Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College have officially launched a new Feline Diabetic Remission Clinic in the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire, to investigate the optimum methods to achieve good control, and ultimately diabetic remission, in diabetic cats.

Led by Dr Stijn Niessen, the team at the new clinic will offer diabetic cats optimum management, while at the same time gathering information to enhance current scientific understanding of the best treatment for diabetic cats.

Feline diabetes mellitus is a costly, chronic disease which can significantly decrease the quality of life of both cat owners and their pets. However, a proportion of diabetic cats can achieve diabetic remission and no longer require insulin therapy, which is increasingly considered the ultimate goal in treating diabetic cats.
 
According to the RVC, early evidence suggests that good, early blood glucose control increases remission rates in diabetic cats. However, there is little evidence about which treatment protocol offers the best blood glucose control and chance of remission.

Stijn said: "Our mission is to investigate the best method of achieving good blood glucose control, and diabetic remission, in diabetic cats. The clinic also aims to identify predictors of diabetic remission, which will help veterinarians advise their clients on the chance of their cat achieving diabetic remission in the future."

He added: "Interestingly, most cats seem to suffer from a similar type of diabetes as most humans. We always suspected cats to be extremely wise, but isn't it interesting to know that they also might hold the answer to many questions we have about the human disease!"

The clinic is currently recruiting cats that have had diabetes for less than 4 months' duration for a clinical trial, examining the effect of new insulins on blood glucose control and remission rate.

Enrolled cats will qualify for full underlying disease assessment at the referral hospital, several re-examination appointments, 12 months of prescription diabetic food, and 6 months of insulin therapy - all at no cost to owners.

For more information on the trial or the work of the clinic, contact Feline Diabetic Remission Clinic: telephone: 01707 666 605 or email: fdrc@rvc.ac.uk 

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