Diabetes in cats

As of feline diabetes mellitus ( popularly "cat diabetes " ) diabetes (diabetes mellitus ), the domestic cat is called. Both diagnostically and therapeutically, these are a difficult disease that differs in some essential features of a diabetes of man, of the dog or other animals.

Pathogenesis, symptoms

The disease form of diabetes occurs when the effect wears of pancreatic hormone insulin to the body cells due to various causes. Subsequently, the cells are only insufficiently capable of taking up glucose molecules, and supplied to the cell 's metabolic rate. Due to the lack of energy as occurring cause the body's own regulatory mechanisms increasing blood sugar levels. Where the percentage of sugar molecules in the blood has a value of about 290 mg / dl, they are excreted into the urine and cause due to their osmotic activity in the body water loss. These mechanisms lead to the formation of four cardinal symptoms of diabetes: increased thirst ( polydipsia ), increased urination ( polyuria), increased food intake ( polyphagia ), with progressive emaciation. Muscle tone may diminish and a nerve disease causes a Durchtrittigkeit hindlimb ( plantigrades gait ). Unlike in humans or dogs, it does not come to the formation of lens opacities ( cataracts). There is often in diabetic cats a urinary tract infection, which can also run subclinical. The disease preferentially develops in middle-aged animals, with neutered males are most often affected.

In domestic cats two types of diabetes mellitus (DM ) occur. By far the most common type is the type 2 DM, wherein it comes in the pancreas as a result of amyloid in islet cells in a reduced production of insulin but the body's cells have the same resistance to insulin. More rarely there is a type 1 DM; Here, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed. Clinically, both types are not distinguishable from each other.

Type 2 DM occurs in cats often only temporarily and as a side effect of glucocorticoid treatment or as a comorbidity of another underlying disease. Urinary tract infection and chronic inflammation of the teeth can lead to the development of diabetes mellitus according to recent findings due to the continuous secretion of stress hormones. In addition - as in humans - obesity and carbohydrate- rich diet, so by feeding with cereals and sugar, risk factors.

Diagnosis

The correct assessment of blood sugar of cats designed generally difficult as they respond to manipulations easily with a stress-related rise in blood sugar. The same effect can occur in the presence of other diseases ( stress-induced hyperglycemia). As a diagnostic criterion measured in the veterinary practice blood sugar is therefore not applicable. The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus may be provided with satisfactory security only by the fructosamine level here, which lies in diabetic animals as a result of persistent elevations in blood glucose levels above 340 micromol / l. With the simultaneous presence of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), which in older animals also frequently occurs, as well as bladder infections and dental disease, this needs to be treated.

Therapy

The generally accepted treatment of feline diabetes is effected by the twice-daily injection of insulin preparations. To be problematic in this case proves to check the proper setting on the specimen, as a withdrawal of venous blood due to the tendency to stress hyperglycemia brings no useful results. As a way out of the use of blood glucose monitoring in human medicine is seen, with which the pet owner can create from the ears of the animal daily profiles on the basis of capillary blood sampling. This known under home monitoring process takes place after its introduction in the United States and Switzerland are increasingly also becoming more widespread in Germany and acceptance among cat owners and veterinarians.

In cats, the food intake is dependent on the particular insulin administration. Short-acting insulins require a timed feeding, while long-acting (human ) insulins allow a freer feeding. Also in cats intake of low carbohydrate foods significantly reduces the insulin requirement.

Forecast

Cats with well- controlled diabetes without complications (eg, ketoacidosis ) can still live for years with consistent good quality of life. The sequelae to play because of the lower life expectancy compared to man a subordinate role, but much of it comes through the sometimes months-long adjustment period to kidney problems (chronic renal failure). A complete remission in type 2 DM possible, which can occur continuously or only briefly. Straight through addressing risk factors such as obesity and poor diet, after the decay of the side effects of cortisone and after successful treatment of the underlying diabetes underlying disease, it usually comes to a recovery of the pancreas.