Why is my diabetic cat's belly moving after weight loss & ultrasound?

Hello. No, there is no reason to think that the insulin is the cause of this other than by bringing Oti's diabetes under control, he may be eating better & utilizing food in a more normal manner. Cats with diabetes often will have tremendous appetites, but lose weight because of severe metabolic imbalances. Of course, there could be another issue at hand so it might be best to have Oti evaluated by your veterinarian at your earliest convenience. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the X-rays, I can see that Mara's abdomen appears to be filled with fluid. It is obscuring his liver and intestines from being seen and there may even be a small amount in his lungs. Unfortunately it is impossible to tell what the fluid is from the x-ray alone. His blood work shows some abnormalities with his electrolytes, which may be if he is not eating or from fluid in the abdomen. Mara also has a high white blood cell count, these are the cells that are responsible for fighting off infections and increase if there is one present. Your vet can run some additional diagnostics, and perform a tap and remove the fluid as well as a blood test to determine if Mara is infected with FIP, a mutated form of a common virus that cats are exposed to. I hope this helps!

Yes it is! Parasites can cause abdominal distension so it can be normal for the belly to go down once the parasites begin passing. Don’t be surprised if you see some worms in the feces either. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree that a heavy worm burden can cause what you’re describing. In fact, it is the most likely reason. You can try an over the counter cat dewormer from a pet store. Follow the directions exactly in terms of amount and number of treatments. Hopefully, that’s all it takes to get her feeling better. Unfortunately, there are other (much less common) things that can cause large belly, weight loss, and lethargy including: FIP, heart failure, liver failure, cancer, protein problems, etc. So, if the dewormer doesn’t help, you may have to decide if you’d want to take her to the vet for further testing or if you’d like her humanely euthanized, etc. Best wishes and thank you so much for taking care of this stray!

That is odd. My first thought was that she's developed diabetes, but it sounds like you ruled that you already with lab work. If full blood tests have already been performed, an abdominal ultrasound would be the next step in trying to figure out what is going on. Talk to your vet about whether abdominal ultrasound is something they can do for you, or if there is somewhere they can refer you where ultrasound can be done . Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Without a full history and physical exam report it is difficult to know why they are recommending an ultrasound which is usually used to track changes in size or texture of internal organs, fluid build up and/or tumor growth. I recommend you contact your vets office and speak to the particular vet involved in order to get a better understanding of exactly what they are trying to identify or rule out and this will allow you to make a more informed decision as to the risks and benefits of anesthesia for an older cat with evidence of kidney issues. A full assessment of the entire blood work and any other current symptoms would be needed to discuss in any more detail and your vet should release these to you for a second opinion should you not feel the situation is adequately explained when you speak to them directly

This sounds like he has a serious medical problem. He could be in renal failure, have an infectious disease like feline leukemia or aids, or this could be a sign of cancer. Regardless, I recommend a veterinary exam. They may do lab tests or X-rays to diagnose his medical condition and then they can start treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sebastian.