Symptom Triage｜Appetite and Body Weight

FAQ

My cat has suddenly stopped eating. Can I watch for a day or two first?

That is not advised. Fasting rapidly triggers hepatic lipidosis in cats, and fasting in donkeys can trigger hyperlipaemia, so for these two species even a single day without eating warrants a visit, without applying the observation window used for other species. Before you leave, note the time and amount of the last meal, whether the animal still drinks, alertness and activity, any vomiting or diarrhoea, and whether faeces and urine are passed normally.

猫が急に食べなくなりました。一日二日は様子を見てもよいですか。 — おすすめしません。猫は絶食で肝リピドーシスを急速に招き、ロバは絶食で高脂血症を招きうるため、この二種は一日食べないだけでも受診してください。他の種と同じ様子見の期間を当てはめないでください。出発前に、最後に食べた時刻と量、水を飲んでいるか、元気・活力、嘔吐や下痢の有無、便と尿が正常に出ているかを記録しておきます。

My cat has suddenly stopped eating. Can I watch for a day or two first? — That is not advised. Fasting rapidly triggers hepatic lipidosis in cats, and fasting in donkeys can trigger hyperlipaemia, so for these two species even a single day without eating warrants a visit, without applying the observation window used for other species. Before you leave, note the time and amount of the last meal, whether the animal still drinks, alertness and activity, any vomiting or diarrhoea, and whether faeces and urine are passed normally.

My pet eats more than before but keeps losing weight. Is that a good sign?

No. A marked increase in appetite with falling body weight is common in feline hyperthyroidism, canine diabetes and Cushing's syndrome, and thyroid or metabolic abnormality in birds, and it calls for a veterinary visit. Weigh at a fixed time each week and record it, and watch whether water intake has risen at the same time and whether there is vomiting or soft stool.

以前よりよく食べるのに体重が落ち続けています。良いことですか。 — 良いことではありません。食欲が大きく増えたのに体重が減る状態は、猫の甲状腺機能亢進症、犬の糖尿病やクッシング症候群、鳥の甲状腺・代謝異常でよく見られ、受診が必要です。毎週決まった時刻に体重を測って記録し、飲水量も同時に増えていないか、嘔吐や軟便がないかを確認してください。

My pet eats more than before but keeps losing weight. Is that a good sign? — No. A marked increase in appetite with falling body weight is common in feline hyperthyroidism, canine diabetes and Cushing's syndrome, and thyroid or metabolic abnormality in birds, and it calls for a veterinary visit. Weigh at a fixed time each week and record it, and watch whether water intake has risen at the same time and whether there is vomiting or soft stool.

My senior cat or dog is slowly getting thinner. Is that just normal ageing?

Do not treat it as ageing. Slow weight loss while appetite looks normal or even improves is common in feline chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, and in canine intestinal disease or tumours. Older animals are especially easy to overlook, and weight loss is often the earliest and most frequently missed signal. Weigh on the same scales every month, plot a trend line, record water intake and faeces, and take the records with you to the visit.

高齢の犬猫がゆっくり痩せてきました。自然な老化と考えてよいですか。 — 老化として片付けないでください。体重がゆっくり減るのに食欲は正常か、むしろ良く見える状態は、猫の慢性腎臓病や甲状腺機能亢進症、犬の腸疾患や腫瘍でよく見られます。高齢動物では見落とされやすく、体重減少は最も早く、そして最も見落とされやすい信号です。毎月同じ体重計で記録して推移をグラフにし、飲水量と便も記録して、その記録を持って受診してください。

My senior cat or dog is slowly getting thinner. Is that just normal ageing? — Do not treat it as ageing. Slow weight loss while appetite looks normal or even improves is common in feline chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, and in canine intestinal disease or tumours. Older animals are especially easy to overlook, and weight loss is often the earliest and most frequently missed signal. Weigh on the same scales every month, plot a trend line, record water intake and faeces, and take the records with you to the visit.