Diabetes in Cats

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Diabetes in Cats

By: Dr. Leah Cohn

Pages 1 2 3 4

Section: Follow-up

DM requires dedicated follow-up care on the part of the pet owner. With a commitment of time, education and careful observation, most diabetic cats can have a good, quality life.

Monitor blood glucose concentrations with your regular veterinarian. Weekly monitoring may be needed until adequate control is attained. Serum fructosamine measurements are recommended every 3 to 6 months after diabetic control is attained.

Routine. You will need to stick with a routine in both insulin administration and feeding. While insulin does not have to be given at precisely the same time everyday, it is very helpful to stick with the same schedule as closely as possible both for drug administration and feeding.

Insulin. Familiarize yourself with the type and source of insulin your cat uses. Purchasing insulin can be confusing.

Familiarize yourself with insulin handling.

This bottled hormone is not perfectly soluble or stable. It needs to be kept cool and out of direct light, and it must be gently mixed thoroughly before use (rolled in the hands), but not shaken hard.

Familiarize yourself with insulin syringes and administration. Insulin is given as "units" rather than as the standard cubic centimeter (cc) or milliliters (ml); special insulin syringes come in a variety of unit sizes. Insulin is usually administered just under the skin. Your veterinarian can spend time teaching you how to do this with a minimum of protest from your cat.

Carefully note changes in water consumption and urination. Increases in thirst or frequency of urination may indicate the need for adjustment in insulin therapy or that a complication, like a urinary tract infection, has developed. Ask your veterinarian what the expected water consumption for your cat is and periodically measure the actual consumption.

If your pet vomits or does not eat, call your veterinarian for insulin recommendations. Giving the regular dose of insulin in a pet that does not eat can cause hypoglycemia. Do not skip a dose of insulin unless recommended by your veterinarian.

Some veterinarians will ask you to catch urine samples periodically and test them at home for glucose, ketones or both. This information may help your veterinarian adjust therapy.

NOTE: A well-regulated diabetic pet should look and behave the same as a pet in good health.

Prognosis

The prognosis depends upon the overall heath of the pet, other diseases present, secondary complications from diabetes, and the pet owner's ability to treat and closely monitor their pets progress. Many pets live a happy health live for years with diabetes with few complications. A mean survival time of pets with diabetes is 3 years from time of diagnosis. For pets that do well after 6 months of treatment, many will have a good quality of life for more than 5 years.

Pages 1 2 3 4

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Insulin (Humulin®, Iletin®, Vetsulin™)
Insulin is a common medication used on dogs and cats to control blood sugar in diabetic animals. Insulin has also been used to temporarily reduce life-threatening levels of blood potassium related to certain...
Read More
2 Obesity in Cats
The primary causes of obesity in cats are overeating and lack of exercise. When regular caloric intake exceeds the energy burned, the excess is stored as fat on your cat.
Read More
3 How to Give Injectable Medication to Your Cat
Some diseases require periodic administration of injectable medications. Sometimes, this is done by the owner at home. Learn the proper and safe way to give an injection to your cat.
Read More
4 Glucose Curve in Cats
A glucose curve involves multiple measurements of blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. This will help your veterinarian determine the proper insulin dose and the best time to administer the drug....
Read More
5 Home Monitoring of Diabetic Cats
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder involving blood sugar and insulin. In the diabetic patient, the glucose continues to circulate but there is either not enough insulin to carry the glucose into the cells...
Read More
6 Polydipsia and Polyuria (excessive drinking and urinating) in Dogs
Polydipsia is the term used to describe excessive thirst. Polyuria is the termed used to describe what results from excessive thirst, increase urine production. Polydipsia and polyuria are early signs...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1Polydipsia and Polyuria (excessive drinking and urinating) in Dogs
Polydipsia is the term used to describe excessive thirst. Polyuria is the termed used to describe what results from excessive thirst, increase urine production. Polydipsia and polyuria are early signs...
Read More
2Obesity in Cats
The primary causes of obesity in cats are overeating and lack of exercise. When regular caloric intake exceeds the energy burned, the excess is stored as fat on your cat.
Read More
3How to Give Injectable Medication to Your Cat
Some diseases require periodic administration of injectable medications. Sometimes, this is done by the owner at home. Learn the proper and safe way to give an injection to your cat.
Read More
4Glucose Curve in Cats
A glucose curve involves multiple measurements of blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. This will help your veterinarian determine the proper insulin dose and the best time to administer the drug....
Read More
5Home Monitoring of Diabetic Cats
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder involving blood sugar and insulin. In the diabetic patient, the glucose continues to circulate but there is either not enough insulin to carry the glucose into the cells...
Read More
6Insulin (Humulin®, Iletin®, Vetsulin™)
Insulin is a common medication used on dogs and cats to control blood sugar in diabetic animals. Insulin has also been used to temporarily reduce life-threatening levels of blood potassium related to certain...
Read More

Diabetes in Cats

Diabetes in Cats

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles