Treating Unhealthy Weight Loss in Cats and Dogs

Treating Unhealthy Weight Loss in Cats and Dogs

Weight Loss due to Dentition

If the problem is with the teeth, your pet may need anesthesia and veterinary dental care. Brushing is the best way to improve dental health and prevent tooth and gum problems in the future. Brush with a small, soft toothbrush and use C.E.T. Toothpaste. C.E.T. Toothpaste is poultry-flavored and pets love it. Two minutes a day is all it takes.

Weight Loss due to Dysgeusia

If your pet has dysgeusia, or a poor sense of taste, warm the food slightly. Warm food has a stronger odor. Keep your pet’s nose clean because a stuffed-up nose can’t smell food. If your pet has allergies that are causing the stuffed-up nose, be a detective to figure out what is causing the problem. It could be chemically treated deck boards, a new dog house, a pillow with goose feathers or cedar chips, corn in the food, perfume, etc. Remove the offending allergen. Control allergic symptoms, and use Yucca Intensive daily. Yucca is an herb that decreases inflammation and helps maintain a normal immune system that does not over react to allergens.

Weight Loss due to Diarrhea

Use Fast Balance GI to restore the intestinal cells to normal. Change the diet because food allergies can cause diarrhea. Switching to organic or healthy food often improves the situation. Many pets with allergies, do well on Taste Of The Wild dog food because it is so pure: no toxins, no antibiotics, no growth hormones, no salt, no sugar, no food color, no preservatives.

Weight Loss due to Disease

If your pet is losing weight because of a disease, work with your veterinarian to determine a diagnosis and treatment. If the disease causes joint pain so that your pet doesn’t want to walk to the food bowl, use 1-800-PetMeds Super Joint Enhancer with MSM. MSM works like aspirin but will not harm the stomach and cause ulcers. For cats with arthritis and difficulty walking to the food bowl, use 1-800-PetMeds Joint Enhancer for Cats.

Weight Loss due to Depression

Upset, anxious or mourning pets benefit from anti-anxiety medications. Plug in an atomizer that releases the pheromone D.A.P. for Dogs or Feliway for Cats. Although humans cannot detect these pheromones, they are calming to pets. Anxious or mourning pets can also be calmed with the flower remedy Be Serene or with herbs in Composure Liquid or Quiet Moments.

Weight Loss due to Dementia

Pets who are no longer able to think clearly don’t eat as they should. To help your pet maintain normal brain function, supplement with Omega 3 fatty acids in Be Well or in Nordic Natural’s Omega-3 Pet.

Weight Loss due to Dysfunction

When the stomach, pancreas and intestines don’t function well, your pet can’t digest and absorb food. Older pets often are unable to make the enzymes needed to absorb vitamins in their food, such as Vitamin B12. These pets need Vitamin B12 injections. When the stomach and pancreas don’t make enzymes needed to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, pets can’t absorb these either. Use NaturVet Enzymes & Probiotics with Probiotics to help.

Weight Loss due to Drugs

Many drugs—from antibiotics to chemotherapy medications—cause nausea so that pets are not interested in eating. If your pet is taking any of these medications, ask if you can feed your pet an hour before giving the drug. If not, rather than regular kibble, offer warmed, easily digested broth.

Don’t know why there is Weight Loss

Intestinal worms are a big part of “Don’t Know” for many pets. Use monthly Sentinel, Interceptor, Heartgard Plus, Iverhart Plus or Revolution to help control worms. If your pet doesn’t need heartworm or flea medications, deworm every 3 months. Panacur C removes whipworms, hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms in dogs, and Drontal Feline (Rx) removes roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms for cats. Controlling worms in your pet will mean there is less chance anyone in the family will be infected.

The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians   1 Date Category Topic

 

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