Small animal medicine resident appears on cover of professional journal

June 1, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Nikki Hackendahl, D.V.M., a second-year small animal medicine resident at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center, graces the cover of the April issue of Compendium. A two-part article Hackendahl wrote, titled “Insulin Resistance in Diabetic Patients: Mechanisms & Classifications” and “Insulin Resistance in Diabetic Patients: Causes and Management,” appears in the journal.

“Basically, in some dogs and cats with diabetes, their blood sugar levels do not regulate as well as others,” Hackendahl said. “When these animals have to receive a lot more insulin than we would expect in order for their blood sugar levels to be controlled, or if they cannot be controlled, we say that these animals have insulin resistance.”

The article focuses on insulin resistance and its causes in dogs and cats, and addresses how to diagnose and manage the problem.