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

Pets can get diabetes too: Pet Diabetes Month

This is Trouble.

Trouble was my family's cat. He came to us after being taken from his mother at a young age. We weren't planning to keep him, but many of you know how that goes.

He grew to be a big, grouchy Siamese. He loved my mom most, he and I would fight (why lay on your back if you don't want a belly rub?). But after about 10 years he started to lose weight rapidly.  The doctor said he had diabetes.

The doctor didn't think he needed insulin, I guess, because he just had mom buy the special food. But it was right around the pet food scare, and Trouble's food ended up on the recall list.

I'll never forget when my parents' told me that Trouble died at home. I cried and cried.

Diabetes is on the rise in dogs and cats. There are different factors -- genetics, obesity, pancreas-related illnesses like pancreatitis can add to the issue. But how many of us really know much about how diabetes in cats and dogs?

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, but it's also Pet Diabetes Awareness Month.

All this month, we'll be taking a closer look at diabetes in cats and dogs -- from the diagnosis to every day life with a diabetic pet, to preventing diabetes.

We'll have giveaways too. Stay tuned for that.

I interviewed a number of experts for this series. They include:

• Dr. Lorie Huston, DVM
• Dr. Joe Bartges of the University of Tennessee Veterinary College
• Dr. Anna Coffin, DVM
• Steve from SlimDoggy

Please share this infographic with your friends, and help spread the word about diabetes in cats and dogs. The earlier people recognize the symptoms, the better it will be in treating the disease.