Diabetes isn’t just a human disease

I’m still getting used to it being 2013 so it’s strange to say that last year I started covering some urinary issues that are common in pets. One hormonal cause of increased urination we are now seeing, as our pets live longer, is diabetes mellitus.
In cats, diabetes is a very common cause of increased urination.
There are two types of diabetes in pets, similar to people, based on their responsiveness to insulin: Insulin dependent (Type 1) and Non-insulin dependent (Type 2).
Insulin dependent diabetes is most common in our pets and, as you may expect with the name, is responsive to insulin supplementation. That is because their pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin for various reasons.
Non-insulin dependent diabetes is not from a lack on insulin but rather, receptors on the cells become resistant to insulin.
As a bit of background, insulin is produced by the pancreas and is integral in regulating the body’s sugar uptake and utilisation by the body’s tissues – muscle in particular. When it is not produced in sufficient amounts, or the body’s cells become resistant to its effects, high blood sugar results because muscles and other tissues don’t uptake any of it. When these cells don’t have sugar for energy, they then begin to use protein and fats for energy.
A by-product of using protein are ketones which are a more serious concern than high-blood sugar and can lead to a life-threatening coma.
Cats, because they already rely largely on protein for energy, are significantly more prone to ketoacidosis, as it is known. For some cats, it is only when they are suddenly unconscious that they are seen by a vet. At this point, seconds count for your pet’s survival – early detection is best and it only takes a simple blood and urine test.
The most common early sign of diabetes is increased urination. Under normal circumstances, the kidneys recover any glucose from the urine. With diabetes, your pet’s blood sugar becomes high enough that the kidneys cannot prevent it all from being excreted in the urine. Once it is in the urine, water follows because glucose creates an osmotic draw. Because of the increased urination, if your pet spends most of its time outside and you can’t monitor its urination, you may notice it is drinking more to keep hydrated.
Another common sign is weight loss with a ravenous appetite because the body is unable to use any of its blood sugar for energy.
In cats, where diabetes is most common, they can also develop weakness in the hind limbs so they walk on their hocks.
Treatment for diabetes depends on the severity of the disease. Injections of insulin is key at the beginning. In many cases, with dietary management and insulin supplementation, our pets can go into remission. For that reason, it is very important for your veterinarian to monitor their blood glucose in response to insulin injections by routine blood glucose curves. It is equally important that they eat small, regular meals to prevent their blood sugar from dropping too low.
If your pet does begin to go into remission or doesn’t eat regularly, they may go into shock and become comatose with low blood sugar.
If you have a pet on insulin, you should always have some corn syrup on hand to rub on their gums if they do experience a coma. Corn syrup is quickly absorbed through the gums to raise their blood sugar levels.
Dr. Ryan Ridgway
Southwest Mobile Pet Care

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