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Diabetes Mellitus is a commonly diagnosed disorder in the older cat and dog. Animals are typically insulin dependent, like juvenile diabetes in humans.
Without insulin the body is unable to use the sugars, proteins and fats absorbed from the intestinal tract into the blood stream. The sugars accumulate within the blood and the kidneys become overwhelmed. Normally kidneys can reabsorb the sugars back into the body but when the sugar concentration is too high, sugars spill into the urine. The increase in sugar within the urine causes more water to be lost, too. This is why a diabetic pet often drinks and urinates excessively. The loss of sugars and the inability to use the sugars, proteins and fats by the body results in weight loss and an increase in appetite.
If the diabetic state goes unrecognized a vicious cycle develops. Without insulin, fat cannot be converted into its normal storage form and instead is converted to ketones. The ketones can result in acidic blood, dehydration, overwhelming urinary tract infections and abnormalities in the blood which may result in heart arrhythmias which kills the pet via a heart attack. Diabetic Ketoacidosis can also result in abnormal behavior and coma and is a very serious complication of diabetes.
Diabetes is treated with insulin therapy. The most important goal of therapy is to resolve clinical signs. A well controlled diabetic exhibits a noticeable decrease in water intake and urination frequency and have a more normal appetite.
When a pet is first started on insulin it can take 2-4 days to get the body in balance. This lag phase also occurs whenever the dose is changed or after surgical/anesthetic procedures that can upset regulation. It is essential to watch the pet for signs of low blood sugar: weakness, trembling, twitching, disorientation or seizures. If there are other diseases going on with the pet and/or other drugs being given to the pet then getting the diabetic pet’s insulin level under control will be compromised. Complicating factors include: the pet being on steroid medications, having an underlying urinary tract infection, stress, kidney disease, thyroid disease, heart disease and hormone imbalances. These other diseases must be addressed before attempting to gain control of the diabetes.
The most important monitoring device for the diabetic patient is how they are doing at home. Monitor to see if the pet is still displaying the clinical signs of increased water consumption, increased ruin output and frequency, urine accidents in the home, increased appetite and food consumption. It is important to monitor body weight every month either at home or at the hospital. With control, the animal’s body weight should stabilize and they should gain some weight if they were thin at the time of diagnoses. If the pet was obese to start with it should be corrected because all patients respond better to insulin therapy if they are not overweight.
Signs of poor control can include: weight loss despite an excellent appetite, recurring infection of the skin, urinary tract, or respiratory system
In addition to low blood sugar and diabetic ketoacidosis there are other complications associated with Diabetes Mellitus. These complications include cataracts, blindness, inflammation of the pancreas and digestive tract (vomiting, not eating, dehydration, abdominal pain), diseases of the kidneys and nerves, as well as increased infections of the urinary tract, respiratory tract, liver, anal sacs, tooth roots, ears and skin.
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