Risk factors for diabetes include excessive fat (obesity), and breed—Poodles, Daschunds (dogs) and Burmese Cats are at increased risk of acquiring diabetes. Older pets are also over-represented for diabetes. Pets taking certain medications can also be at increased risk of diabetes.

Diet plays a large part in diabetes risk in pets (and people). High carbohydrate diets will alter the way sugar is utilised in the body. Feeding lower quality (high carbohydrate) diets can increase the risk of diabetes in pets.
Pets should be fed a premium quality diet. We recommend the Hills Science Diet range of pet foods.

Diabetes in Pets
Text Box: Signs of Diabetes Excessive/Increased Drinking Overweight Weight loss Poor hair coat Cataracts or loss of vision Lethargy (in advanced diabetes) Collapse (in advanced diabetes)

Diabetes mellitus is a disease whereby the patient (human or animal as the case may be) is unable to use sugar in their blood for energy properly. This occurs due to a reduced ability to use the hormone insulin, or a decreased production of insulin. This leads to very high levels of blood sugar levels—with several repercussions.

Cats can often have elevated sugar levels in their blood simply as a stress response (often visiting the vet is enough to trigger this response) so we often rely on a further blood test which looks at the blood

sugar level over several weeks. This test can be included in the tests sent off to the laboratory to diagnose diabetes.

Some cats and dogs can become severely sick from diabetes. The normal protective mechanisms that provide the body with energy (despite the inability to use the normal sugars), cause by-products that are severely toxic at high levels. This causes pets to be lethargic, vomit, dehydrated and potentially die. These complicating factors are diagnosed on the series of blood tests taken to investigate diabetes.

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Text Box: Concerned about diabetes? Give us a call on 9413 3888, email us at info@rosevillevet.com.au or drop in for a chat with our knowledgeable staff.

Diagnosing Diabetes

 

Diabetes is diagnosed with a combination of blood and urine tests. Diabetic pets have high to very high sugar levels in their blood—which is diagnosed on blood tests.

This often leaks out into the urine, leading to sugar in the urine—which is noted on urine testing.

 
Text Box: Pets who are on medications with increased diabetes risk, should have regular examinations and blood tests. If diabetes is discovered early, it is much easier to treat and can be cured. Long term uncontrolled diabetes will cause permanent side effects—and can be fatal. Pets should visit the vet if they are showing any of the signs of diabetes—including increased drinking, weight loss, poor haircoat, increased appetite. Text Box: Preventing Diabetes Diabetes can generally be prevented in pets, by feeding pets a healthy, high quality, balanced diet. Diets that are excessively high in carbohydrates can lead to diabetes. We recommend the Hills Science range of diets. Pets should maintain an ideal body weight, to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is achieved through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise. Older pets should have an annual blood test, which looks atblood sugar level, as well as many other determinants for other common diseases.

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Treating Diabetes in Pets

Once diagnosed with diabetes, pets are usually started on medications. Often this involves insulin injections given twice daily. Some cats can respond to medications which increase insulin secretion and improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Pets are generally given medications for a couple of weeks and then admitted to hospital to monitor their blood sugar levels over the course of the day. Adjustments are then made to the insulin level if need be.

 

Pets with complicated diabetes must be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids to correct dehydration and reduce the blood sugar level. Animals can develop blood poisoning as a result of diabetes which can be life threatening.

 

Many pets will require lifelong treatment with insulin, and ongoing monitoring of blood sugar levels.