Cats With Diabetes - Causes, Symptoms and Helpful Treatments

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in humans, but did you know that cats with diabetes are also on the rise? Diabetes is due to inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas, or an inadequate response of the cells to insulin, and without insulin, the body cannot utilize glucose; elevated blood sugar levels are the result. In cats, excess glucose is eliminated by the kidneys, producing frequent urination. To make up for the water lost, diabetic cats will drink excessive amounts of water. Other symptoms may include sudden weight loss (or occasional gain), ravenous or absent appetite and weak back legs.



Cats with diabetes can be treated, but the disease is fatal if left alone. The cat must go on a low carbohydrate diet, which is a critical component of treatment. In many cases it is effective on its own. Low carbohydrate diets have the ability to reduce the amount of insulin needed. Therefore, it keeps blood sugar normal. So how do you put your cat on a low-carbohydrate diet? Carbohydrate levels are highest in dry cat foods, so cats are best off with canned food. Canned food can sometimes be prescribed for diabetic cats, but veterinarians sometimes recommend commercial canned food as well. A veterinarian can help you decide which type of food is best for your cat.



Diabetes mellitus isn't just treated through diet, sometimes cats need more changes to their lifestyles. They may need to be injected with insulin to be kept healthy and there are some oral medications that can be given; however, they are mainly used when insulin is not an option for some reason. This is because they typically have more unpleasant side effects. To establish insulin therapy, veterinarians may administer blood and urine tests and physical examinations. It is important to never adjust insulin therapy on your own because it can cause complications.



There is currently no evidence that suggests diabetes can be prevented in cats. One way to lower your cat's risk of developing diabetes is to implement a pet weight management plan and make sure that you are promoting healthy diet and exercise. Obesity is definitely a risk factor in diabetes but it is also known that some breeds are more prone to diabetes than others. It may not matter how healthy your cat is, he/she may just be susceptible to the disease because of genetics.



The best way to prevent complications from feline diabetes is by keeping a close eye on your cat. If he/she doesn't currently have diabetes, watch out for the symptoms, especially frequent urination and increased thirst. If your cat already has diabetes, be sure to regularly visit the vet, administer proper treatment and watch out for symptoms of diabetes complications. Complications that may come about from feline diabetes include: diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy and cataracts. It can also lead to various problems with the skin, liver, kidneys, joints and body infections.

Cats With Diabetes - Causes, Symptoms and Helpful Treatments

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in humans, but did you know that cats with diabetes are also on the rise? Diabetes is due to inadequate production of insulin by the pancreas, or an inadequate response of the cells to insulin, and without insulin, the body cannot utilize glucose; elevated blood sugar levels are the result. In cats, excess glucose is eliminated by the kidneys, producing frequent urination. To make up for the water lost, diabetic cats will drink excessive amounts of water. Other symptoms may include sudden weight loss (or occasional gain), ravenous or absent appetite and weak back legs.



Cats with diabetes can be treated, but the disease is fatal if left alone. The cat must go on a low carbohydrate diet, which is a critical component of treatment. In many cases it is effective on its own. Low carbohydrate diets have the ability to reduce the amount of insulin needed. Therefore, it keeps blood sugar normal. So how do you put your cat on a low-carbohydrate diet? Carbohydrate levels are highest in dry cat foods, so cats are best off with canned food. Canned food can sometimes be prescribed for diabetic cats, but veterinarians sometimes recommend commercial canned food as well. A veterinarian can help you decide which type of food is best for your cat.



Diabetes mellitus isn't just treated through diet, sometimes cats need more changes to their lifestyles. They may need to be injected with insulin to be kept healthy and there are some oral medications that can be given; however, they are mainly used when insulin is not an option for some reason. This is because they typically have more unpleasant side effects. To establish insulin therapy, veterinarians may administer blood and urine tests and physical examinations. It is important to never adjust insulin therapy on your own because it can cause complications.



There is currently no evidence that suggests diabetes can be prevented in cats. One way to lower your cat's risk of developing diabetes is to implement a pet weight management plan and make sure that you are promoting healthy diet and exercise. Obesity is definitely a risk factor in diabetes but it is also known that some breeds are more prone to diabetes than others. It may not matter how healthy your cat is, he/she may just be susceptible to the disease because of genetics.



The best way to prevent complications from feline diabetes is by keeping a close eye on your cat. If he/she doesn't currently have diabetes, watch out for the symptoms, especially frequent urination and increased thirst. If your cat already has diabetes, be sure to regularly visit the vet, administer proper treatment and watch out for symptoms of diabetes complications. Complications that may come about from feline diabetes include: diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy and cataracts. It can also lead to various problems with the skin, liver, kidneys, joints and body infections.

Diabetes Diet - Some Helpful Tips

Diabetes is actually a form of accelerated aging. Don't believe it? Well, the life expectancy for a diabetic is, on average, 4 to 8 years less than a non-diabetic.



Why is this... and is there anything someone with diabetes can do to slow down the aging process? The reason why diabetics age at a faster rate than non-diabetics is due to "glycation". Glycation happens as we get older but it also happens to diabetics. Glycation is a biological process that, without getting technical, damages the body.



That is why you will see a lot of ailments associated with diabetes... such as cardiovascular problems, vision problems, hearing loss, memory or cognitive problems, impotence and skin conditions. They typically develop these problems due to "glycation".



It is the same thing that happens to us when we age. Toxic substances form in the body due to glycation and cause stress and damage to our cells, organs and tissues. These toxic substances increase as we get older and the levels we accumulate in our bodies are fueled by the foods we eat. Glycation has been related to not only diabetes but also diseases such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, Alzheimers and certain kinds of neuropathy.



What is more of a challenge for those with diabetes is that when we cook our foods with high heat (anything above 250 degrees such as broiling, baking, frying and barbecuing), glycotoxins are formed. And glycotoxin levels increase dramatically in diabetics because these toxins thrive in a high glucose environments.



If you have diabetes, be careful when you go out to eat as well. Restaurants often use certain heating processes to enhance the flavor of foods, to improve safety and to extend the shelf life. Glycotoxins are often a result of these processes.



This all seems like bad news, but there is some changes in the diet diabetics can make in order to help themselves. When following a diabetes diet, try as much as you can to cook meat or chicken at a temperature lower than 250 degrees. Instead of broiling or baking foods, try poaching, steaming, stewing or slow cooking the foods. Most people have a crock pot so that would be one of the easiest ways to help.



If you are not sure how to poach foods, you can wee how at this link... http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/dairyfreeglossary/g/poaching.htm