Diagnosis and treatment
Signs of diabetes mellitus
Diabetes is one of many diseases that can affect your cat. Signs associated with diabetes can also be caused by other diseases or factors. If your cat shows any of the following behaviors, bring your pet to see your veterinarian for a check-up.
- Drinks a lot of water. (You must fill the water bowl more often than before or notice your cat drinking from unusual places, such as the toilet bowl.)
- Urinates frequently. (Your cat wants to go outside often or sometimes urinates outside the litter box.)
- Is always hungry. (Never seems to get enough to eat. Always begging for food.)
- Has lost weight.
- Doesn’t groom—fur becomes dry and dull.
- Sleeps more or is less active.
Diagnosis
Though these signs certainly suggest diabetes, they can also result from other diseases. The diagnosis only becomes definite when glucose is found both in the urine and at a high level in the blood. This is why your cat needs to be examined thoroughly by a veterinarian.
To confirm the diagnosis, your veterinarian will take a blood and urine sample from your cat and determine the glucose or sugar content in both. Your veterinarian will also check your cat's general health status to rule out the presence of other diseases or infections. This is very important, as other medical conditions can complicate diabetes treatment.
Treatment
The good news is a treatment program of insulin and diet can control your cat’s diabetes so he or she can enjoy a happy, healthy life. Your veterinarian will develop a specific treatment regimen that will meet your pet’s unique needs. This program will include recommendations for feeding your cat (type of food, quantity and timing of meals) and treatment with insulin.
Giving your cat daily insulin injections is the cornerstone of diabetes management. Vetsulin® (porcine insulin zinc suspension) is the only FDA-approved veterinary insulin available. Daily insulin injections are essential to control your pet’s blood glucose level. Most cats respond well to two doses of Vetsulin per day.
It’s important to give insulin injections at the same time every day. Once you and your cat have established a routine, things will be easier and your cat will be healthier. The key to success is PATIENCE and you will be encouraged as you see your cat’s condition improving. If your cat has other medical problems, your veterinarian will treat those, too.
Vetsulin
Although Vetsulin is not a cure for diabetes mellitus, it can help control or eliminate many of the signs associated with the disease (such as excessive thirst, urination, and weight loss) and prevent development of life-threatening ketoacidosis (diabetic acidosis or high acidity in body fluids).
Response to Vetsulin varies from cat to cat, but can be quite dramatic. In most pets, improvement can be seen within a few days. However, if Vetsulin is discontinued or not given as directed, the signs of diabetes will likely return and life-threatening complications may develop. Therefore, it is important to maintain consistent treatment and monitor your cat's glucose level correctly.
About insulin administration
Because diabetes is caused by a shortage of insulin, your cat will need treatment with insulin such as Vetsulin. Your veterinarian will determine your cat's correct dose and tailor your cat's prescription accordingly. Once you have the correct prescription, it is extremely important that you administer your cat's insulin treatment at the same time every day. Once you and your cat acclimate to your new routine, you'll both find the process fairly simple and quick.
Starting Vetsulin therapy
After diagnosis, your veterinarian will determine the Vetsulin starting dose and show you how to draw insulin from the vial, administer the injection, and monitor your cat's urine glucose level. During the first days of treatment, you and your veterinarian will monitor the effects of this Vetsulin dose on your cat's clinical signs (water and food intake, activity, urination frequency, etc.), and perhaps blood and urine glucose levels.
Based on the results of these investigations, your veterinarian will adjust the dose, if necessary, and again monitor your cat until the correct dose is identified. This can take from 1 week to 1 or 2 months. Remember that patience is the key to success. It is also important to note that trying to regulate a diabetic cat too quickly can cause other complications, such as low blood sugar.
Monitoring
Monitoring your cat's glucose level is an important part of the overall diabetes therapy and can be done in one of two ways:
- Measuring the glucose level in your pet’s blood
- Checking your pet’s urine for the presence of glucose
Measuring the blood glucose level is clearly the most accurate way to monitor your cat's therapy, and in most cases your veterinarian will do this in the clinic by performing a glucose curve. Checking the urine for the presence of glucose, although not quite as accurate, is something you can easily do at home.
Spaying your female cat
If your cat has not been spayed, your veterinarian will recommend this procedure as part of the treatment. This is because one of the female sex hormones, called progesterone, can interfere with the normal action of insulin. In order to remove the source of progesterone, spaying intact females diagnosed with diabetes is essential.
My cat is regulated—what's next?
Regulation or stabilization of clinical signs of diabetes often goes very well for years. To maintain your pet’s health, see your veterinarian on a regular basis of 2 to 4 times a year. At these visits, your veterinarian will perform a general examination and recheck the blood glucose level. Occasionally, your cat may suffer from stress, infections, dental problems, or other situations that can alter its regulation. If regulation is affected, your cat will again show typical signs (drinking and urinating more, for example), indicating you should consult your veterinarian.
Living with a diabetic cat
Once your cat has been stabilized on insulin, it will most likely be able to lead a happy, healthy life. The life expectancy of cats on insulin is similar to that of other healthy cats. Good communication between you and your veterinarian, and adhering to the treatment regimen, will help keep your cat healthy. Both of you will enjoy life together for many years!