Oral Medication for Feline Diabetes

Fluffly, the family feline, is eating and drinking a huge amount more than usual, but Fluffy keeps losing weight. A trip to the vet and a blood test indicate that Fluffy has diabetes mellitus. Upon hearing this unhappy news, all four family members have similar visions of needles and insulin injections. It was a great relief for this family to learn that Fluffy can take oral medications for his form of feline diabetes.

  1. Glipzide, an Oral Medication

    • Diabetic Cat Pills

      For a diabetic cat in the early and not severely affected stage of diabetes, an oral medication can work well. A cat who is otherwise healthy can be treated with a drug called glipizide. Once prescribed and administered according to veterinary instructions, intermittent blood test and urine sugar measurements need to be taken to make sure that the cat is responding to this oral medication therapy.

    Diet Changes Needed

    • Complex Carbohydrate Diet

      The success of oral medical treatment with glipizide requires a change in a cat's diet regimen. Part of the effective use of an oral medication for feline diabetes is dependent upon feeding a high-fiber, high-complex carbohydrate diet. This type of diet helps to control blood sugar levels after eating. The feeding routine is also important. The cat should be fed twice each day, with about equal amounts of food, at the same time each morning and each evening.

    Monitor Diabetic Cat

    • A diabetic cat on oral medications needs to be observed and evaluated at home. Run through a checklist recording your cat's appetite, weight, water intake and urine output on a regular basis. If, for example, the litter box needs more scooping than normal, the urine output can be a sign that the sugar levels are increasing. Or, on the other side, if your cat's weight is normal, the blood sugar level likely is normal, too. The successful management of a diabetic cat on oral medication requires dedication, observation and veterinary communication.

    The Need for Insulin

    • Sometimes, oral medications are not enough to keep a diabetic cat's blood sugar levels in check. You should know that it is always possible that your veterinarian will need to alter the direction of treatment. At some point, insulin injections may be needed. Even if this does happen, it is good to know that a diabetic cat can live for many healthy years, regardless of the type of treatment.