Researchers have found a new once-per-day pill called Baxacat that could make it easy to treat diabetic cats without requiring two daily insulin shots, implanted trackers, and regular visits to the vet. Catt veterinarian at Texas A&M University, Dr. Audrey Cook, said that the pill is a massive development from the injection.
New pill discovered to treat cat diabetes
One caveat is that the pill can’t be used on diabetic cats that have been receiving insulin before. However, experts say that the advantage of the pills is their ease of use. While some cat owners effectively administer twice-daily insulin shots to their cats, often, some owners have difficulty. According to research, one out of ten cats with a recent diabetes diagnosis is euthanized by their owners. In addition, about 10% of animals are put to sleep within a year, partially due to treatment challenges.
Purdue University veterinarian Catharine Scott-Moncrieff said that some individuals are worried about giving insulin shots to their cats. She explained that cat owners don’t have adequate time to care for their pets.
Bexacat, produced by Elanco Animal Health Inc., received FDA approval in December and is anticipated to go on sale in the United States in the coming weeks. It is the first treatment of its kind to be licensed for use in animals; similar medications have been accepted for use in humans for roughly ten years.
Cases of feline diabetes in the US are on the rise
If excessive sugar, or glucose, accumulates in the blood system due to the pancreas’ inadequate production or improper utilization of the hormone insulin, diabetes develops in both humans and animals. By making blood sugar discharged in urine, Bexacat reduces blood sugar levels.
Over 58 million cats live in more than a quarter of all US households. Yet, according to Dr. Bruce Kornreich, Cornell Feline Health Institute director at Cornell University, approximately 1 per 100 and 1 in every 500 cats in the United States have been confirmed to have diabetes, which is increasing as the cat population’s obesity rate approaches 50%.
