It's is a disorder that occurs in older cats. In the long-term, it leads to heart abnormalities, with symptoms including tachycardia (rapid heart rate) with strong contractions of the heart muscle, and sometimes the appearance of a murmur.
As the disease progress, arrhythmia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy may develop. If a cat is not treated early enough, the illness may be irreversible and result in death. Other clinical signs include weight loss, ravenous appetite, hyperactivity or nervousness, sometimes vomiting, excessive drinking and urinating, and hairloss. A blood test analyzing thyroid hormone levels provides a definitive diagnosis. Hyperthyroidism can be treated with medications (antithyroid drugs) or, more commonly, surgically.
The thyroid is not the only endocrine gland susceptible to disease. The pituitary and adrenal glands may also fail or harbor tumors.
Diabetes mellitus is rare in cats, though is probably under-diagnosed. The initial clinical signs are nonspecific, the most common being excessive thirst (polydipsia) and urination (polyuria). Appetite generally increases, though sometimes drops off. The cat suffering from diabetes mellitus is weak and vomits occasionally. He is sometimes obese and is generally more than five years old. Other diseases or endocrine disorders, such as reproductive or urinary infections, may accompany diabetes mellitus. Blood and/or urine tests confirm the diagnosis.
Glycemia (blood sugar level) is controlled by two opposing hormones(insulin and glucagons)secreted by the pancreas. In 80% of all diabetic cats, insufficient insulin is secreted, while the other 20% secrete sufficient insulin, but their body utilizes it poorly.Treatment of diabetes mellitus must include a dietary element. Food must have a higher fiber content (green vegetables) and contain complex carbohydrates. If a cat is obese, a lower-calorie diet is required in order to achieve gradual weight loss. A veterinarian can suggest an appropriate food to meet the diabetic cat's dietary requirements.If appropriate, a veterinarian will also prescribe oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin therapy. It is difficult to determine the appropriate quantity and dose frequency in cats, as requirements may vary over time. Some cats are only temporary diabetic. Diabetic cats must be seen by a veterinarian regularly and closely monitored.
Though both diseases bear the same first name, the two should not be confused. Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). Diabetes insipidus is a rare disease caused by the kidney's inability to concentrate urine as a result of deficient pituitary secretion of vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone), which controls urine concentration, or the kidney's inability to respond to the vasopressin hormone.
Most of the body's waste is eliminated by the liver and the kidneys, but these organs can fail.
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