Glipizide is a drug that is designed for the treatment and management of diabetes mellitus, oftentimes known simply as diabetes. There are two types of diabetes that routinely affect animals. Type I is typically found at birth and is more common in dogs, while type II is associated with weight, exercise and diet and comes about later in life, more often in cats. Glipizide can be used in feline medicine to help manage the health problems of diabetes mellitus type II.
Glipizide Overview
Diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin in the body. Insulin is produced to help control blood sugar levels, and without proper insulin levels, the blood sugar rating may be much too high. It is also frequently difficult to control and tends to go up and down more than normal. Glipizide works to help lower blood sugar levels when they are too high, thereby mitigating the need for lots of insulin production in your cat's system.
It's important to recognize the glipizide is only useful for treating type II diabetes in cats. It is not effective at treating other types of diabetes in cats, and it is not effective at treating any type of diabetes found in dogs either. Glipizide is commonly known by the brand name drug Glucotrol. Glucotrol is developed for use in humans only, but vets can prescribe it as an extra label drug for use in cats.
Using Glipizide for Your Pet
Glipizide comes in tablet form. These tablets can be ground up and mixed in with your pet's food or given along with a treat. Although the tablets come in multiple sizes, generally they must be split up in order to accommodate the proper dosages for cats, as these tend to be much lower than those for humans.
When giving your pet glipizide, it's absolutely crucial that you give him the proper amount of the medicine. This will have a mamor impact on his overall health. By giving your pet glipizide in an improper dose or on an irregular interval, you risk giving him abnormal and inconsistent blood sugar levels, which can result in difficulties. The exact dosage of the medicine depends upon your cat's weight and on his diabetes. Generally, the dosage is given two or three times per day. The dose will need to be carefully monitored and changed according to your pet's overall health level.
Glipizide Side Effects
Glipizide should be avoided in cats suffering from burns, diabetes related coma, ketosis and other medical conditions. It should also be avoided if your pet is taking certain drugs, such as non steroidal anti inflammatories. Tell your vet about all types of drugs and conditions that are applicable for your pet before you begin.
The most common side effects of glipizide are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abnormally low blood sugar
Through careful monitoring and attention to administration schedules, glipizide can help to give your cat a stability in his life that diabetes makes difficult to maintain.