Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Velagliflozin treatment effects in 8 diabetic cats
By Del Baldo, Francesca et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Effects of Velagliflozin in 8 Cats With Diabetes Mellitus and Hypersomatotropism.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Eight cats with diabetes and a condition called hypersomatotropism (which can complicate diabetes) were treated with a medication called velagliflozin. After starting this treatment, six of the cats showed improvement in their diabetes symptoms, and their need for insulin decreased significantly. The average blood sugar levels also dropped, indicating better control of their diabetes. In fact, two cats were able to stop insulin altogether. However, one cat did experience a serious complication called diabetic ketoacidosis, and another had kidney issues. Overall, velagliflozin appears to be a helpful option for managing diabetes in these cats.
People also search for: cat diabetes treatment · velagliflozin for cats · diabetes complications in cats · cat insulin dosage · hypersomatotropism in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Velagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor licensed for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) in cats, but its use in cats with hypersomatotropism is not described. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To describe the use of velagliflozin in cats with DM and hypersomatotropism. ANIMALS: Eight client-owned cats with DM and hypersomatotropism treated with velagliflozin. METHODS: Retrospective multicentric case series. Clinical data, including diabetic clinical score, insulin dose, and continuous glucose monitoring-derived metrics were compared between the last follow-up before velagliflozin introduction (T0) and the first (T1) and last (T2) follow-ups after velagliflozin introduction. RESULTS: Diabetic clinical score improved in 6/8 cats after velagliflozin initiation. Median daily insulin dose decreased from 1.9 U/kg (range 0.8-7.1) at T0 to 0.5 U/kg (0-2.3) at T1 (median difference [MD] = -1.2 U/kg; 95% CI: -5.2 to 0.5; p = 0.02). Mean glucose was lower both at T1 (207 mg/dL, 96-326) and T2 (273 mg/dL, 155-350) than at T0 (435 mg/dL, 298-477; MD = -177 mg/dL, 95% CI: -238 to -92, p = 0.008 and MD = -113 mg/dL, 95% CI: -280 to -18, p = 0.03, respectively). Percentage of time in range was higher at T1 (71%, 21-98) and T2 (41%, 14-100) than at T0 (3%, 0-32; MD = 61%, 95% CI: 21 to 80, p = 0.008 and MD = 34%, 95% CI: 2 to 98, p = 0.03, respectively). Velagliflozin allowed for insulin discontinuation in two cats. One cat developed diabetic ketoacidosis on day 143, and one cat had acute kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Velagliflozin improved diabetic control in cats with DM and hypersomatotropism, either in combination with insulin or as monotherapy.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40853201/