Pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus and its relationship with obesity in cats

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrinopathies in cats, and its incidence has increased in recent years associated with a significant increase in the percentage of obese cats. The main factors in the pathophysiology of this disease are the development of insulin resistance, dysfunction and / or loss of beta cells, deficient secretion of insulin and islet amyloidosis (IA). Insulin sensitivity is significantly reduced in obese patients, therefore, several authors have tried to find linking factors between obesity and FDM. Among these, alterations in glucose transport, increase in triglycerides and fatty acids, deposits of amyloid in the islets and effect of hormones such as leptin and proinflammatory cytokines have been considered.