Have you ever heard of a cat recovering from feline diabetes?
She is eight and very fat. She ran out of water when we were out and went into ketosisacidois. Her breath smells alot like acetone so we took her to the emergency room even though she was drinking on her own. The vet says now she has diabetes. Can they recover if we get the weight down?
HI
your cat can totally recover and not only that, remission is possible!!!! I won;t liew to you, dka is serious and can be life threataning. I had a cat that went through the same thing and eventually I got her controlled and she lived happily for 5 years annd died of something not related to diabetes. I have since asopted 2 diabetics and both are in remission and diet controlled. Diabetes is NOT a death snetence, no life span is lost and if you do what is needed, your cat can live a long happy life.
The thing is, that many vets are not up to date with treatment and I have seen too many that treat in a dangerouss manner. You have to learn all you can and take control when your cat gets home. Please click on my name and read my profile and then if you want you can email me and I will give you all the info and tools you need to treart this correctly as well as work with you every day that it is needed. I know it is scary but things become routine very soon.
admin on October 23rd 2009 in Diabetes and Fats
Mary c responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 5:27 am #
I know of one cat who was put on a diet and lost a lot of weight, and was no longer diabetic. So, yes, it is possible. And it is the most responsible, loving thing you could do for your cat, but managing diabetes and cutting back calories and increasing activity levels is a tricky proposition, and you will have to come up with a plan for your cat, with the vet’s input.
Good luck.
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Stephanie Loves Sammy responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 5:37 am #
once anyone is diagnosed with it, whether it be cat, dog, human or fish, they will never get rid of it. unless someone discovers a cure. its not life threatening if u take care of her.
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Happy Rat responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 5:48 am #
I had a boy friend who was overweight, ate crap all the time, had asthma and severe diabetes all before he was 20 – I talked him into going on a diet with me, excersizing with me, and generally eating healthier – guess what?
Diabetes became so manageabe that he no longer had to take shots for it, his asthma went away completely, and eventaully he regained complete health – if it can happen to a person it can happen to a cat!
A high quality cat food(no grain filler, meat needs to be 1st on the ingrediant list) in an age appropriate formula given in the right amount along with excersize should help your cat.
Good luck!
References :
Patty O responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 6:26 am #
There is no cure for feline diabetes, just as there is no cure for humans. But it is a very manageable illness!
If you have not found felinediabetes.com, go there and start reading. They have a wealth of information about the illness, information on foods and a message board to post questions. You will find many knowledgeable diabetic cat owners that can give you advice from an owners view.
Helping her lose weight is a good start, but do it gradually. If she eats dry food, throw it out. Dry food is full of carbs that cats don’t need (corn, wheat, rice). Get her some good quality canned foods that list meat (not meat by-product) as the main ingredient. See the second link below for information on a cats dietary needs written by a veterinarian.
Depending on what her blood glucose (BG) is will depend on whether she will need to start insulin replacement (pills or injections). Did the vet tell you her BG number? A normal BG for a cat is 70-170.
Cats can control their diabetes with diet just as humans can. Read the information available and then discuss options with her vet. Let her vet know you want to be very active in her care and ask as many questions as you need to fully understand what is being done and why.
I am a diabetic cat owner. She is 14 yo and was dx at age 9. She has been mostly insulin dependent, but we did have a six month break 2 years ago. She is a wonderful patient, lets me hometest her BG and give her shots once daily. When she was first diagnosed, there wasn’t as much info as there is today. My first thought was this was a death sentence, it is not! Educate yourself and talk with her vet. Diabetic kitties are the sweetest kitties of all!
Purrs and prayers for you and kitty!
References :
http://www.felinediabetes.com
http://www.catinfo.org/
Ken responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 6:33 am #
HI
your cat can totally recover and not only that, remission is possible!!!! I won;t liew to you, dka is serious and can be life threataning. I had a cat that went through the same thing and eventually I got her controlled and she lived happily for 5 years annd died of something not related to diabetes. I have since asopted 2 diabetics and both are in remission and diet controlled. Diabetes is NOT a death snetence, no life span is lost and if you do what is needed, your cat can live a long happy life.
The thing is, that many vets are not up to date with treatment and I have seen too many that treat in a dangerouss manner. You have to learn all you can and take control when your cat gets home. Please click on my name and read my profile and then if you want you can email me and I will give you all the info and tools you need to treart this correctly as well as work with you every day that it is needed. I know it is scary but things become routine very soon.
References :
hudsongray responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 6:50 am #
The insulin Lantus has had a percentage of cats go back to normal regulation when on it for a couple of months, that’s been verified.
If you’re currently giving insulin, you need to monitor the sugar levels to see if the cat has adjusted, become regulated, or is moving towards self regulating (called a honeymoon period – where insulin isn’t needed any more). The honeymoon can be brief, or it can be permanent, it varies with the cats.
If you’re controlling it by food and not giving insulin, you have to make sure they’re getting high protein and low carb, to let the cat’s body regulate, and feed every 4 hours so they have food throughout the day.
The pill glipizide can help, if the cat is borderline but not quite high enough in numbers to be on insulin. Sometimes it works good, sometimes it doesn’t.
Either way, you need to maintain the blood sugars at the proper level. NOT treating the cat opens them up to severe problems. They get cataracts, the hind end can go into paralysis, and they’ll feel awful all the time like we do with a bad case of the flu. It’s not a disease that can be left untreated.
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Jasper W responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 7:17 am #
Cat Diabetes is a treatable and controllable disorder. The exact type of treatment that your cat will require will depend upon its individual needs and circumstances. Typically, however, treatment plans for diabetic felines include the administration of insulin, a healthy diet, and careful daily monitoring. Consistency is also important, with respect to medication, diet, feeding, and a stable lifestyle. Some cats may only require oral medication, but most cats will eventually require daily injections of insulin. Your veterinarian will teach you how to administer these shots, and cats generally grow accustomed to receiving these injections very quickly.
Education is key when it comes to treating feline diabetes. Your veterinarian will provide you with the necessary information about how to care for your individual pet. If your cat is overweight, a supervised weight loss plan will likely be implemented. Even if your cat does not have a weight problem, diet is still extremely important. In some cases, supplements and natural products may be appropriate to help treat your cat’s diabetes, and to provide more comfort and stabilization.
Homeopathic products contain natural ingredients that can help to control blood sugar levels and diabetes. For example, blueberry and an herb called fenugreek both reduce blood sugar levels and have healing and antiseptic properties. Jambul and milk vetch have a similar effect. Other natural substances such as devil’s club and dandelion have a beneficial effect upon liver and kidney function, as well as metabolism. Homeopathic products use a combination of such natural ingredients in order to provide several positive effects for diabetic cats. As a result, a homeopathic remedy may prove to be a very beneficial element in your cat’s treatment plan. However, before administering any form of treatment, be sure to consult with your veterinarian.
References :
http://pethealth.petwellbeing.com/wiki/Cat_Diabetes
Very helpful treatment for feline diabetes – http://www.petwellbeing.com/cat-diabetes-p71.cfm
Maria D responded on 23 Oct 2009 at 7:44 am #
Diabetes is not an illness that disappears, but it is certainly manageable in cats as well as humans.
If you get her weight down she might not even need medication for it, just as there are humans who don’t.
Alternatively, she might need medication for the rest of her life, which might be long and happy.
The main thing is that it has been caught now and can be dealt with.
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