Due to malnutrition and living in a city apartment with almost no movement, many cats suffer from diabetes. This is the most common metabolic disturbance in the animal’s body, it occurs in 2% of furry pets. The difficulty is in time to determine that diabetes has begun in a cat. Symptoms and treatment of this disease are known mainly to veterinarians, and many owners lose the animal due to untimely access to a doctor.
What happens in the body with diabetes
The disease is associated with impaired pancreatic function. Under normal conditions, it produces the insulin necessary for the absorption and processing of glucose. This substance is necessary for the proper functioning of the brain and other organs. It is a source of nutrients and energy. If the gland functions are disturbed for some reason, glucose in the body is not enough. It is not absorbed, but freely circulates through the blood. All organs suffer from this.
First of all, glucose accumulates in the kidneys, taking all the fluid with it. In this case, the body suffers from dehydration, the animal feels a strong thirst and the need for frequent urination. In addition, cells lack nutrients and energy. The brain begins to use the reserves of glycogen in the liver, to extract energy from proteins and fats. This leads to disruption of the functioning of various organs in the animal.
Features of the disease in cats
The pancreas functions in the body of animals in the same way as in humans. But not all pet owners understand this. Therefore, many are surprised when they receive a positive answer to the question of whether cats have diabetes. In fact, the forms of the disease are slightly different from the course of the disease in humans. Animals have three types of diabetes.
- With this form of the disease, the animal’s pancreas completely stops producing insulin. Most often, it collapses. As a result, animals in most cases die.
- The second form resembles type 2 diabetes in humans. In this case, insulin is produced in the body, but cells cannot absorb it. You can treat such diabetes without injecting insulin. Most often, this form of the disease is manifested by obesity.
- Diabetes mellitus in cats can develop after infections or as a complication of chronic inflammatory diseases. With proper treatment, this form of the disease is easily cured.
If you recognize it in time, then you can easily overcome diabetes in a cat. Symptoms and treatment of it are almost the same as in humans, but it is important to properly care for the animal.
Causes of the disease
According to statistics, diabetes in cats occurs in 2 cases out of 1000. For some reason, it is more common in males, especially castrated. At risk are also sedentary animals that are overweight. Most often, the disease develops in old age. Most diabetes cases are observed in cats after 5-6 years. But even young animals can get sick. The reasons for this are not yet fully understood, but it is believed that the disease develops in such cases:
- with improper nutrition;
- overweight animal;
- frequent use of hormonal drugs;
- with a genetic predisposition, for example, among representatives of the Burmese breed;
- due to metabolic disorders;
- with problems with the immune system;
- in the presence of endocrine diseases;
- as a complication after infectious diseases or inflammation of the pancreas.
Diabetes in cats: symptoms
It is very important not to miss the first signs of the disease in order to start treatment on time. Only an owner who is attentive to the condition of his pet can help him cope with the disease. Recently, it is increasingly possible to meet diabetes in cats. Symptoms and treatment of the disease should be studied by all owners of elderly and sterilized pets. To prevent the animal from suffering, it is also important to know preventive measures and visit the veterinarian more often, especially if the pet is unwell. What are the most characteristic signs of diabetes in cats:
- weight loss with increased appetite;
- constant thirst;
- frequent urination;
- nausea, vomiting, digestive problems;
- deterioration of the skin and coat;
- weakness and depression of the animal;
- susceptibility to infections;
- impaired hind limb function;
- visual impairment or even cataracts.
How to treat the disease
After confirming the diagnosis for the owner comes a difficult time. The treatment of this disease is very long, includes a set of measures. Therefore, some owners decide to euthanize the animal. But in a patient owner, a cat can recover and live for many more years. The main thing is to follow all the doctor's recommendations. Only a specialist understands how to influence diabetes in a cat. Symptoms and treatment of it are similar to the course of the disease in humans, therefore, insulin injections are most often prescribed.
The difficulty is to choose the right dosage of the drug. Therefore, after the first injection of an approximate dose, it is necessary to measure the level of glucose in the blood every 2 hours . Based on these data, the doctor draws conclusions about the peculiarities of insulin absorption and adjusts the dosage and time of administration of the drug.
What other way can I influence diabetes in a cat? Treatment also consists in a special diet and diet. Sometimes sugar-lowering drugs in the form of tablets are used, but they very often have side effects. Cats are prescribed the same medications as humans, but in a different dosage. Most often it is "Acarbose", "Metformin", "Glipizid".
