3 must-see insights on patients with diabetes

Diabetes affects many canine and feline patients, especially senior pets but also younger animals. Type I is more common in dogs while Type II more often affects cats.¹

In a series of dvm360 interviews, industry experts provided their insights about different aspects of the disease including treatment options, identification of the condition and treatment for it. These videos feature Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, founder of the education platform CriticalCareDVM.com; Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), owner of Melissa Evans, VTS (ECC): Veterinary Nurse Consulting; and Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), a consultant at Veterinary Information Network.

Watch the following videos for their insights:

Managing feline diabetes mellitus with SGLT2i

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) have been used in human medicine for several years. Recently, 2 specific SGLT2is saw their introduction to feline medicine: Bexagliflozin (Bexacat;Elanco), and velagliflozin oral solution (Senvelgo; Boehringer Ingelheim).

Christopher G. Byers, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM (SAIM), CVJ, explained how these therapies work to help manage feline diabetes, in an interview with dvm360. Byers outlined the effectiveness of these medications on cats, and why it can prevent the development of clinical hypoglycemia.

Identifying diabetic emergencies

What are the most common diabetic emergencies in veterinary medicine? Melissa Evans, CVT, LVT, VTS (ECC), discussed these endocrine conditions in a dvm360 interview at the 2025 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, where she presented a series of continuing education sessions, including one focused on diabetic emergencies.

Evans is an experienced emergency, intensive care unit, and critical care technician with additional experience in shelter, wildlife, and disaster medicine. She is a RECOVER CPR–certified instructor who has worked in referral and specialty hospitals in New Jersey and New York. Evans is also a relief technician for specialty hospitals throughout New York, New York.

A guide to monitoring feline patients on SGLT2 inhibitors

Monitoring feline patients with diabetes on SGLT2 inhibitors requires a different approach from monitoring those on insulin. Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), outlines what to monitor in feline patients on SGLT2 inhibitors, including when each parameter should be checked.

She also discusses a distinct form of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) seen in patients on SGLT2 inhibitors: euglycemic DKA. In the video, Behrend stresses that when treating this form of DKA, veterinarians must begin with administering insulin, even when blood glucose levels are low.

Reference

The prevalence of diabetes in pets. Oak Forest Veterinary Hospital. Accessed September 25, 2025. https://oakforestvet.com/the-prevalence-of-diabetes-in-pets/#:~:text=Diabetes%20continues%20to%20be%20one,many%20cases%20among%20younger%20animals.