Like humans, cats can suffer from diabetes, a disease where the cat's body is unable to control blood sugar levels. Diabetes can occur at any age, but older cats, overweight cats, or those on hormonal contraceptives are more at risk. If your cat develops the disease, don't despair, just like humans, feline diabetes can be worked with to ensure your cat has a happy life.
Symptoms of diabetes or when to pay attention:
The cat drinks frequently and urinates proportionately.
Recurrent bladder infections.
The cat is hungry but still losing weight - physical activity is the same or even reduced (the cat is tired).
Vomiting.
The cat's coat has changed in quality - it is not shiny, it is thinning.
If diabetes is left untreated for a long time, collapse may occur - i.e. general fatigue of the organism.
Symptoms usually come on gradually - owners of older cats therefore attribute the change in behaviour or deterioration of the coat to age, not disease. Excessive drinking tends to be the first symptom, then most owners notice weight loss.
In addition to the symptoms, two conditions can occur in a cat with diabetes:
Hypoglycemia - blood sugar levels are low.
It occurs when the cat does not get to eat or does not eat. Symptoms come on very quickly (within minutes). The cat trembles, is restless, confused, may show signs of lethargy, and later may be accompanied by convulsions and fainting. We should try to help the cat as soon as possible.
Contacting the vet is an obvious option, but until a professional examination, you can relieve the cat by giving it food if it can eat on its own. If the cat is unresponsive, has trouble chewing, or is very listless, you can help immediately by giving it sugar (mix it with water first) or glucose in the mouth.
Hyperglycaemia - blood sugar levels are high.
Symptoms come on slowly (over days). The cat's general condition starts to deteriorate very noticeably, in extreme cases the cat goes into a coma. Do not administer sugar, in this case you will not help the cat! Take the cat to the emergency room.
Léčba:
Treatment consists mainly of injecting insulin and a special diet.
Insulin
Insulin should usually be supplemented twice a day (12 hours apart). The needle of the injection is tiny and is only inserted under the skin, so you don't have to worry about hurting the cat. You should also carry out tests to check glucose levels. Take advice from your vet - he should show you not only how to inject, but also how and how often you should test the glucose levels.
What to watch out for:
Insulin needs to be stored in a place with a constant temperature - a fridge is best.
Rotate where you inject your insulin.
After injection, ensure your cat gets plenty of exercise to help it be absorbed into the body more easily and quickly.
Diet
As with humans, diet and weight control are important in a cat with diabetes. Overweight cats will need to lose weight through a combination of appropriate food and exercise.
Proper diet and exercise, and the associated healthy weight, can reduce the severity of diabetes in cats, and in some cases, remission (disappearance of diabetes symptoms) can occur.
Even with diet, your vet should advise you on what to buy and give your cat for diabetes and your cat's condition. Generally, though, this is a low-carbohydrate food.
If you are injecting your cat's insulin correctly and following the recommended diet (beware of giving inappropriate treats by children or neighbours), it should take about a week for your cat's blood sugar levels to stabilise. If the blood sugar does not improve after more than a week - consult your vet about the problem. Low dosage may be to blame, but other ailments may also be to blame.
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