Feline
Diabetes
A very serious threat to your
cat's health is Feline Diabetes. Very similar to the same disease
found in humans, feline diabetes is a disorder that attacks the pancreas
and impairs the ability to produce insulin.
The failure of the pancreas to
secrete insulin interferes with the proper use of blood sugar.
Blood sugars from the blood are not absorbed by the tissues but
dumped into the urine. So no matter how much you cat eats, they
don't receive the benefits.
As a result the cat also gets
thirsty and drinks a lot of water, which is needed to allow for
the release of the sugar. So now you have a situation where your
cat drinks and eats a lot, but still loses weight. This can also
impact the cat's resistance to disease and infection.
Symptoms are as mentioned above.
If your cat is losing weight but still is eating, drinking a lot
of water, and urinating often in large amounts, diabetes could be
the culprit. The only way to confirm diabetes is a blood test that
shows the blood sugar content.
Diabetes treatment involves both
absolute control of sugar intake and providing insulin injections.
Some adjustments to the amount of insulin, diet, and exercise is
necessary to come up with the proper balance.
Some cats can recover from diet
and exercise alone, it really depends on how much insulin is
produced internally. Many vets are trying to use strict diets
first to see if they can reverse the damage to the pancreas
ability to produce insulin.
Large amounts of fresh meat,
small amounts of milk, and supplements in Vitamin E, garlic, small
amounts fructose can have a positive effect on the pancreas and
digestive organ function.
Shots may be administered during
this trial to help stimulate the pancreas but would be reduced
over time as the blood sugar level in the blood stabilized. The
response to this treatment is impacted by how quickly the cat is
diagnosed and the severity of the blood sugar amounts in the
blood.
Two other factors that effect the
treatment are the weight and amount of exercise of the cat. Cats
that continually eat and become obese are more susceptible to
diabetes and more difficult to treat. Lack of exercise can
increase the need for more insulin.
Cat food with high amounts of
sugar and fat, left out for free access can lead to many health
problems. Cats like to eat several times a day, which is fine, but
don't leave food out 24/7. Give them small amounts and pick up any
left over after 30 minutes.
Try and engage your cat in play
and provide some toys for motivation. Activity helps your cat burn
off the food eaten each day and helps the digestion and processing
of the food.
As with many common health
threats for cats, proper diet and nutrition is the key to
prevention of Felie Diabetes. High protein food with as few artificial additives
and filler is the best food. A constant diet of dry food is never
the best diet.
Related Articles:
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The
contents on this site are not presented from a licensed
veterinarian, and any and all health care for your pet
should be
made under the guidance of your own veterinarian.
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