Evaluation of long-term home monitoring of blood glucose concentrations in cats with diabetes mellitus: 26 cases (1999-2002).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate owner compliance with longterm home monitoring of blood glucose concentrations in diabetic cats and assess the influence of home monitoring on the frequency of reevaluation of those cats at a veterinary hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
26 cats with diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
Medical records of diabetic cats for which home monitoring was undertaken were reviewed, and owners were contacted by telephone. Signalment, laboratory test results, insulin treatment regimen, details of home monitoring, clinical signs during treatment, frequency of follow-up examinations, and survival times were evaluated.


RESULTS
Monitoring of cats commenced within 12 weeks (median, 3 weeks) after initial evaluation; 8 owners were unable to perform home monitoring, and 1 cat was euthanatized after 1 week. In 17 cats, duration of home monitoring was 4.8 to 46.0 months (median, 22.0 months); 6 cats died after 7.0 to 18.0 months (median, 13.0 months). In 11 cats, home monitoring was ongoing at completion of the study (12.0 to 46.0 months' duration). Fourteen owners completed blood glucose curves every 2 to 4 weeks. Cats managed with home monitoring received higher dosages of insulin, compared with cats that were not monitored. Four of 17 cats managed by home monitoring had transient resolution of diabetes mellitus for as long as 1 year. Home monitoring did not affect the frequency of reevaluation at the veterinary hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Owner compliance with long-term home monitoring appeared to be satisfactory, and home monitoring did not affect the frequency of reevaluation of patients by veterinarians.
Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Saskia
S
Kley
Martina
M
Casella
Claudia E
CE
Reusch
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002415:Cats; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014730:Veterinary Medicine
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin