Insulin resistance in cats
Last Updated Aug 2007
Q: I am a practicing small animal veterinarian. I have used fish oil supplementation
to treat arthritis, food and inhalant allergies in a high number of dogs and cats.
Most commercially prepared pet foods are very high in simple carbohydrates. While
cats do develop type 2 diabetes, dogs do not. Do you have evidence to suggest that
glycemic load and increased insulin levels from over-consumption of simple carbs
reduce the efficacy of EPA supplementation and result in escalated levels of silent
inflammation?
A: Cats are very prone to the development of diabetes due to their different genetics
compared to dogs. The latest research indicates that cats will do much better on a
very high-protein diet (approximately 60-70 percent protein), whereas dogs do much
better on a Zone-like balance. By reducing the glycemic load of the cat food,
significantly lower amounts of EPA will be required to provide significant health
benefits.