Managing Canine and Feline Diabetes

Treatment of diabetes mellitus is likely to succeed only if the pet owner understands all aspects of its management. Investment of sufficient time in a careful explanation of all of the aspects of the therapy is strongly recommended.

Insulin forms one of the cornerstones of the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Management of other factors such as diet and lifestyle (including exercise) also influences glycemic control.

You can download a program to calculate dose rates and plot blood glucose curves.

Treatment of diabetes mellitus can be divided into:

1. Stabilization
   The correct insulin dose is determined and a suitable daily routine for pet and owner is established.
2. Maintenance
   The pet is monitored regularly to follow the evolution of its diabetes and thus determine required changes in its insulin requirements.

The goal of treatment of diabetes mellitus is to minimize:

• the clinical signs of diabetes
• the risk of hypoglycemia
• the development of long term complications

For species specific information see:

• Managing diabetes in dogs
• Managing diabetes in cats