Diabetes Mellitus (DM), sounds scientific, doesn’t it? It basically just means “sugar diabetes.” It’s derived from the Greek word Diabetes, meaning siphon (or to pass through), and the Latin word Mellitus, meaning honeyed or sweet. In short, diabetes mellitus causes excess sugar (sweetness) to pass through into your urine, hence the greek/Latin name.
Another fun fact for you, many ancient healers and not-so-ancient doctors used to taste the urine of people with diabetes. If it had a sweet taste they would let you know you had diabetes and if it didn’t…. I imagine they would just spit it out and ask that you keep that between yourselves.
Enough about the history though, let’s take a look into what’s happening in your animal’s body when they have diabetes.
What Exactly Is Diabetes?
For starters, diabetes mellitus is a form of Insulin-deficiency diabetes (sometimes referred to as Type I), and it’s the most common type of diabetes in dogs. The root cause of this form is a damaged or improperly functioning pancreas that cannot produce enough insulin.
To go even further, your pets have two very important players in the breakdown of food nutrients into energy that powers the body’s cells: glucose and insulin. Digested food is broken down into nutrients including glucose, a type of sugar that acts as an energy source. Insulin basically tells the cells to pick up glucose and other nutrients and delivers them to their organs so they have the energy to work properly.
When your pet can’t produce enough insulin, their cells don’t grab the glucose and two things happen: their organs and cells are starved of the energy they need to properly work, and all of the excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream and causes all kinds of damage to some very important organs like the kidneys, eyes, and heart.
How Can I Tell If My Pet Has Diabetes?
According to the AVMA, the symptoms are as follows:
- Excessive water drinking and increased urination
- Weight loss, even though there may be an increased appetite
- Decreased appetite
- Cloudy eyes (especially in dogs)
- Chronic or recurring infections (including skin infections and urinary infections)
If you came here from our FaceBook page, you may have seen the poll with these symptoms, so if you guessed Diabetes as the disease then you are wicked smart!
So How Can I Treat Diabetes?
First and foremost, your pet will need some insulin, and the only way to give them what they need is in the form of a daily insulin injection, which your veterinarian can prescribe to you. If your pet is having trouble getting diagnosed, getting regulated, or is severely ill and diabetic, our internal medicine team are experts in endocrine disorders like diabetes.
Secondly, diabetic pets need to be put on stricter diets. For dogs, daily exercise and a high-fiber diet are often recommended. For cats, daily exercise and a high protein – low carb diet is recommended. But don’t take my word for it, every case is different so make sure you talk to your veterinarian and find out what works best for your furry friend.
Well, What Are The Biggest Risk Factors?
- Age: Diabetes is most common in older pets: 4-14 years of age for dogs, and older than the age of 6 for cats. With age comes a greater risk for health problems that can lead to diabetes. Problems such as overactivity of the adrenal gland in dogs (hyperadrenocorticism) or overactivity of the thyroid gland in cats (hyperthyroidism), pancreatitis, heart disease, kidney disease, urinary tract infections, skin infections, Cushing’s disease, Some autoimmune disorders and viral diseases, long-term steroid medications, etc.
- Gender: unspayed female dogs are twice as likely to get diabetes than their male counterparts.
- Obesity: while absolute units may be cute, they are at a much higher risk for insulin resistance and pancreatitis (among other health issues), which can lead to diabetes.
- Genetics: According to akc.org:
“A 2003 study found that overall, mixed-breeds are no less prone to diabetes than are purebreds. Among purebreds, breeds vary in susceptibility, some with very low risk and others with higher risk. Some that may be at higher risk include miniature Poodles, Bichons Frises, Pugs, Dachshunds, Miniature Schnauzers, Puli, Samoyeds, Keeshonds, Australian Terriers, Fox Terriers, Cairn Terriers, and Beagles.”
Find Out Your Pets Diabetes Risk
If you’re still curious if your pet is at risk, we have a handy dandy quiz available for you here!
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