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Diabetes mellitus is a relative or absolute lack of the hormone, insulin. Insulin promotes efficient cellular entry and use of blood sugar for energy. Without sufficient insulin, blood sugar rises to abnormally high concentrations while cells of the body are deprived of sugar as an energy source. Fat and muscle break down to become alternative energy sources.
Incidence
Diabetes occurs in about 1 in 200 dogs and 1 in 400 cats. It is the second most common hormone abnormality diagnosed in dogs and cats. the disease usually occurs after 7 years of age. Female dogs and male cats are at higher than average risk.
Signs
- Excessive thirst and urination, urine accidents in the house, and wanting to go outside in the middle of the night to urinate.
- Hunger increases at the same time that body weight is decreasing from the depletion of fat and muscle for energy.
- Depression, lack of appetite and vomiting occur in later stages of the disease when acids are produced due to the breakdown of fat as an energy source.
- Whitening of the lens of the eye (cataracts) can develop rapidly in diabetic dogs.
Diagnosis
Your veterinarian can diagnose diabetes by determining the concentration of blood sugar in the blood and urine.
Treatment
All cases of diabetes in dogs and most cases of diabetes in cats must be treated with daily injections of insulin, plus closely regulated exercise and diet. diabetes in cats has a slower onset than in dogs. when diagnosed early, diabetes in cats may be controlled by dietary changes and, in some cases, pills that assist the effectiveness of insulin.
Prevention measures
In dogs, diabetes is most often caused by damage to the pancreas, the organ which normally produces insulin. the initial cause for the damage is rarely evident. by the time diabetes mellitus is diagnosed at least 90% of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas have been lost. prevention of obesity may prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.
Diabetes in cats usually stem from an accumulation of a substance called amyloid in the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. amyloid deposits slowly impair pancreatic cell production of insulin. the cause for amyloid accumulation is not known nor is any means of prevention known. however, avoiding obesity can lessen the severity of the disease.
For more information, contact your local veterinarian or the mu veterinary medical teaching hospital 573-882-7821 or visit <http://www.Vmth.Missouri.Edu/>
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