Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using SGLT2 inhibitors to improve diabetes care in cats
By Elizabeth Bradley Covey·Published in The Veterinary Nurse·2025·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Optimising outcomes in feline diabetes: SGLT2 inhibitor use
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old male neutered Burmese cat was diagnosed with diabetes, a common condition that can cause symptoms like increased thirst and urination. A new treatment called velagliflozin, which helps lower blood sugar by increasing glucose excretion in urine, was given to the cat. This treatment not only helped stabilize the cat's blood sugar levels more quickly than traditional insulin therapy but also reduced the risk of side effects. The cat showed improvement and was able to manage its diabetes effectively with this new medication.
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Abstract
Diabetes is the most common endocrine condition in small animals, with comorbidities including obesity, pancreatitis and hyperadrenocorticism. Dogs most commonly develop ‘type 1’ diabetes due to immune-mediated destruction of β cells. Feline diabetes resembles human type 2 diabetes in approximately 80–90% of cases, with insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. However, these classifications may be inappropriate, as diabetes mellitus can arise from various aetiologies. Risk factors include age, male sex, neutering, obesity, inactivity and being an indoor cat. Only Burmese cats show a breed predisposition. Unlike dogs, cats may enter remission, likely because preserved insulin secretion helps prevent ketoacidosis. A novel treatment for feline diabetes, velagliflozin, has been approved. This sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor increases urinary glucose excretion and reduces the glucotoxic effect on β cells, promoting a more rapid return to euglycaemia and a reduced risk of adverse effects compared with insulin therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/7df6872d4741e0cf0887500fb93221326a496442