Feline Acromegaly: Welfare and Management

Key Welfare Considerations

• Feline acromegaly results from a functional pituitary adenoma secreting excess growth hormone (GH).
• The condition is far more common in cats than previously recognised — prevalence may be 25% of diabetic cats.
• Classic presentation involves insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus with increasing insulin requirements.
• Soft tissue changes including large paws, broad facial features, and prognathia indicate GH excess welfare.
• Internal organ enlargement (cardiomegaly, renomegaly, hepatomegaly) causes progressive welfare deterioration.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from GH excess causes cardiac welfare impairment including congestive heart failure.
• Neurological signs from pituitary tumour expansion include ataxia, blindness, and behavioural welfare changes.
• IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) measurement provides a sensitive diagnostic welfare test.
• MRI of the pituitary gland confirms adenoma size and welfare-relevant CNS compression.
• Radiation therapy at specialist centres reduces tumour size and GH levels, improving welfare significantly.
• Hypophysectomy (pituitary surgery) is available at specialist centres and provides welfare cure in some cases.
• Medical management with pasireotide somatostatin analogue reduces GH levels and improves diabetic welfare control.
• Diabetes management requires very high insulin doses — welfare monitoring prevents hypoglycaemia.
• Cardiac welfare management including furosemide and atenolol addresses secondary heart disease.
• Prognosis depends on tumour size and cardiac involvement — early diagnosis optimises welfare outcomes.