Any thoughts on this case please

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Miriam Lodewyks — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 13:19:52 GMT

I also think you should check T4/TSH before assuming hypothyroid.

I once had a 8kg cat who just kept gaining weight on R/D food... after further probing we finally realised the owner was feeding the R/D as well as it's previous ration of Whiskas/Felix/Gocat. I eventually resorted to hospitalising him for 2 weeks and he lost a kg. Sadly he put it straight back on again when he got home and died within a year due to diabetes.

Also you wouldn't believe how many people leave biscuits down ad-libitum and simply don't even register that as "FOOD"!

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Anthony Dennison — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 11:24:10 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

I once had a client in hysterics and floods of tears because her moribundly obese Yorkie hadn't eaten anything for many weeks, even though he continued to gain even more weight over the same time period. Turns out he wouldn't eat the prescribed prescription weight diet at all, but continued to enjoy pork and stilton pate and cheese footballs.

Right dog, wrong owner syndrome.

[/quote]

We had an owner that was collecting Royal Canin Obesity food religiously from us, paying for it but the dog was gaining weight rather than losing it. Turns out the owner was feeding the correct amount, but with liberal amounts of cheese sprinkled on top!

A story I think I heard on here years ago, but if a dog wasn't losing weight a certain nurse would empty the anal glands, sniff them and say 'well these don't smell like the dog has been on solely diet food' which would normally make the guilty party confess.

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Kate Richardson — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 20:54:35 GMT

Also is he on any analgesia? Does he/can he exercise?

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Iain Richards — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 10:19:01 GMT

YEs, re check that thyroid. And severe OA at that age? Raw fed, meat only and made to beg?

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Anthony Todd — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 09:16:20 GMT

[quote user="Toadster"]"He would kill for them"[/quote]

Shane Warne had similar experiences with an english cricketer's wife, well sort of, as it did involve biscuits.

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Clive Ansell — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 08:49:50 GMT

Right dog, wrong owner syndrome.

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Alison Clare Hickman — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 07:53:43 GMT

Anthony Todd

Lol. Same trick deployed here.

Best reveal ever was the rotund 'Nanna' who said the pooch liked to share a packet of custard creams with her at high tea every afternoon... "He would kill for them"

Cue two totally shocked faces by the daughter and husband who had been spending a fortune on specialist dieting aids for said pooch.

Oh dear me.

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Anthony Todd — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 21:50:47 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]Dog is over-fed.[/quote]

Tee hee, I used to ask "who does the [overweight] dog sit in front of when you have a cup of tea"??

And the culprit was, always, suitably embarrassed"

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 19:20:19 GMT

Agree with Bob - low T4 alone doesn't equal hypoT4.

Dog is over-fed. Maybe get the practice to weigh out food for 2 weeks and then re-weigh dog. Give nothing else.

RE: Any thoughts on this case please

Bob Russell — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 17:49:30 GMT

I would be seriously questioning the diagnosis of hypothyroidism based on total T4 alone.

Similarly I would be scrutinising any dietary history from the owners with suspicion.

I saw somewhere that 80% of owners tell untruths when it comes to food and treats. My line is now that I believe none of them ut apologise to the 20%!! Owners seem to take this with good grace.

More labwork to try to confirm hypothyroidism and a lot more questioning of owners. I bet it gets a Dentastix each day plus treats to get it to come back. A treat when the owners leave it and perhaps a bit of double feeding because the owners do not communicate.

If they have a summer holiday booked and are kenneling the dog, sort out a diet sheet for the kennels to follow and weigh in, weigh out. This can be an eye opener.