You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

A high blood glucose concentration may not be clinically significant in diabetic cats that are otherwise stabilised with insulin

Nervous, excited or fractious cats often develop a transient stress-induced hyperglycaemia. In such circumstances it can be difficult to be sure whether or not the high glucose represents a true shift in stability of the diabetic patients glycaemic state, or whether it is simply a result of stress.

In evaluating such cases Professor Richard Nelson of the University of California, Davis recommends the measurement of serum fructosamine because these glycated proteins are not affected by stress, and high concentrations are found in poorly controlled diabetics. Concentrations of serum fructosamine can be used to indicate the effectiveness of insulin therapy :

• Serum fructosamine  below 500 mol/L indicate good glycaemic control
• 500-550 are inconclusive
• Over 550 mol/L indicates poor glycaemic control 

Last updated : January 2016