Feline diabetes is thought to occur in about one percent of all cats. Feline diabetes in kittens is even more rare. Many kittens have occasional rises and falls in their blood sugar levels so most veterinarians are reluctant to diagnose kittens as having feline diabetes. However, feline diabetes in kittens can be deadly if ignored.
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Description
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Feline diabetes makes it difficult for a cat or kitten to regulate blood sugar levels. There are two different types of feline diabetes in kittens. A kitten with type 1 diabetes is unable to produce enough insulin naturally. Kittens with type 2 diabetes do not use insulin in the appropriate way. While both types of feline diabetes are most common in older, obese males, it is possible for cats and kittens of all ages to develop feline diabetes.
Causes
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The causes of feline diabetes in kittens are not truly unknown. It is assumed that feline diabetes in kittens is primarily caused by a strong genetic predisposition to the disease. In adult cats, obesity makes them four times more likely to develop feline diabetes. In extreme cases, kittens may develop feline diabetes as the result of becoming obese.
Symptoms
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Feline diabetes symptoms in kittens are often much harder to recognize than in adults. This is because many of the symptoms of feline diabetes could be seen as typical kitten behavior. Common symptoms of feline diabetes include excessive thirst and urination, weight loss, laziness and a seeming weakness of the back legs or clumsiness. Obvious signs like vomiting and dehydration are only seen as the disease progresses. Feline diabetes in kittens can easily go unnoticed.
Treatments
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The treatments of feline diabetes in kittens frequently utilize insulin shots, oral medications and changes to the kittens' diet. These treatments are all used to help regulate the body's insulin levels. For this reason it is important to track a kitten's daily blood sugar levels using special feline diabetes kits. It is also very important to visit the veterinarian frequently to augment the treatment plan from time to time. As a kitten grows it will certainly require higher doses of any medications. It will also be important to change the kitten's diet when it turns a year old.
Outlook
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If ignored, kittens with feline diabetes will typically develop hyperglycemia. Ultimately this will lead to further weight loss, vomiting, dehydration and weakness. Since a kitten's body is so much smaller than an adult's, it does not take much time for the kitten to die after it develops hyperglycemia. Conversely, if feline diabetes in kittens is treated properly, the disease can be managed for years. Occasionally, kittens will no longer require insulin or oral medications and the feline diabetes can be managed with diet alone.
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