AAFP releases feline diabetes toolkit for veterinary professionals

Diagnosing, treating and monitoring diabetes in cats is challenging, in part because every patient requires a customized treatment plan that must be reassessed and adjusted on an ongoing basis.

To help veterinary professionals make the best diagnostic and treatment decisions for their feline patients with this complicated condition, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has released a Diabetes Educational Toolkit.

This printable digital resource is intended to help veterinary professionals access and gather information quickly from clients, according to an AAFP release. The toolkit focuses on diagnosis, treatment, remission strategy, troubleshooting and frequently asked questions. Each section of the toolkit can be downloaded and printed for easy accessibility in the practice. Also included is a handout for clients whose cats have been diagnosed with diabetes.

The release notes that effective treatment of diabetes in cats is based on a combination of patient goals, client finances, implementation of the treatment plan, and the patient's response. A strong partnership between the veterinarian and the cat owner is key to achieving optimal results.

“We are excited to release this digital resource to the veterinary community in the hopes that we can help veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of their diabetic feline patients through providing easy-to-access information that can be implemented for each cat,” Apryl Steele, DVM, president of the AAFP Board of Directors, says in the release. “This Diabetes Educational Toolkit is intended to be an on-the-ground tool for veterinary professionals to access and gather the most relevant information quickly.”

The toolkit was made possible by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim and developed by Audrey Cook, BVM&S, Msc VetEd, DACVIM-SAIM, DECVIM-CA, DABVP (feline); Kelly St. Denis, DVM, DABVP (feline); Sonnya Dennis, DVM, DABVP (canine/feline); and Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, DVM, DABVP (feline), chair.

Access the toolkit at catvets.com/diabetes-toolkit. Additional diabetes resources for cat owners are available at catfriendly.com/diabetes.