BSAVA Congress will feature a module on diabetes

A module on diabetes advancement will be presented at the BSAVA (British Small Animal Veterinary Association) Congress 2024 in Manchester, England on Thursday, March 21. The module is expected to explore oral hypoglycemic therapy for cats and why these treatments are indicated for felines with diabetes, in many cases, but not canines with the disease.¹

Clinical investigators and specialists who have used these drugs will present information to delegates during the module. These speakers include Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, DACVIM, at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Alabama; Ian Ramsey, BVSc, PhD, DECVIM-CA, DSAM, at the University of Glasgow in Scotland; Stijn Niessen, at the Royal Veterinary College in London, England; and Anna Lena Kramer, DMV, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), at the University of Glasgow. “Although not suited as a sole therapeutic for dogs, the current data suggests that a majority of cats [with diabetes] could be treated with once daily oral formulations of these drugs,” Niessen said, in a news release.¹

Photo: Alexander Lebedko/Adobe Stock

Advances in the monitoring of canine diabetes will also be addressed, and presenters will review recent developments and management practices for complicated cases. “Gone are the days that we saw diabetes mellitus as a disease; instead, it is the consequence of one or many diseases. As such we now ought to approach diabetes cases with a much more open mind and being willing to try and determine the exact aetiology of the diabetes mellitus, doing so can pay off and prevent a diabetic case from becoming a complicated one,” Niessen said in the release.¹

The BSAVA Congress 2024 is held March 21-23 at the Manchester Central Convention Complex. In addition to the educational module on diabetes, delegates will have an opportunity to purchase the new fifth edition of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endocrinology, at the Congress’ publications stand in the exhibit hall. Edited by Carmel Mooney, Mark Peterson and Robert Shiel, the book includes a chapter on feline diabetes that discusses SGLT2-inhibitors and other treatments.^1,2

“SGLT2-Inhibitors will be a game-changer for cats [with diabetes] and their owners. However, it is important that cats are diagnosed earlier in the disease process while some insulin secretory capacity is present, for these to be used as the sole drug therapy,” said Jacquie Rand, the chapter’s author, in the release.¹

References

1. New oral hypoglycemic agent for feline diabetes to be discussed at BSAVA Congress 2024. British Small Animal Veterinary Association. February 19, 2024. Accessed March 7, 2024. https://www.bsava.com/article/new-oral-hypoglycaemic-agent-for-feline-diabetes-to-be-discussed-at-bsava-congress-2024/
2. What’s on the at the BSAVA Publications Stand for Congress 2024? British Small Animal Veterinary Association. February 29, 2024. Accessed March 20, 2024. https://www.bsava.com/article/whats-on-at-the-bsava-publications-stand-for-congress-2024/