Does SGLT2 inhibitor use increase the risk of UTIs in cats with diabetes?
Watch the short video to hear Ellen Behrend’s, VMD, PhD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), answer.
In this video clip, Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), consultant at Veterinary Information Network and Joezy Griffin Endowed Professor and Alumni Professor Emeritus at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses the potential risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in cats with diabetes on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Behrend explains that researchers do not yet have a definitive answer for whether this new class of medication increases the risk of UTIs in cats. Still, she compares cats on insulin to those on SGLT2 inhibitors, noting that both often have glucose in their urine and therefore the risk may be comparable.
Below is the interview transcript, which has been lightly edited for improved clarity:
Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, MS, DACVIM (SAIM): I'm Ellen Behrend. I am a board-certified small animal internist with a special interest in small animal endocrinology. I spent the majority of my career as a faculty member at Auburn University, and I now am a consultant for Veterinary Information Network.
A really common question is: Does [SGLT2 inhibitor use] increase the risk of [UTI]? That's a question they've looked at with thousands of humans, and the best they can say right now is we don't really think so. Maybe there's a slight increase. My guess is it's not going to make much of a difference in the overall population of cats. The vast majority of [cats with diabetes] on insulin have glucose in their urine the majority of the day, so this is probably not much different. And I don't think we're going to see much of a difference in [UTI] incidence in cats on SGLT2 inhibitors.
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