Diabetes in Cats-A Guest Blog By Heather Reynolds of Trupanion

Heather Reynolds is a pet lover and internet journalist at Trupanion, North America’s fastest growing pet insurance company. Trupanion offers 90% coverage of veterinary bills with no payout limits. Enrolled pets receive lifetime coverage for diagnostic tests, surgeries, and medications if they become sick or injured.

A report recently released by Banfield Pet Hospital found that there is a rise in diabetes among pets in America. Unfortunately, cats are the most affected. The study of 450,000 cats showed a 16% increase of the disease.

Diabetes occurs when the pet cannot control its blood sugar level. As with humans, there are two types. Type 1, also known as juvenile diabetes, is a chronic disease where the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to help control blood sugar levels. Type 2 is adult-onset diabetes and is non-insulin dependent. Dogs are more prone to Type 1 while cats are more prone to Type 2.

The main signs of diabetes are:

·         Excessive eating

·         Excessive drinking

·         Excessive urination

·         Weight loss

If you notice these symptoms in your cat, it’s important to visit the veterinarian. To determine if the cat is diabetic, the vet will conduct a medical history check, physical exam, blood count, blood glucose test, and urine analysis. If the tests come back positive, treatment will begin, which usually consists of long-term medication and regular vet visits for re-examination.

If diabetes is not treated, the results can be quite debilitating, including:

·         Organ failure

·         Urinary tract infections

·         Hormone disturbances

·         Weight loss

·         Cataracts

·         Blindness

·         Neuropathy

Neuropathy weakens the pet and can severely impact mobility, causing them to walk on the hocks of their back legs or wrists of their front legs. They will also often lie down more frequently, and will not be able to jump up and down like normal – potentially leading to injuries as they try.

Trupanion covers diabetes treatment as long as the pet had full policy coverage before the first signs or symptoms of the condition were noted.