Case Story: Kiera, a very thirsty kitty!
Kiera is a sweet 16-year-old cat who came to see us because her owners noticed she had suddenly started losing weight and drinking a lot more than usual.
After examining her, we decided to run some blood tests to check for reasons why she might be losing weight and feeling very thirsty.
When a cat loses weight and drinks a lot, there are a few things that could be causing it. These include problems with the kidneys, diabetes, issues with the bladder or urinary system, problems with the stomach or intestines, and unfortunately, sometimes cancer.
The blood tests showed that her blood sugar (glucose) levels were very high. Sometimes cats get high blood sugar just from being stressed, so we did a blood test to check her glucose levels in the previous two weeks; we also tested her urine.
Her urine test also showed sugar in it, and her repeated blood tests confirmed that her blood sugar had been high for at least two weeks.
Based on these results and the symptoms we saw, we thought Kiera might have diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes happens when the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use it properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body turn sugar from food into energy. Without enough insulin, sugar stays in the blood, making blood sugar levels high for a long time.
When blood sugar is too high for a long time, it can make a cat very thirsty and very hungry. Even though Kiera was eating, her body couldn’t use the sugar for energy, so she started losing weight. It’s like the body is hungry on the inside, even though she was eating!
Once we knew Keira had diabetes, we started her treatment, which means giving her insulin every day to help her body use sugar properly. After some adjustments, and with Kiera being such a patient star, we found the right dose of insulin for her. Now, her brave and dedicated owners give her two insulin injections every day after her meals, helping her stay healthy and happy.
As you can see from the pictures featured throughout, Kiera is a very brave and relaxed kitty when having one of her many appointments for blood tests!
