Older cats may suffer from hormone related diseases caused by glandular changes that occur with advancing age. Again, most vets recommend routine screening for hormone levels in the blood because early intervention with diet, drugs, and other treatments improve the odds of effective control of these diseases.
Let's look at some of the more common glandular problems seen in older cats. The pancreas produces several enzymes that are essential for processing sugars and fats in the diet. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas loses its ability to metabolize and regulate blood sugar through the production of insulin.
Symptoms of diabetes include heavy water consumption, and consequently, heavy urination. Obesity can lead to diabetes, but not all diabetic cats are fat. If your cat drinks and urinates a lot, or if she is overweight, consider having her tested for diabetes.
Some cases can be managed with changes in diet, but many diabetic cats require daily insulin injection to control excess blood sugar. If that is true for your cat, your vet can teach you to give the injections at home and to monitor blood sugar with urine glucose strips available from any pharmacy.
He also can explain what to do if your cat's blood sugar drops too low from the insulin injections. Even with careful home care and monitoring, you will need to take your cat to the vet frequently to be sure that her insulin dosage is correct.
Pancreatitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the pancreas. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, and elevated heart rate. Eating too much fatty food can bring on an attack of pancreatitis, or it can be caused by certain infections, medication, metabolic disorders, trauma or shock.
If your cat is diagnosed with pancreatitis, your vet will probably advise you to withhold food for a short period to give the pancreas a chance to rest and recover. He also may administer fluids and electrolytes to combat dehydration and may prescribe other treatments to manage potential complications or to address the suspected cause of the pancreatitis.
Let's look at some of the more common glandular problems seen in older cats. The pancreas produces several enzymes that are essential for processing sugars and fats in the diet. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas loses its ability to metabolize and regulate blood sugar through the production of insulin.
Symptoms of diabetes include heavy water consumption, and consequently, heavy urination. Obesity can lead to diabetes, but not all diabetic cats are fat. If your cat drinks and urinates a lot, or if she is overweight, consider having her tested for diabetes.
Some cases can be managed with changes in diet, but many diabetic cats require daily insulin injection to control excess blood sugar. If that is true for your cat, your vet can teach you to give the injections at home and to monitor blood sugar with urine glucose strips available from any pharmacy.
He also can explain what to do if your cat's blood sugar drops too low from the insulin injections. Even with careful home care and monitoring, you will need to take your cat to the vet frequently to be sure that her insulin dosage is correct.
Pancreatitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the pancreas. Symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, and elevated heart rate. Eating too much fatty food can bring on an attack of pancreatitis, or it can be caused by certain infections, medication, metabolic disorders, trauma or shock.
If your cat is diagnosed with pancreatitis, your vet will probably advise you to withhold food for a short period to give the pancreas a chance to rest and recover. He also may administer fluids and electrolytes to combat dehydration and may prescribe other treatments to manage potential complications or to address the suspected cause of the pancreatitis.
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