Feline acromegaly (hypersomatotropism) is chronic growth hormone (GH) excess, almost always from a slow-growing GH-secreting pituitary adenoma. It matters because it is a leading cause of insulin-resistant diabetes in cats and is easy to miss.
Key facts
Acromegaly at a glance- Species and system: cat; endocrine (anterior pituitary).
- Cause: GH-secreting adenoma of the pars distalis; rarely hyperplasia.
- Signalment: older cats (8 to 14 years), apparently more common in males.
- Classic presentation: a diabetic cat needing ever larger insulin doses and gaining weight, often with a broad face, large paws, organomegaly or stridor.
- Prevalence: about 25% of diabetic cats screened in a large UK study (24.8%).
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
13 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Working through the case
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 3 self-test questions and 9 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.