So, when you come to the Vets you may wonder why every time your pet visits we will try and record a weight. As animals can’t speak, weight is a great diagnostic tool we use to ascertain health.
An older pet that is losing weight may not be ‘just getting old’ and losing muscle. Weight loss comes from 3 main causes.
- Lack of food – either by reduction in diet or unwillingness to eat as in dental pain/kidney disease.
- Increased transit of food and reduced absorption (gastro-intestinal disease)
- Increased utilisation such as exercising more, cats with overactive thyroid glands or tumours using glucose to grow.
Weight gain can be caused by
- A change in metabolism, for example dogs with a low thyroid or a neutered pet that hasn’t had its diet modified.
- An increase in the number of treats!
If your pet’s weight has dramatically changed, we will try and ascertain why and get them back to their ideal size.
Lucy Travers BVSc CertAVP MRCVS
Highfields Vets