My cat was tested for diabetes today, if the test comes back positive what can I expect as far as treatment?

Question

will be for him from now on? He is over 14yrs old now,do you think he has a good chance once I start treatment?

Answer 1

Type 1 diabetes in dogs and cats is very similar to juvenile diabetes in people. Going to a human diabetes website will give you ideas you can apply to your pet. Although diet helps to control the disease in pets, once the disease begins, owners will need to administer insulin to keep the disease under control. This is a time consuming process that requires a great deal of dedication on your part. Most pets will require two injections per day of either ultralente or NPH insulin. When the correct dose is established there should be only intermittent low concentrations of sugar in the urine. In general, NPH insulin works best in dogs and ultralente human origin insulin works best in cats
Because no two pets react exactly the same to a given amount of insulin, changes in the dose administered should be done under observation in an animal hospital setting. This is particularly true with small and toy breeds where small dose changes can have major effects on blood glucose levels. I start dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds on 0.5units/pound body weight NPH insulin given once or twice a day. Dogs over thirty pounds begin on 0.25units/pound. Cats begin at 1-2 units of ultralente or PZI insulin (0.1 to 0.5U/lb) as a single morning injection. It is best to feed the pets at the time the insulin shot is given. Avoid using semi-moist diets because the are high in sugar. I have not had success in dogs and cats using oral glucose control drugs such as Glipizide. Once a successful insulin treatment has been established for your pet it needs to continue on it the rest of its life. The key to successful treatment is to keep to the treatment plan.

Female dogs that develop the disease do better when they are spayed. If you exercise your dog set the time and the length of your playtime the same every day.

Scientific studies, performed in 2005 (Nestle Purina Nutrition Forum) suggest that cats, which in Nature are strict carnivores, do not produce sufficient Glucokinase and Hexokinase, liver enzyme that are necessary for the metabolism (used) of glucose. Glucose is the end product of carbohydrates absorbed through the intestine. My interpretation of this data is that cats would have a tendency to high blood sugar and subsequent diabetes when fed a diet containing carbohydrates in quantity. Therefore, do not feed cats diets that are high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in cat foods are usually derived from plant products. Meat-based diets should contain very little carbohydrate.


You will need to be stricter about when, what and how much you feed your pet. If your pet is overweight begin a slow diet over three or four months to normalize its weight. Weight loss is easier if you feed your pet in three or four discrete meals always at the same time every day. Feed fat pets approximately two thirds of the amount it would eat if food were unrestricted. Feed dry kibble and avoid canned diets. Another approach is to feed high fiber/complex carbohydrate diets designed for weight loss. The high fiber in these diets is also beneficial in diabetes. Some dogs and cats, however, are thin from ketosis by the time the disease is diagnosed. In these pets a high caloric diet should be fed until the pet’s weight returns to normal. CNM, Hills, IVD and Eukanuba all offer diets suitable for diabetic pets.
If you feed three times a day, divide the feeding into equal amounts. Give your first feeding of the morning about a half-hour before its morning insulin injection.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

I have an eleven year old cat that was diagnosed back in December. First we tried glipazide that did not work. She was in the hospital for two days and did not respond well to any of the animal based insulins. Now she takes a shot of Humulin R U-100 twice daily. A caring friend from Felinediabetes.com sent me a One Touch Ultra because at the time I could not afford one. I test her blood when I can. She is a crabby cat and will not tolerate too many sticks. If you want to know more let me know. I don't take her to the doctors as much because of money. She is doing pretty well.

Answer 5

I am sure there is a Yahoo group for cats with diabetes. Just do a search at Yahoo groups.com. I am on the cancer, crf, and Holisticat groups and when I have questions or feel the need for support I turn to the other member of these groups.

You have to apply for membership from the group leader and they have the right to accept or deny membership so it may take 24 hours (maybe longer now it's the weekend).

You will find them the "experts" at giving the shots, products they use, where on the net you might find insulin at the lowest cost, etc.

Answer 6

If the cat is diabetic, it means Insulin shots daily, and a special diet for the rest of the cats life. It can also mean many trips to the vet, as diabetic cats are sometimes very hard to regulate.
They can do quite well with a commited owner.

Answer 7

Torbaynewfs is right.

My elderly aunt had a diabetic cat. To my amazement my aunt learned to give her cat insulin shots everyday and the cat lived for many years.

The earlier you discover this, the more optimistic the diagnosis. Hopefully this was just a routine test; as cats get older, vets are more apt to check for certain disease.

Good luck w/your kitty!

Answer 8

We have a diabetic cat & he does just fine. We do have to give him insulin shots twice a day, which he doesn't seem to mind at all. If you're willing to treat him, he should do just fine ..Good luck!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

my gram has a diebetic dog and she has to eat a special food and insulin shots and its best to have a bottle of maple syrup