If You Suspect Diabetes In Your Pet Cat
Posted on February 7, 2010 | Hazel Wig
Filed Under Cat Health | Leave a Comment
Some people are surprised to learn that cats can get diabetes. But the truth is, it is really not that uncommon. And just like in humans, it is dangerous in cats. Treating a diabetic cat requires keeping on top of the situation and carefully monitoring the situation. But it is not difficult.
You may not notice the symptoms at first but as soon as you do, get him in to see his veterinarian right away. The first thing you may notice is excessive water consumption with frequent urination. He will also have an increased appetite, yet dramatic weight loss. You may also see lethargy.
After time, he may also develop neuropathy. This is a common side effect of diabetes. With neuropathy, a cat will walk on his haunches instead of his paws. This will distort his posture and give him a hunch back. He will also have difficulty making what used to be simple jumps.
In essence, what is happening with neuropathy is that the signals being sent from the brain to make the muscles move do not make it back to the muscles. So, your cat will begin his jump but the muscles will fail before the jump is complete. He will miss the target and fall. It is scary to witness. If you have not noticed other symptoms of diabetes but see this behavior, get to the vet as soon as possible.
Fortunately once you have the diabetes under control, neuropathy will clear up on its own. In order to have control of diabetes, your cat will probably need to be on insulin. Insulin is made in the pancreas. When the pancreas fails, blood sugar is too high and insulin must be given. Usually it is given through injections every 12 hours. There are some pills available but in most cases they are not effective. Injected insulin is more effective and there are several different kinds.
This is usually determined with a few tests. Initially, the vet will perform a ‘glucose curve.’ Throughout the day, blood is drawn and sugar levels are checked. More of these curves are done a few weeks apart with different doses of insulin. This process is continued until the right dose is found.
Once the right dose is determined, the injections must be given regularly, usually twice a day. Missing a dose is not generally an issue, although several missed doses will cause sugar levels to stay elevated. The most important thing to keep in mind regarding insulin is that too much is even worse than too little. Too much insulin is extremely dangerous. Seizures and even death can occur instantly. Keep a record of shots given to ensure that he is getting his insulin an also that he isn’t inadvertently given shots by two different people.
It is also vital to keep up with scheduled appointments with the doctor. A strange thing about diabetes in cats, unlike dogs or people, is that the pancreas can actually begin to produce insulin by itself again. If the pancreas starts working again and you continue giving your cat insulin, this can be too much total insulin and your cat could die.
If your furry friend has diabetes, you need not fret. While he will need you to keep a close eye on him and be diligent with his injections, there is nothing more to it than that. Well, maybe some extra ear scratches would be nice.
It is critical to be aware of what you need to look for regarding diabetes symptoms and the impact on your health. The Diabetes Advice Online services gives you details and information on the steps you need to take when you might have diabetes.
About Sarcoptic Mange
Posted on February 7, 2010 | Wendell Ruben
Filed Under Cat Health | Leave a Comment
Sarcoptic Mange – Causes, Identification, and Treatment Among the conditions that can trouble dogs, mange is one of the more unsavory and distressing conditions. The most prevalent form of mange – sarcoptic mange – is due to miniature mites that eat under the skin of the dog and feed on the base of the hair follicles.
It is this infection by an excess of sarcoptic mites that is the root of the illness, and treatment needs to be applied to the cause in order to attack the problem. Discovering Sarcoptic Mites It is essential that one is fully conversant with the cause of sarcoptic mange, and to do so it is vital that as much as possible is recognized about the mites that cause the condition.
Sarcoptic mites live in most cases on dogs, although they can be present on other animals – particularly cats – that come into contact with the troubled dog. The mites do not live a great deal of time – a few days is the expected life span – but they lay almost as soon as they are born, and do so by digging into the skin of the dog. The eggs are born in a short period and the process begins again, leading to more mites on the dog and a further increase of the infection.
It is utterly imperative that the mites are destroyed, and to do this the right treatment must be applied. There are, however, notable signs of the onset of sarcoptic mange that the dog owner should be aware of. of Sarcoptic Mange The most obvious signs associated with sarcoptic mange involve frequent scratching by the troubled animal along with hair loss in the given areas. Sarcoptic mites on dogs tend to live in areas of less hair, although the population advancement that accompanies the onset of mange can see them attack the whole body of the animal. Unusual itching in areas where the hair is at its sparsest can be a sure sign that mange is the problem, and the skin can become red and sore as a result.
The presence of any of these signs is a clue to mange on dogs and treatment should be sought very quickly. Although mange is very rarely a cause of fatality it is all too easy to ignore the signs in the first instance and allow the infection to develop beyond an acceptable level. There is a school of thought that the distress suffered by the dog is caused by allergic reaction to the mites rather than the digging effect itself, but it has also been found that allergy prescriptions are not effective in combating mange on dogs, or in the removal of sarcoptic mites. Distressed dogs may also indicate signs of lethargy and a noticeable loss of appetite, as well as sleeping at odd times and general signs of illness. In the face of any of these actions a closer look at the problem should be sought.
Wendell Ruben highly recommends doing your own research about Mange Mites. Make sure to get a Non-Toxic Mange Treatment
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