Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diabetes in German cats - symptoms and treatment practices
By Bente Guse et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2025·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Signalment, clinicopathological findings, management practices and comorbidities in cats with diabetes mellitus in Germany: cross-sectional study of 144 cases
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 144 cats diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Germany showed that many were overweight, with an average age of 11 years. Most of these cats were treated with insulin, particularly protamine zinc insulin, but about 79% were poorly controlled, meaning their blood sugar levels were not well managed. Tests revealed that some had increased levels of IGF-1, which can indicate a more severe form of diabetes, and many might need additional treatment for low cobalamin (a vitamin). Overall, the findings suggest that monitoring and adjusting treatment for diabetic cats is crucial for better management.
People also search for: cat diabetes treatment · diabetic cat insulin dosage · signs of diabetes in cats · managing cat diabetes · cobalamin deficiency in cats
Abstract
Objectives The aim of this study was to describe signalment, clinicopathological findings, management practices and the occurrence of comorbidities in feline diabetes mellitus (DM) in Germany. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using questionnaires and laboratory submissions to a commercial laboratory, Antech Lab Germany, between May 2021 and July 2022. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of DM by the attending veterinarian and submission of a completed questionnaire besides blood samples. Laboratory testing included haematology, serum biochemistry, concentration of total thyroxine (TT4), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), cobalamin (COB), fructosamine, b-hydroxybutyrate and DGGR (1,2-O-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-[6′-methylresorufin] ester) lipase activity. Data are presented as the median (range) and analysed by non-parametric tests. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The median (range) age of the 144 diabetic cats at diagnosis was 11 years (0.9–18.7), 66.4% were male, 84.6% were domestic shorthair, 50.4% were currently overweight and 61.5% were previously overweight (body condition score >5/9). Most cats were treated with insulin (84%), most commonly protamine zinc insulin (57.5%). Blood glucose curves or continuous glucose monitoring alone or in combination with other methods were performed to adjust insulin therapy in 70.6% of cats. Based on questionnaires, 78.6% were poorly controlled and 21.4% were well controlled. Increased TT4 occurred in 3/139 and hyperthyroidism was known in 5/139 cats (frequency of known/suspected hyperthyroidism: 5.8% [n = 8/139]); 17.5% (n = 17/97) had increased IGF-1 (IGF-1 >746 ng/ml, cut-off for hypersomatotropism with the chemiluminescence assay used in this study); 24.5% (n = 34/139) had COB <295.2 pmol/l and 54.2% (n = 78/144) had increased DGGR. Cats with IGF-1 >746 ng/ml were receiving a higher insulin dose than cats with IGF-1 ≤746 ng/ml (median 1.63 vs 0.86 U/kg/day, P = 0.018). Conclusion and relevance Increased DGGR and increased IGF-1 indicating hypersomatotropism are common in diabetic cats and should be tested for. Almost one-quarter of diabetic cats might require COB supplementation.
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 Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/39772828