November is National Pet Diabetes Month

Dr. David Gagnon

 

 

November is National Pet Diabetes Month.  People are becoming increasingly familiar with diabetes, as it is a growing health problem in our society, and there are countless medical advertisements on TV.

Our pets get diabetes too.  So what do uncontrolled diabetics look like?  We (yes, we... I am diabetic too) drink a lot of water, and then out it comes as urine.  Since the body isn’t able to utilize the glucose it receives from food, the body believes it’s in starvation mode, so appetite initially goes up too.  For the same reason, diabetics lose weight.  This last fact is sometimes confusing to people, because we often associate diabetes as happening in overweight people or animals.  This is true, as being overweight or obese is a risk factor, but once diabetes sets in, those animals then lose weight.

In some dogs, diabetes happens along with another hormonal condition, such as Cushing’s disease.  Cushing’s disease causes the body to produce too much steroid hormone, and steroids can cause insulin resistance, thus leading to diabetes.  Cushing’s disease, diabetes, and other metabolic or hormonal disorders, can look very similar, so we initially recommend full bloodwork to make sure that there’s nothing more going on.

Now that we have a diagnosis of diabetes, how do we treat?  Almost always, it requires insulin injections.  Dietary changes can help avoid drastic swings in blood sugar levels too.  Pets do require routine blood sugar checks to be sure that the insulin dose is appropriate.  With adequate treatment, most animals have a very good prognosis!

What happens if your diabetic pet goes untreated, or if it’s not well-controlled?  He will continue to lose weight and become increasingly lethargic.  He is also at a greater risk for urinary tract infections, pancreatitis, and peripheral neuropathies.  The most common long-term complication in dogs is irreversible cataract formation in the eyes, but this is not true for cats.  There’s a risk for developing diabetic ketoacidosis, in which animals’ electrolytes and acidity level of the blood can become altered and potentially life threatening.

If you notice your pet’s energy level is decreasing, or if he spends more time at his water dish or having to go outside more than usual (or if he’s having urinary accidents inside), call your veterinarian right away.  This may be due to diabetes, and treatment could give him – and you – a much happier life!  If we catch it and treat it early enough in cats, there’s a chance for remission, thus eliminating the need for insulin treatment.  I love it when that happens!

                                                         Pet Diabetes Risk Assessment

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