General Information:
Diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by a deficiency of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, and is necessary for body tissues to use blood sugar. Without insulin, sugar remains in the blood and eventually passes into the urine. This causes increased urine production and thirst. Hunger increases because the body cannot use the sugar in the blood. As the disease progresses chemicals called ketones accumulate, resulting in vomiting and dehydration. Eventually coma and then death occurs in untreated animals.
Diabetes is not a curable disease, but with proper veterinary and home care, most cases of the disease can be controlled. In some cats, diabetes can often be controlled through diet modification only.
Treatment Information:
1. Sugar Levels:
Blood and urine sugar must be monitored very carefully
until your pet's condition is stabilized. Once your pet's insulin
requirements are determined and blood-sugar levels are stabilized,
only urine sugar needs to be monitored.
2. Glipizide or Insulin:
Follow your veterinarian's instructions TO THE LETTER.
If you have any problems whatsoever, contact your vet's office
immediately.
3. Diet:
Feed a diet high in fiber and low in carbohydrates.
We recommend feeding Hill's Prescription w/d. In some cases (cats
especially) this may be all that is needed to control the condition.
4. Exercise:
Exercise decreases the need for insulin. For proper
regulation, the amount of daily exercise must not vary.
5. Low blood-sugar reactions:
Occasionally insulin treatment may result in blood-sugar
levels that are too low. This is most likely to happen 3-7 hours
after insulin treatment, especially with strenuous exercise. Your
pet may seem weak, tired or uncoordinated, or may have a seizure.
Always keep a sugar-containing syrup (for example, Karo) handy
to treat low sugar levels. If your pet has a seizure, rub the
syrup on the gums and inside the lips. Do not try to force a convulsing
animal to swallow the syrup. Take care to avoid being bitten.
Call your vet's office as quickly as possible, even if your pet
improves within a few minutes.
6. Hormones present during "heat" and pregnancy antagonize the effects of insulin. Diabetic females should be spayed as soon as their insulin levels are regulated.
7. Hyperthyroid patients can result in insulin resistance.
We recommend monitoring all diabetic patients' thyroid function and treating the hyperthyroidism, if present.
8. Re-examination:
During the early weeks of treatment, several re-examinations
may be necessary. Call your vet's office when questions or problems
arise. Make sure you fully understand all aspects of home care.
We hope that you will find this information helpful in your quest for better pet care. If you have any questions or comments, please call your veterinarian's office, or feel free to e-mail us.
David E. Hammett, DVM
and the Staff of All Creatures Veterinary Clinic,
PC
