Could your pet be living with diabetes?
Diabetes is a surprisingly common condition in cats and dogs.
Is your dog or cat excessively thirsty or do they need to urinate more than normal? Is your pet increasingly lethargic or losing weight, despite a healthy appetite? Then he or she may indeed be suffering from diabetes mellitus.
If you suspect your pet may be at increased risk, then book an appointment with us at the earliest opportunity. Fortunately, diabetes can be easily diagnosed with a simple urine and/or blood test.
Which pets are most at risk?
In cats, all ages and sexes can be affected. However older cats and neutered males are particularly susceptible and it has been reported that diabetes is particularly prevalent in the Burmese breed. Diabetes is caused either by the pet’s pancreas producing insufficient amounts of the body’s naturally occurring hormone, insulin; or the failure of its body cells to respond to insulin. This in turn means that glucose from food doesn’t provide enough energy to the pet’s body.
What’s the treatment?
If your pet does have diabetes then help is at hand. As well as a consistent and carefully controlled diet, regular injections of insulin need to be administered (once or twice daily) to help control the condition. In cats, up to a third of insulin-treated diabetic cases may go into remission and may therefore come off treatment altogether. Although this is unusual in dogs, a good quality of life can be restored for the majority of diabetic pets given insulin treatment and appropriate care. Early diagnosis, however, is key.
