Question: Diabetes in Pets

Dr. Schaeberle,

My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I didn’t know it was
possible! What do we do next?

Darlene

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Dear Darlene,

Over the past year there have been many questions involving diabetes in both dogs and cats. I want to make sure I answer most of them, so we will begin a three part series on diabetes mellitus and pets.

Diabetes mellitus is a treatable condition that requires a committed effort by both of veterinarian and client. In the most pets, the treatment is very rewarding and most dogs and cats can live normal life expectancies. The treatment of diabetes is a combination of art and science, due in part to the many factors that affect the diabetic state and the animal’s response. Each animal needs individualized, frequent reassessment, and treatments may be modified based on this response.

In both dogs and cats diabetes is caused by a loss or a dysfunction of the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. The risk factors for dogs and cats include obesity, genetics, and in some cases diseases or drugs. Regardless of the underlying cause, diabetic dogs and cats are hyperglycemic (high blood sugar), which leads to the classic signs of an increase in drinking, urination, and increased appetite and weight loss.

There are many questions the veterinarian must ask him or herself in regards to how to initiate treatment. The variables include a variety of different insulin selections as well as dietary considerations. In many cases the treatment for diabetes in cats differs from that in dogs. Next week I will go over the treatment of diabetes in cats.

Thanks,
Thomas Schaeberle, VMD

Question: Ear mites in Cats

Dr. Schaeberle,

My cat has just been diagnosed with ear mites. How could that happen?

Justin

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Justin,

Ear mites are very small insects that look like microscopic ticks that live in the ear canal of cats and dogs. The majority of pets that get these are definitely cats and kittens.

Ear mites live in the ear canal of pets and occasionally crawl out onto the face and head of the pet. When your pet rubs faces with another pet that has ear mites, your pet can pick them up. They eventually find their way into your pet’s ear canal and start breeding and living there, too.

As they begin to overpopulate, they can cause an inflammatory process to begin, and sometimes a secondary bacterial or yeast infection. This causes a lot of discomfort to your pet; she will start shaking her head and scratching at her ears, causing even more inflammation and infection.

The typical discharge produced is a dark brown to black, dry crusty material that resembles coffee grounds. But don’t be fooled; other ear canal infections can look like this too, so you want to get it confirmed by your veterinarian to make sure your pet gets the proper treatment.

There are many different treatments available for ear mites. Some products take 2-3 weeks to work, others 1 day, and other topical products prevent them in the first place. Your veterinarian will know which one is the best for your pet. And by the way, only in the most unusual cases will people ever get ear mites, so you can feel safe that you won’t get them. However, people have been known to get rashes from them.

And remember, if one of your pet’s have ear mites, and you have other pets, they may get them and need treated too. You may need to get your whole clan checked out by your veterinarian.

So if your cat, kitten or dog is shaking his head and scratching at his ears, take him to your veterinarian right away to get the proper treatment. Whether it’s ear mites or another type of infection, your pet will thank you for getting rid of this annoying problem.

Thanks,
Thomas Schaeberle, V.M.D.