Feline Pancreatitis & Diabetes

Pancreatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation that exists in the pancreas, and can affect cats. Cats can deal with both diabetes and pancreatitis simultaneously, which creates unique dietary requirements for optimal health. Pancreatitis most commonly exists as a result of irritation or infection, and can be a short- or long-term problem depending on the underlying cause.

  1. Symptoms

    • When a cat experiences pancreatitis, it typically comes on in the form of gradual inflammation. The signs of illness are much more difficult to pinpoint in a cat than in a dog, which may have a number of acute episodes rather than a gradual inflammation. Male cats tend to be more prone to suffer from chronic pancreatitis than female cats.

    Pancreatitis with Diabetes

    • Pancreatitis is common in animals with a history of diabetes on a chronic, subclinical level. An estimated 40% of feline diabetes, for example, will encounter pancreatitis either on an acute or a chronic level. Chronic pancreatitis causes such an extensive level of damage to the pancreas that it is likely to be responsible for as many as one third of all cases of diabetes in animals. As insulin production can be impacted as a result of feline pancreatitis, diabetes can occur in response to chronic pancreatitis flare-ups.

    Causes

    • There is no single pinpointed cause for pancreatitis, but there are some possible causes that have been linked to issues with pancreatitis in felines. Many cats that are diagnosed with pancreatitis also have issues with obesity, or have had such issues in the past. Pancreatitis is also linked to high-fat diets and hyperlipidemia, which is a high content of fat within the blood. These causes also have connections to the development of diabetes in felines.

    Diagnosis

    • In order for a veterinarian to diagnose pancreatitis in a cat, he will use a blood test called the Spec fPL test. This is a highly recommended test if you suspect that your cat may have pancreatitis. The test is not one that a veterinarian will administer unless they actually suspect this illness because only a small number of laboratories actually perform it. This is an unspecific diagnostic test for pancreatitis in felines, and is better representative as a test for general inflammation in all of the cat's organs.

    Treatment

    • Pancreatitis in felines can be difficult to treat, and may cause insulin resistance in addition to nausea, vomiting and dehydration in the process. All of these side effects of pancreatitis treatment may cause further complications for a cat that is also suffering from diabetes. A cat with diabetes and pancreatitis may benefit from a low- or mid-carbohydrate diet, such as one that offers between 10 and 15 percent carbohydrates, 50 and 55 percent protein and 35 percent fat.