UNDERSTANDING FELINE DIABETES

Diabetic cats can be difficult to treat because of fluctuating blood g lucose, variable response to insulin, severe hypoglycaemia and, in som e cats, spontaneous resolution of the diabetic state. Knowledge of the metabolic abnormalities associated with type II diabetes helps to und erstand why some of these problems occur. Feline diabetes is character ised by decreased insulin secretion, amyloid de:position in the pancre atic islets, and probably insulin resistance. Profound loss of beta ce ll function from the effects of glucose toxicity and amyloid depositio n are the likely reasons that the majority of diabetic cats require in sulin therapy to control hype-glycaemia. The importance of glucose tox icity and practical management of feline diabetes will be discussed in a companion article.