Diabetes

Diabetes is a pancreatic disorder. There are two types:

Type 1 diabetes: the body does not produce enough insulin
Type 2 diabetes: (more common) the body is unable to use the insulin correctly

Your cat needs insulin in order to absorb glucose and convert it into energy.

Untreated, your cat’s health will gradually decline and end in an early death.

CAUSES:

Diabetes is common in cats that have the following combined factors:

Neutered
Overweight
Male
10 years or older in age

SIGNS:

Initial signs include:

Increased thirst and urination
Vomiting and dehydration
Increased appetite with weight loss
Poor coat/lack of grooming: may appear flaky, oily, and unkempt
Hind-limb weakness: walking with hocks touching the ground (nervous system damage)
Lethargy
Difficulty breathing

Advanced signs for untreated diabetes include:

Enlarged liver
Susceptibility to infection
Neurological problems

DIAGNOSIS:

To diagnose your cat with diabetes, your veterinarian will review medical history and signs. The veterinarian will also perform blood and urine tests to check glucose levels.

TREATMENT:

Most veterinarians will agree that diabetes is not curable, but can be controlled by:

Change in diet:

High in protein and low in carbohydrates: controls blood sugar and promotes weight loss in obese cats. Obese cats have a hard time processing insulin, making their diabetes more difficult to control

Spread calorie intake out over a few meals rather than all at once

Insulin injections:

Insulin is used to keep the cat’s blood glucose levels under control. You will be able to learn to give injections, as the insulin needles are tiny. Giving an injection is usually easier than giving a pill.

The amount and frequency of insulin injections will be determined by your veterinarian

Follow-up visits: the dosage will be reevaluated with further blood testing

Be aware of behavioral changes that signal:

Not enough insulin: extra drinking, eating and urination

Too much insulin: lethargy, stumbling and shivering

Cats with diabetes must eat regularly to guard against insulin overdose, but be careful to control the amount of food your cat eats to prevent obesity.

PREVENTION:

While there is no way known to prevent type 1 diabetes, proper weight management can reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

PROGNOSIS:

The prognosis for a diabetic cat depends on your commitment to treat the disease, good communication between you and your veterinarian, and good control of the blood glucose with appropriate diet and dose of insulin.

With a strict diet, insulin and exercise, your cat can be happy and live a healthy life, even with diabetes.