Caturday: Best ways to prevent feline diabetes

 Hello, humans -- Galadriel here, taking over the beast's blog.

The servant has been talking to you about diabetes all month. Today, we get to talk about the only diabetes that really matters (to me): feline diabetes.

I interviewed Dr. Anna Coffin, a veterinarian with an office in Guthrie, OK, about feline diabetes.

1) Welcome Doctor Human. The servant says you know about cats and diabetes. I'll
be the judge of how much you know about cats. How many do you have? And do you
care for their every whim?
Hello and nice to meet you Galadriel! I currently have one cat or should I say one cat owns me. Her name is Sylvie and she is very spoiled. She loves attention and gets lots of loving care.

2) Why should I worry about diabetes?
The symptoms of diabetes will cause you to be extremely thirsty and make you pee more than normal. If you are diagnosed with diabetes you will have to get poked by a needle twice daily every day with insulin. It can be difficult to regulate cats and this requires frequent trips to the veterinarian for more pokes with needles to test your blood sugar.

 
3) The servant says I could stand to lose some weight. Will that keep me from
getting diabetes? If not, what's the point then?
Overweight cats are three times more likely to get diabetes! So a weight loss program of diet and exercise would help decrease your chances of getting this horrible disease. Not only that but overweight pets tend to have a shorter life span so if you lose weight you can have a chance at conquering the universe.

4) I don't know WHAT you are talking about. I have no interest in being a feline overlord. AHEM.

I eat some wet food and then some dry food. Is that good for me?
Yes, a combination of dry and wet food is good for you. Canned food has increased water content which is also beneficial for your urinary health. I recommend diabetic cats eat a prescription canned food as the canned food is lower in carbohydrate than the dry which helps control diabetes.

5) I enjoy eating! I get upset when the servant doesn't keep my plate full! I
should be able to eat when I want.
Don’t we all! Self-control and patience builds good character.

6) I like to play with laser lights, and sometimes a ball on a string. How much
should I play? Is it important?
That’s great that you like to play. It’s great exercise which will help with weight loss. Cat’s in the wild typically hunt and kill 9 small prey a day. It’s best to try and mimic this life style to prevent behavioral and medical problems.

7) Do you see many diabetic cats?
Yes, I have several that I am treating right now. I have been practicing veterinary medicine for about 20 years and it seems that I am diagnosing this more frequently in dogs and cats.

8) What happens if I do get diabetes?
It is treatable but requires a serious commitment from your master, ops I mean servant, and your veterinarian. They will have to work together to get you regulated. Cats with diabetes can live a fairly normal lifestyle.

9) Sounds so unpleasant. What else can I do to keep from getting diabetes?
You’re pretty smart! It is unpleasant. For cats, weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight is probably the most important factor in preventing diabetes. Just like your servant, pets can have genetic tendencies toward these diseases so if it’s in your family’s history you are more at risk.

10) Dr. Human, you've been most helpful. Thank you. Anything else you want to
add?
You’re very welcome and thank you for helping to spread the word about diabetes and prevention. Keep up the good work. For more information about pet healthcare you can visit my blog at http://guthriepet.net/AskDrAnna/ and feel free to ask questions or add some comments as you seem highly intelligent.

The servant wants to make sure you know that Monday will include an episode on preventing diabetes in beasts (dogs). Or at least trying to.

I hope this series has been helpful to you. Don't forget to sign up for our giveaway. The water fountain is quite nice (when it's not on), and the giftcard from Petco can lead to lots of yummy food.

POSTS

• Post 1 -- Pets get diabetes too 
• Post 2  -- Diabetes in dogs and cats: Wading through the science
• Post 3 -- Living with a diabetic dog: Meet KC the cairn terrier
• Post 4 -- Living with diabetes: Products to make it easier for pets plus a GIVEAWAY
• Post 5 -- Canine diabetes and obesity: Not connected, but still a danger
• Post 6 -- Living with diabetes: Meet Loki the Rottweiler

Living with diabetes: Meet Loki the rottweiler

All this month we are taking a closer look at canine and feline diabetes. Check all my stories here.

Earlier this month we introduced you to KC, the cairn terrier who lives with diabetes.

This is Loki the rottweiler.

Janet Ruda Archer is Loki's mom. Here's what she said about living with Loki and canine diabetes.

1) What kind of pet do you have? Dog, Rottweiler.

2) Name, age, sex... Loki, 7 years old male, neutered.

3) How old were they when they got diabetes? 6 (been diabetic for 14 months.)

4) How early were they diagnosed? Very early. Within 3 weeks, got diabetes from prednisone induced.

5) Are they insulin dependent? Yes Humulin N.

6) What do you feed your pet? Used to be on Annamaet option 24 dry with evangers canned beef. Now consulting a nutritionist at Univ of Penn for a one cooked recipe specifically tailored to him and his multiple ailments. He currently is on boiled hamburger, brown rice, green beans and pumpkin twice daily plus supplements.

7) Walk me through a typical day with your pet. Wake up 6am, ear pick for blood to test glucose. Feed. medicate, walk. Repeat all in 12 hours.

8) Are there any special things you've bought your pet (besides insulin) to help them live with diabetes? Alpha Trak glucometer specially designed for pets. Human meters are NOT accurate. we calibrated against the vets and found two brands that were way off. Syringes, lancets and test strips. Diabetes is a very expensive disease to keep regulated. Also purchase ketodiastix to check for ketones in the urine.

9) Do you have anything in particular you have to be mindful of? Too much exercise can create a low and hence a Hypoglycemic seizure. Weather changes affect glucose. Monitoring intake of water to see if any changes. Too many high numbers cause cataracts to form faster. Any change in food or treats through out a day changes your numbers. Everything can affect the glucose level.

Most important is the meds must be 12 hours apart. You do not want insulin overlapping itself. Using the correct syringes to the insulin. We use the U-100 insulin and the syringes must be for that. Insulin is only good for 30 days once opened, you must throw out any unused insulin or it may result in inaccurate numbers. Some people push that, I do not.

Unopened insulin must be stored in the refrigerator. Open Humulin N can sit out once opened. (Away from direct light and extreme heat) you also can never shake insulin, it must be rolled gently to mix.

10) Anything else you'd like to add? Pancreatitis is very common in diabetics and you must watch fats. And fat content on their food. The most important thing for new owners is that diabetics eat, not what they eat until they get regular.

Thank you, Janet, for sharing your story with us.

Just a week left in National Pet Diabetes Awareness Month. We'll be talking about the most important thing of all -- prevention, next week.

And on Saturday we'll talk feline diabetes.

POSTS

• Post 1 -- Pets get diabetes too 
• Post 2  -- Diabetes in dogs and cats: Wading through the science
• Post 3 -- Living with a diabetic dog: Meet KC the cairn terrier
• Post 4 -- Living with diabetes: Products to make it easier for pets plus a GIVEAWAY
• Post 5 -- Canine diabetes and obesity: Not connected, but still a danger