If your blood sugar levels are consistently high (usually above 20 mmol/L in adults and above 14 mmol/L in children), you may have moderate to severe symptoms of high blood sugar. These symptoms include: Blurred vision. Extreme thirst.
What happens to an untreated diabetic cat?
If a diabetic cat goes untreated for long enough, they will develop ketoacidosis. Cats at this stage will not eat or drink and will become dehydrated and more lethargic. Eventually, as ketoacidosis progresses, they will slip into a coma and die if not treated with intensive medical therapy.
Can a cat recover from diabetic ketoacidosis?
Unfortunately, the long-term prognosis for cats with diabetic ketoacidosis is very poor. You will need to be extra vigilant of your cat during the treatment and recovery period. Look for untoward symptoms — weight loss, vomiting, skin yellowing — and call your veterinarian immediately if they should occur.
Is ketoacidosis fatal in cats?
A dangerous, sometimes fatal metabolic acidosis or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) may develop. In untreated cats with diabetes, excessive ketones are produced, resulting in ketonuria and DKA accompanied by electrolyte imbalances. Ketoacidosis is a serious condition that can ultimately lead to an acidotic coma and death.
Can diabetes in cats be reversed?
Though there is no cure for feline diabetes, the prognosis for a good quality of life is good with adequate management at home. With early, aggressive treatment of diabetes, many cats will enter a state of diabetic remission, meaning they are able to maintain normal blood sugar levels without insulin injections.
How long will a diabetic cat live without insulin?
Diabetic remission occurs when a cat maintains a normal glucose level for more than four weeks without insulin injections or oral glucose regulating medications. Not all cats go into remission, but those that do may stay that way for months or years.
How expensive is it to treat a cat with diabetes?
Insulin injections are the standard in treating and managing diabetes in cats. Many cats with diabetes will require $50 to $60 of insulin every 40 days. A cat with mild diabetes may need less insulin and average closer to $20 to $30 every 40 days.
What kind of diabetes does a cat have?
From the WebMD Archives. An alarming number of cats are developing diabetes mellitus, which is the inability to produce enough insulin to balance blood sugar, or glucose, levels .
Is it possible to monitor a diabetic cat’s blood sugar?
However, this is not an ideal way of monitoring a diabetic cat, as it only measures the average, rather than the blood sugar highs and lows throughout the day, and these are often more important in determining the success of their treatment.
Why is my cat’s blood sugar so high?
This causes a build-up of the glucose levels in the bloodstream. Diabetic cats mostly suffer from Type II diabetes, where the body cells can no longer adequately respond to insulin, leading to elevated levels of glucose. A complete diagnosis always requires a visit to the vet, but a closer look at your cat at home can tell you if there’s a problem.
What are the symptoms of low blood sugar in cats?
Clinical signs displayed by a cat with a very low blood sugar level include weakness and lethargy, shaking, unsteadiness and even convulsions. If a diabetic cat shows any of these signs it is important to take a blood glucose reading if you have a home monitoring device, and seek immediate veterinary attention.
