Diabetic pets can have a new lease on life, thanks to research conducted at The University of Queensland’s Centre for Companion Animal Health.
Professor Jacquie Rand spoke on her findings, which will allow veterinarians to better diagnose, treat and manage diabetes in dogs and cats, as well as decrease the cost of the disease to pet owners, at the recent North American Veterinarian Conference.
Prior to Professor Rand’s work, more than three quarters of diabetic cats needed insulin injections twice daily for the rest of their lives; now less than 10 percent of newly diagnosed cats require lifelong insulin.
“If a diagnosis is made early and close monitoring treatment starts immediately, there is a good chance that cats with type 2 will lead to diabetic remission, in which case the cat will no longer need injected insulin,” she said.
“The key factors in achieving this include the use of long-acting insulin twice daily, close monitory of blood glucose concentrations, ideally by home monitoring and feeding a low carbohydrate diet.
“Most importantly remission can be achieved in 95 percent of newly diagnosed diabetic cats with appropriate management which has huge health and quality of life benefits for the cat.”
The home monitoring of blood glucose levels by the pet owner also reduces the need for hospitalisation, therefore making it a more affordable form of treatment, Professor Rand said.
“Obviously this is best for the pets too as they are in their own home environment and not suffering any further distress by being hospitalised,” she said.
“Home monitoring also provides the data necessary for adjustments to be made to the dosage and therefore treatment is more effective”.
As in humans, the most common form of diabetes in cats is type 2 diabetes associated with obesity, lack of physical activity and underlying genetic predisposition.
Dogs, however, are more prone to type 1 diabetes, which is associated with an attack on the immune system effecting the production of insulin.
If left untreated, diabetes eventually leads to death. However, with appropriate treatment and close monitoring, diabetic dogs and cats can enjoy a good quality of life.
The North American Veterinarian Conference, which attracted over 14,000 attendees from 70 countries across the world, is one of the world’s largest conferences of its type.
There has been extensive international interest in this research, and most recently Professor Rand was asked to present a webinar to the American Animal Hospital Association.
Media: Centre for Companion Animal Health on 07 3365 2122 or ccah@uq.edu.au
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