Brief Description
Simply put, diabetes mellitus (DM) is the presence of hyperglycemia as a result of inadequate insulin secretion or insulin sensitivity. There are several factors which can lead to DM including genetics and pancreatic disease. Regardless of the cause, diabetes mellitus leads to abnormal metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
Figure 1: When insulin is not released properly, this affects blood glucose (BG) levels in the bloodstream. This is why diabetic pets receive insulin injections, to prevent the BG from spiking and causing secondary issues. 1
Symptoms
Symptoms can vary slightly between species but some common ones seen in both cats and dogs include:
- increased appetite with a history of weight*
- increased water intake and urination*
- secondary urinary tract infections (UTI)
- more glucose means more energy or food for the bacteria
- dull hair coat
- lethargy
*These symptoms together are your main external indicators of diabetes. A combination of these symptoms can be an indication of diabetes but these symptoms individually can fit a variety of other illnesses.
An additional symptom seen in cats is an abnormal gait – walking pattern – specifically in the hind legs.
Diagnostics
The first step of diagnosing a dog or cat with diabetes mellitus (DM) is determining if the symptoms are compatible with the syndrome. As mentioned, the symptoms of DM can fit other illnesses; so, the next step is to rule out other possibilities such as kidney failure and hyperthyroidism (cats only). Two “go to” diagnostic tests are a lab panel and urinalysis: These two tests can eliminate a fair amount of illnesses. If these tests come back clear, doctors will select additional tests to run based on the following:
- level of suspicion
- what the owner can afford
Since the primary internal sign of diabetes is high levels of glucose in the blood , your doctor may go straight to doing a blood glucose reading if the previously mentioned diagnostics come back clear.
Treatment
Once it has been established that your pet has diabetes, the first step in treatment is to start them on insulin. Most of the time several adjustments are made to the insulin dose before the correct one is determined. Typically, the initial dose is prescribed for a month, after which the glucose levels are tested again to see how the body is responding. Some doctor’s may even suggest changing your pet’s diet in addition to administering insulin.
References
Weir, M., Williams, K., Downing, R., and Ward, R (n.a) ‘Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs:
Overview’. Available at:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/diabetes-mellitus-in-dogs-overview