The control
It is very important that there is constant medical supervision. After the onset of the first symptoms of the disease, a comprehensive examination of the animal is carried out: in addition to blood and urine tests, you need to do tests for hormones, the level of acid-base balance, ultrasound and an electrocardiogram. But even after a diagnosis is established and therapeutic measures are prescribed, you need to visit a doctor regularly to monitor the effectiveness of treatment. It is necessary to constantly take blood and urine tests to check how the changes in the cat's body go. The owner needs to have a special journal, where he regularly needs to enter all the information about insulin injections, the amount of fluid drunk, the feed used, the test results and the weight of the cat.
Why treatment does not help
Many cat owners do their best, but the condition of the animal does not improve. This can happen for several reasons:
- a medicine is used that has not been properly stored or has expired;
- the host does the wrong injection;
- some medications, such as hormones, may decrease insulin susceptibility;
- the cat has a very fast metabolism, or antibodies to the drug are present in the blood;
- improper feeding of the animal, leading to an increased concentration of fats in the blood;
- concomitant infectious or chronic diseases.
Diabetes in cats: diet
With a disease of forms 2 and 3, insulin administration and the use of other drugs may not be required. Sometimes it’s enough just to change the regime and diet of the animal to improve its condition. The nutrition of cats for diabetes should be subject to the following rules:
- you need to feed the animal at the same time, in small portions;
- the pet should not overeat, as being overweight will further aggravate his condition;
- feed should be chosen so that it contains less carbohydrates and calories, but more protein.
Best Diabetes Feed
Often the cause of diabetes is the animal’s malnutrition. Cheap low-quality feeds cause metabolic disorders in cats. Therefore, the first step towards healing the animal should be a special diet. Nutrition should be low-carb, but with a high protein content. Now there are special foods for cats with diabetes. They belong to the super-premium or holistic class.
- The best choice is Purina therapeutic food, which normalizes metabolism and provides the animal with good nutrition;
- Royal Canin diabetic cats food contains a lot of protein, and cereals added those that have a low glycemic index;
- Hils diet food is also suitable for animals with diabetes, and for its prevention in pet obesity, as it contains a large amount of protein and very few carbohydrates.
Sick animal care
If a cat has been diagnosed with this, it needs special attention. Often, treatment and special care continues throughout her life. First of all, these are regular insulin injections. It must be administered subcutaneously twice a day after meals. In order for the animal to calmly tolerate injections, you need to learn how to make them calmly and quickly. It is very important to strictly observe the dosage of the drug, since excess insulin can lead to hypoglycemia, which is dangerous for the animal's life.
For proper care of a sick cat, it is necessary, in addition to medicine, to purchase insulin syringes, test strips, and a glucometer. You need to learn how to correctly alternate different types of insulin, for this it is important to measure glucose levels three times a day. It is recommended to maintain it at around 11-16 units. Dangerous to the animal’s life conditions is a decrease in its level to 1 unit or rise to 30 units.
Disease complications
Diabetes mellitus leads to disruption of the functioning of all organs and systems of the animal. The most serious complication is ketoacidosis. With improper treatment and a constant lack of glucose, the cat's body processes fats from the reserves in the liver. This leads to the formation of ketone bodies that poison the blood. With an overdose of insulin, hypoglycemia may develop. These two conditions require immediate medical attention, otherwise the animal will die.
In addition, diabetes causes disturbances in the liver, frequent infectious diseases. In sick cats, the condition of the coat deteriorates, skin diseases appear.
Diabetes Prevention
Modern cats get a lot of carbohydrates, especially those that feed on low-cost, dry Whiskas food. Continuous feeding of such food disrupts the pancreas of the animal. Therefore, to prevent the development of diabetes mellitus, you need to change the cat's diet: switch to a better feed or natural meat. If a cat eats regular food, it is necessary to more carefully choose what to give it. The animal should receive boiled lean meat, cereals, dairy products, vegetables. In no case should you give the pet sweets. And to prevent obesity, the cat needs to move more.
It is quite possible to get rid of diabetes in cats if treatment is started on time. But the owner will need patience, perseverance and significant financial costs. But with proper care and following the doctor’s recommendations, the pet can live for a long time.