Weight changes in dogs and cats - could it be diabetes?

Lots of owners worry about the weight of their pet - is it ideal, are they too fat or too thin? It’s a really good thing to be aware of. Obesity can shorten life, cause illnesses such as diabetes and joint disease and impact the quality of life of your pet too. Being too thin or underweight is usually more worrying. If you weigh your dog or cat regularly it’s an excellent way to pick up changes in both directions and either correct their rations, change foods (always talk to your vet before changing foods) or, most importantly, catch any disease as early as possible. Thyroid problems and diabetes are two of the diseases that can cause weight gain and loss. In this article we are going to look at diabetes. You can read about thyroid problems here.

Diabetes is a disease where the sugar level in the blood is too high and the cells in the body that need that energy can’t access it. Dogs and cats tend to be pretty different when it comes to diabetes. Let’s look at cats first.

Diabetes in cats.

Diabetes in cats is much more common in obese and older cats. A hormone called insulin is produced by the pancreas and is what helps transport sugar from the blood into the cells. In most diabetic cats the body produces enough insulin to start with but the cells do not respond normally to it and as a result, the blood glucose can’t be transported into the cells. The pancreas tries its best to make up for this by producing more insulin but eventually becomes exhausted and insulin levels drop too low so the situation gets worse. While obesity is the most common cause of diabetes in cats, it can also be caused by diseases like Cushing’s Syndrome and acromegaly and by certain medications like progestins and corticosteroids. 

The most common signs of diabetes are drinking and urinating more than normal and weight loss even though your cat may be eating well. This is why even if your cat was overweight to start with they lose weight and may become too thin if not diagnosed. Your vet will need to do a series of blood tests to see if your cat always has high blood sugar. They might also ask you to do some skin-prick blood tests at home. If you can do this it is a much better way to know if the results are true. Cats tend to get quite stressed at the vet’s and this can falsely raise their blood sugar. If you can do the tests at home it can really help and it’s easier than you might imagine.

The first thing your vet might want to do is start insulin treatment and also it’s important to stop the uncontrolled weight loss. You will need to do insulin injections at home. Lots of owners worry about this but talk to your vet before you start to panic too much. Lots of cats tolerate it really well. Changing your cat’s food to a dietetic food for diabetes and/or weight loss is also really important. Your vet will work out the right ration either to stop the weight loss if it’s dangerously fast, or, if your cat is stable but still overweight, gradually reduce their weight. The right nutrition in cats can sometimes even reverse the disease.