September's Pet of the Month
Meet
Gigi, a beautiful 16.5 year old Domestic Shorthair! When Gigi heard that
she was to be September's Pet of the Month, she immediately inquired as to when
the tiara fitting was to be held. Apart from being aptly treated as
royalty, Gigi enjoys traveling to the coast with her family, snoozing on
her bed. Gigi is here to talk about diabetes mellitus in cats.
Gigi's
family brought her in to Pearl Animal Hospital for her annual examination back
in March. Nothing had been out of the ordinary in Gigi's life or
routine. As with all senior cats, we recommended running blood work to
assess Gigi's metabolic health. When the results came back, we learned
that our lovely lady had diabetes. For each pet's situation, we arrange a
plan specific for their treatment. Gigi's family were on board and,
thanks to their dedication to her health and well-being, Gigi's diabetes is
well-controlled and she doing well!
Diabetes
is a serious disease of the pancreas that, as you may know, affects humans as
well. The pancreas is an organ located between the stomach and intestines
and is responsible for making digestive enzymes as well as hormones (insulin)
necessary for the breakdown of glucose (sugar). Diabetes occurs when the
pancreas is somehow compromised and is unable to create the insulin that the
body requires to breakdown glucose allowing the cells to utilize it. If
the cells are unable to use glucose, then the body thinks that it is starving
and will start breaking down fat and proteins in order to survive. Symptoms
of this may include increased thirst, increased appetite, increased urination,
lethargy, and/or weight loss.
Diabetes
management is a team sport involving your pet, you, and your
veterinarian. Gigi's family has been working closely with Pearl Animal
Hospital to create a management plan that is right for her. Managing
diabetes in cats involves regular visits to the vet to monitor progression of
the disease and prevent complications, administering insulin injections (most
cases), home care including glucose testing (blood and/or urine), diet change,
weight management, and exercise.
Diabetes
can be unpredictable, but there are some things you can do for your pet to help
reduce the risk. Be sure to keep your pet fit and trim, feed a balanced
diet, give them plenty of exercise, and keep up with regular visits to your
veterinarian.
