November is Pet Diabetes Awareness Month

What is diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is the medical term for diabetes.  Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas.  The pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin.  Insulin regulates blood glucose (blood sugar).  When the pancreas produces an insufficient amount of insulin, there is an excessive amount of glucose (an important source of energy) in the blood.  Healthy pets easily produce insulin, where diabetic pets do not. 

What are the signs of diabetes?

Some common signs of diabetic dogs and cats are: excessive thirst, excessive urination, excessive hunger while losing weight, lethargy (sleeps more/less active), and hind end weakness in cats.  If you have noticed any of these signs in your pet, an exam by your veterinarian is highly recommended.

How is diabetes diagnosed by my veterinarian?

Your veterinarian will start by taking a history of your pet’s symptoms and by performing a thorough examination.  She will run a chemistry profile (a blood test) to check a blood glucose level, kidney, and liver function.  She will test a sample of urine for glucose and ketones (acids produced by the body as it breaks down fat instead of glucose for energy).  Your veterinarian will use these lab results along with the history given by the owner to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. 

How is diabetes mellitus treated?

Diabetes is a manageable condition and requires long term commitment to optimize your pet’s health.  Proper diet and vigorous daily exercise are critical to successfully manage diabetes.  Your veterinarian will recommend a diet and exercise plan that is best suited for your pet.  It is very important to feed your pet at scheduled times consistently.  Also, insulin injections are often required to regulate blood glucose levels.  These injections are given just under the skin.  Your veterinarian will teach you how to give these injections.

Home monitoring is very important to successful management of diabetes.  Some vital things to be aware of daily are: appetite, weight loss or gain, water consumption, and urine output.  Any significant change in these factors can indicate that your pet’s diabetes is not well regulated, and your veterinarian should be contacted immediately.  Also, monitoring of blood glucose by urine or blood is often necessary at home and by your veterinarian to maintain regulated diabetes. 

Close communication and cooperation with your veterinarian along with proper management and monitoring will lead to a happy, healthy, and active life of your diabetic pet.