You hear about people having diabetes all the time, but did you know it is not uncommon for your cat to have it too?
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease in which the body either doesn’t produce or properly use insulin. After a meal, glucose is released into the blood stream; Insulin is then secreted from the pancreas. The insulin helps glucose enter the cells for energy. In a diabetic cat, the glucose (sugar) remains and builds up in the blood. Eventually the body starts breaking down fat and protein stores to use as an energy source. The cat eats more but loses weight.
The clinical signs seen in diabetes are largely related to elevated concentration of blood glucose and the inability of the body to use glucose as an energy source due the deficiency of glucose. Even though any cat can have it, it most often occurs in older (over 6 years), obese cats. There are many different factors linked to the disease, but obesity is the major predisposing condition
The most common clinical signs seen in diabetic patients are: an increase in water consumption and urination. Weight loss is also common and an increase in appetite may be noticed in some cats.
The diagnosis of DM is made based on the clinical signs, persistently elevated blood glucose concentration and presence of glucose in the urine. Stress in cats can raise glucose levels (and going to the vet is very stressful) so confirmation is often determined with more than one blood test.
The cause of diabetes is unknown, but administration of some drugs predisposes cats to develop diabetes, withdrawal of the drugs may resolve the condition. Since obese cats are also prone to develop diabetes, weight reduction can lead to resolution of the signs in some cats.
If the cat needs treatment, most likely he will require insulin injections to control the disease.
Most cats achieve initial stabilization within a few days to weeks after initial treatment. Most cats will require very small amounts of insulin once or twice a day. The needle used is very small, it doesn’t bother the cat, and once you have done it a few times, it becomes second nature. Times and dosages vary as does the type of insulin you use.
The veterinarian will monitor your cat’s sugar level and you can diligently keep daily records of: time of insulin injection, amount of insulin, amount and time of food fed and eaten and the amount of water your cat drinks. Weigh your cat on a regular basis.
It’s very important to keep accurate records, you don’t want to give too much insulin or your cat will become hypoglycaemic. Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include severe weakness and lethargy, shaking and even convulsions. Call your veterinarian immediately. If severe signs are displayed, a tablespoon of honey or sugar solution can be given by mouth.
The good news is, once control is attained with proper treatment and home care, a diabetic cat can live many healthy years.
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