Oral medication

Because caregivers are often reluctant to begin insulin injections on their pets, vets will often offer an oral-medication alternative such as Glucotrol, Glipizide, Metaformin, or Acarbose. These oral medications either reduce insulin resistance or stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin (assuming it still can).

Unfortunately, diabetes is a condition with many vicious circles, and these medications, in the ~80% of cases where they don't work, tend to make diabetes worse instead. Worse, vet literature often says that 6 to 8 weeks of oral med treatment should be tried before giving up, and it's quite possible for an untreated diabetic (or one on an ineffective treatment) to die of underweight, dehydration, or ketoacidosis within that time. The odds of oral medication leading to a successful regulation of your cat or dog are poor, and the odds of things getting much worse during the treatment are more likely.

Recent studies (including those below) are now pointing toward a deterioration cycle of

(Type II diabetes -> (hyperglycemia <-> amyloidosis) -> Type I diabetes)

in cats. Since Glucotrol/Glipizide are known to cause amyloidosis, there is every reason to believe that these meds can only make things worse.

Possible reasons why veterinarians keep trying this course:

• Most caregivers are unwilling or unable to give regular insulin shots
• Diabetic cases that are well-treated are rare enough for many vets that they don't have a chance to track successful versus unsuccessful treatments.

External Links

• Controlling Diabetes Mellitus Without Insulin.
  • Article covers Glipizide, Glucotrol, Metaformin and Acarbose use in cats; use of Acarbose as an adjunct to insulin in dogs.
• More about Acarbose as an addition to insulin for dogs.
• How Glipizide and similar medications cause amyloidosis and permanently damage the cat pancreas