Feline acromegaly from a pituitary tumour causing excess growth hormone is increasingly recognised as a common cause of poorly controlled feline diabetes, with significant welfare implications.
Acromegaly causes welfare problems through uncontrolled diabetes and the physical effects of excess growth hormone including joint pain from arthritis, cardiac enlargement, and neurological effects as the pituitary tumour grows. Cats with undiagnosed acromegaly struggle with poorly controlled diabetes despite high insulin doses — a frustrating welfare situation for owners and cats alike. Recognising acromegaly allows appropriate treatment that significantly improves diabetes control, reducing the chronic welfare harm of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemic crises. The increasing availability of specialist pituitary surgery offers potential cure for a condition that was previously managed only palliatively.