Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diabetes in cats - symptoms and treatment options
By Bloom, Carly Anne & Rand, Jacquie·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2014·The Animal Medical Center, 510 East 62nd Street, New York, NY, 10065, USA, United States·View original on Crossref →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Feline Diabetes mellitus
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with diabetes mellitus, a common condition affecting about 1 in 200 cats, often shows symptoms like increased thirst, frequent urination, and weight loss. Managing this condition can be challenging for both pet owners and veterinarians, as it involves choosing the right diet, insulin type, and monitoring methods tailored to the cat's needs. With proper treatment, including newer long-acting insulins, many newly diagnosed diabetic cats can achieve remission, meaning they may no longer need insulin. It's important for owners to be prepared for the time and financial commitment involved in caring for a diabetic cat.
People also search for: cat diabetes symptoms · how to manage diabetic cat · insulin for cats with diabetes
Abstract
Practical relevance: Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disorder in feline practice, affecting approximately 1 in 200 cats. The majority of diabetic cats have type 2 diabetes mellitus, which results from a combination of peripheral insulin resistance and a progressive reduction in insulin production. Clinical challenges: While usually easy to diagnose, management of diabetes mellitus presents a number of challenges for practitioners and clients alike. Practitioners must decide on diet, insulin type and dose, monitoring method and intensity, and concomitant therapy, which will vary based on individual patient and client needs, and geographic location. Practitioners may also encounter patients with diabetic ketoacidosis or other diabetic complications, and patients with multiple concurrent diseases. Clients may be challenged by the substantial time and financial commitment involved in owning a diabetic cat. Audience: Understanding the pathophysiology, optimal treatment protocols and current goals of diabetes management will benefit practitioners managing diabetic cats. This article reviews the most current management plans for feline diabetics. It places particular emphasis on best practice for achieving diabetic remission, which is an attainable goal in the majority of newly diagnosed diabetic cats. Evidence base: The information in this article is drawn from the recent human and veterinary literature, including prospective and retrospective studies. The body of prospective clinical data on the use of newer, long-acting insulins (glargine and especially detemir) in cats is limited, but growing.
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 Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x14523187