This webinar explores recent advances in the management of feline diabetes mellitus, with a particular focus on the emerging role of sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors as a non-insulin treatment option. The session begins with a review of the pathophysiology of diabetes in cats, including β-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, and the development of glucose toxicity. Signalment, clinical presentation, and the classification of different forms of diabetes mellitus are also discussed.
The webinar then examines traditional insulin therapy and its limitations, before introducing SGLT2 inhibitors such as velagliflozin and bexagliflozin, which have recently become available for the treatment of feline diabetes. Participants will learn about the pharmacological mechanism of these drugs, their clinical efficacy, and the current evidence supporting their use in cats.
Special attention is given to patient selection, contraindications, monitoring protocols, and potential adverse effects, including the risk of ketosis and euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis. Practical guidelines are provided on how to initiate therapy, monitor patients during the first weeks of treatment, and decide when insulin therapy is still required. Clinical cases illustrate how these novel treatments can be integrated into everyday veterinary practice.
