Our studies improve the health of companion animals through a better understanding of the cause of disease and development of better treatments. The Centre is an international leader in feline and canine diabetes and obesity research. Many other areas of study are planned that will improve the health and welfare of companion animals (dogs, cats, birds, and other pets). View the Centre's contributions towards feline and canine diabetes and obesity here. View information about grants awarded by the Centre  to the University's School of Veterinary Science researchers.

Dog obesity
The Centre has been investigating whether including a dietary supplement, resveratrol, in dog food prevented weight gain after desexing. It is thought that the cause of weight gain in pets after desexing is a lack of sexual hormones, resultin...

Painful pancreatitis
A dog that suffers from pancreatitis endures severe pain and discomfort and can sometimes die. Our studies have shown that overweight and diabetic dogs with high fat concentrations in the blood are at risk of developing subclinical pancreatitis, so ...

Diabetes study – helping humans and our pets
In a further step towards understanding the factors and treatment involved in the development of diabetes in cats and people, the Centre is partnering in a study with UQ’s Diamantina Institute and the Nippon University in Japan.  The stud...

Help at hand for diabetic cats
Recently, our supporters helped to make possible a collaborative study with a colleague in Germany which has emphasised the importance of controlling blood glucose concentrations soon after a diagnosis of diabetes in cats.  By carefully control...

Online diabetes survey
The Centre has undertaken a world-wide online survey of diabetic cat owners and found that many were not using the best insulin for cats, and were not fully aware of the importance of introducing a special diabetes diet.  This dietary co...

‘Keyhole’ surgery now available for your pet
Continuing with our commitment to offer the best service for our clients and patients, the University of Queensland’s Small Animal Clinic and Veterinary Teaching Hospital is proud to offer the first minimally i...

Working to help dogs with diabetes
Hope, a lovely Labrador cross, was one of the lucky beneficiaries of Linda Fleeman’s PhD research into canine diabetes. Hope had been diagnosed with diabetes and was referred to the Centre because the treatment available had no...

Why is it so?
Kurt Verkest, a veterinarian and PhD student is researching an important observation. Why do some people, cats, dogs and horses get obese and develop insulin resistance, but only humans and cats develop type 2 diabetes? Type 2 or adult-onset diabete...

Marcia's Mission
Having grown up in the Southwest of Brazil, in a region where cattle and rice fields abound, UQ PhD scholar Marcia Coradini fell in love with Australia as an exchange student in 1991 and has now made Australia her home. During her childhood,...