15 Cases of Diabetes Mellitus in Cats

Abstract

Differences between two groups of cats with diabetes mellitus with and without ketouria were reviewed in 15 cases. Six cats with ketouria showed high levels of total serum billirubin, and low levels of electrolytes and phosphates, although there were no obvious differences between the two groups in total serum cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine. Two cats out of six with ketouria died within two months in spite of aggressive treatment. In the other four cases, insulin therapy improved the general conditions of the animals. One of them had a breast tumor, and another had been injected with some medicine, which was surmised to be a steroid, three days before in another hospital. These two cats needed insulin therapy, for only several days after their complications had been cleared up. Among the group without ketouria, two cats gradually became free of the need for insulin, after being cured of otitis media in the one case, and loose, bloody stool in the other. Therefore, it is considered that not only insulin therapy and transfusion therapy but also supportive treatment for concomitant diseases or troubles is important to obtain better prognosis for feline diabetes mellitus.