DIABETES IN THE CAT

 

Diabetes mellitus (“sugar diabetes”) is a disease in which the level of sugar in the blood rises above normal and a number of other problems occur because of the high blood sugar.

CAUSE:  Diabetes is NOT caused by the cat eating too many sweets, but because the body cannot produce or use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, and it provides energy to body cells by carrying glucose (a type of sugar) from the bloodstream into the cell where it can be used to fuel the cell’s activity. There are two forms of diabetes: Type I diabetes occurs when the pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin. In Type II diabetes insulin is produced, but the cells become resistant to the insulin so that it has no effect on the cell. Very large or obese cats are particularly prone to Type II diabetes, and weight loss may help resolve these cats' diabetic symptoms.

SYMPTOMS:  The classic signs of diabetes are increased thirst and weight loss with a good appetite. These signs are often not obvious in diabetic cats, and many feline diabetics simply act like they are weak or not feeling well.  Occasionally they will be weak in the rear legs causing an abnormal stance or walk with more of the back leg making contact with the ground.

DIAGNOSIS: Urine tests will reveal sugar in the urine, and blood tests will confirm that the blood sugar is high. Other tests will help determine if other complications (such as liver problems or urinary infections) are present.

TREATING DIABETES: In most cats, insulin injections are necessary. Although this sounds intimidating, the injections are given just under the skin of the neck with a very small needle, and most cats do not object at all. The most important aspect of treating diabetes is to be consistent.  Some cats stop needing insulin if they are placed on a special diet along with weight loss to return to a healthy body condition.

INSULIN TREATMENT: To begin, a moderate dose of insulin is chosen. The dose is periodically adjusted based on how the cat is doing and follow-up blood sugar tests. The ideal goal is to keep the cat’s blood sugar below 200 (normal is 80 to 120). This is frequently difficult given that cats release glucose when stressed causing the level to be elevated in the clinic.  Your veterinarian will help you plan how frequently the blood sugar should be checked. 

It is very important to avoid low blood sugar! If too much insulin is given, or if the cat is not eating enough food to provide adequate blood sugar levels, the blood sugar will drop too low and the cat will act weak, wobbly, and disoriented. This is an emergency, and the cat should be given 1/2 teaspoon of Karo corn syrup (pure glucose) orally every 10 minutes until the symptoms disappear, and then should be encouraged to eat a high protein meal as soon as possible. The next dose of insulin may need to be decreased so that this does not reoccur.

TYPES OF INSULIN:  Initially, your veterinarian will determine the right type of insulin for your cat. For most insulin types a prescription will be written and your insulin can be picked up at the pharmacy of your choice along with the correct type of syringes.  Insulin is a fairly fragile drug and needs to be handled carefully.  It needs to be refrigerated and the bottle will need to be gently rolled to remix the insulin.  It is important not to shake the bottle to remix it as this will damage the insulin.