Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diabetes and cataracts in a young kitten with frequent urination
By Thoresen, SI et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2002·The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, P.O. Box 8146 Dep., N-0033 Oslo, Norway.·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Diabetes Mellitus and Bilateral Cataracts in a Kitten
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
An 18-week-old male domestic long-hair kitten was brought to the vet because he was drinking and urinating a lot, and he was smaller than expected for his age. The vet found that he had cataracts in both eyes and high blood sugar levels, leading to a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, which is rare in young kittens. Despite starting insulin therapy, the cataracts worsened, and sadly, the kitten was euthanized 10 weeks later due to the severity of his condition. A closer look at his pancreas showed significant damage compared to a healthy kitten, which contributed to his diabetes and eye problems.
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Abstract
An 18-week-old male domestic long-hair kitten was presented with a history of polyuria and polydipsia for several weeks. The general condition was unremarkable, but the kitten was considerably smaller than expected for the age and showed cataracts in both eyes. Serum glucose concentrations were persistently elevated and based on clinical findings and an elevated serum fructosamine concentration, a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was established. Diabetes mellitus is not commonly diagnosed in young kittens, nor are cataracts recognised as a frequent feature of this disease in cats. The cataracts progressed in spite of the insulin therapy and the kitten was euthanised 10 weeks after referral. Histopathological examination of the pancreas revealed few and small islets of Langerhans compared to the examination of pancreas from a healthy kitten of the same age. Histopathological changes in the eyes included cataracts affecting both cortex and nucleus.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1053/jfms.2001.0161