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. 2009 May 15:208–246. doi: 10.1016/B0-72-168903-5/50014-8

TABLE 9-11.

Major Causes of Weight Loss in Dogs and Cats

  • Calorie-Deficient Food or No Food

  • Failure or Refusal to Eat

  • Dysphagia

  • Oral lesion

  • Anorexia for any reason

  • Regurgitation

  • Pharyngeal or esophageal disease

  • Vomiting (see Table 9-2)

  • Maldigestion

  • Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) (does not always cause diarrhea)

  • Intestinal Malabsorption (Does not always cause diarrhea)

  • Malassimilation

  • Hepatic failure

  • Cardiac failure

  • Diabetes mellitus

  • Uremia

  • Cancer cachexia syndrome

  • Hypoadrenocorticism

  • Excessive Use or Loss of Calories

  • Hyperthyroidism

  • Excessive demand for calories because of environment or exertion

  • Lactation

  • Muscle Wasting

  • Myopathy

  • Neuropathy