Feline Diabetic Management

Question 1

What are three ways you can distinguish between diabetes mellitus and stress hyperglycemia in a cat?

Answer 1

(1. Clinical signs (should have clinical signs for a while if diabetic, stress hyperglycemia does not cause weeks of weight loss and PU/PD), 2. Test fructosamine (should be high in a cat with diabetes mellitus), and 3. Keep cat overnight to try to disperse stress and retest glucose)

Question 2

(T/F) If a cat is hyperglycemic, glucosuria can differentiate between stress and diabetes.

Answer 2

(F, not reliably)

Question 3

What diseases can cause a false lowering of fructosamine (so these should be ruled out in a patient with clinical signs of diabetes but a normal fructosamine)?

Answer 3

(Hyperthyroidism and hypoalbuminemia (PLE, PLN, liver dz))

Question 4

What type of diet is appropriate for a diabetic cat?

Answer 4

(High protein, low carbohydrate; best to stick with a prescription diabetic diet if goal is remission, should lower calories if overweight bc obesity can prevent remission)

Question 5

You are presented with a diabetic cat that was referred by a primary vet because the cat’s diabetes “just can’t be controlled”. You note weight gain in the history prior to looking at the cat. Is there anything you should suspect prior to looking at the cat?

Answer 5

(Acromegaly; also maybe cushings (based on DeMonaco’s lec))