Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor treatment in diabetic cats

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors are oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents that represent a new treatment strategy in feline diabetes mellitus and remove the need for daily injections, dose adjustments and glucose curves. Velagliflozin (Senvelgo; Boehringer Ingelheim) is currently the only licensed sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor for use in cats in the UK. It induces glucosuria and thereby lowers blood glucose concentrations, reverses glucotoxicity and improves clinical signs. The most common side effect is loose stools, but these are often self-limiting and short-lived. The most concerning complication of treatment is euglycaemic diabetic ketoacidosis, which is best avoided by appropriate patient selection and effective treatment monitoring.