Diabetic cataract is one of the more common complications of diabetes mellitus in dogs. It can be treated surgically but possible comorbidities such as kidney disease, systemic hypertension and peripheral neuropathies complicate anesthesia.
The study referenced herein aimed to compare four protocols for preanesthetic insulin administration and fasting time with respect to the variation of intraoperative blood glucose concentrations versus preanesthetic values. The patient records of dogs undergoing cataract surgery are included for review.
Source: JAAHA, January/February 2020. Link. In conclusion study authors state different insulin and fasting regimen protocols may be used for diabetic patients with no apparent benefit or risk from one protocol versus another.
INSIGHTS: Veterinary teams will be pleased to have four regimens to use when performing diabetic cataract surgery on dogs. We seldom see method comparisons with no clear benefit from one versus another.