confirmed that Sunny had diabetes mellitus. Cats get Type II, or non-insulin dependent, diabetes. There are LOTS of great resources on the web about diabetes in cats, and we’re not going to repeat it all here–just check out these veterinarian-approved websites:

• Diabetes Mellitus Center (VeterinaryPartner.com) (Be sure to read the article on the main page, and check out the following articles on the right-hand menu: Diet for the diabetic cat, Glargine insulin, Home Testing of Blood Glucose for diabetic cats, and insulin administration in cats)
• FelineDiabetes.com
• CatInfo.com
• Feline Diabetes Message Board support group
• Wikipeida – Diabetes in Cats (good source of basic and extensive information)

Getting back to Sunny–we started him on PZI insulin and have been monitoring his fructosamine level every six months. We have other patients who have been doing quite well on glargine (a different form of insulin). Of course, diet also plays a key role in helping regulate the diabetes. Hill’s w/d is a prescription diet that is frequently recommended for dogs and cats, and m/d is a feline-specific diet that helps keep diabetes under control.

We know the diagnosis of diabetes can be very overwhelming, but we hope to show you that this disease can be managed quite successfully, and treatment is easier than you might imagine!

If your pet is overweight or obese and is suffering from arthritis, weight loss is a must.  Many pets will be much more comfortable simply by losing a few pounds.  Often times all that is required is to decrease how much you feed your pet by 25 percent.  Decreasing the number treats and table food that is given is important as well.  Some pets will do better on a prescription diet that restricts the number of calories.  A reasonable goal for weight loss is 3% of body weight per month.  We recommend visiting the hospital to weight your pet at least once per month.  This allows us to track the progress and see how you and your pet are doing.  If your pet is not achieving its weight goals, we may discuss Slentrol^® with you.  Slentrol^® is the first FDA approved prescription medication to manage obesity in dogs. It is a once daily medication that decreases your dog’s appetite and inhibits fat absorption.  These two mechanisms result in a dependable, steady weight loss for your dog.

Another aspect of nutrition for a dog with arthritis is Hill’s^® Prescription Diet^® j/d^TM.  This diet has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and has been proven to decrease pain associated with arthritis.  More information about this diet can be found here.  We have seen excellent results with this diet.