Diabetes Symptoms in Dogs & Cats
by Robert Hudson
Diabetes Symptoms in Dogs & Cats occurs when your dog or cat has stopped producing insulin or has an abnormal response to insulin.
There is no cure. The disease needs to be managed and when done properly your dog or cat will live an otherwise normal life.
In dogs, diabetes mellitus is common. It is not limited to middle-aged or older animals. When it does happen in young dogs it is a sign it may be hereditary to the entire litter. Some breeds including Toy Poodles, Terriers, and Golden Retrievers have a higher rate of occurrence.
In cats, diabetes mellitus is more common in older or overweight cats. Breeds such as the Siamese experience an above-average rate of diabetes.
If you do nothing then it becomes life threatening. The effects upon your pets is life changing. For dogs the most common diabetes-related issues include:
- Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia (that may be induced by incorrect insulin dosing)
- Ketoacidosis (ketones and high acidity in body fluids)
- Cataracts
- Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia (that may be induced by transient remission or incorrect insulin dosing)
- Chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Poor grooming and dry, lusterless coat
- Recurrent infections
- Ketoacidosis (ketones and high acidity in body fluids)
- Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve dysfunction resulting in an abnormal stance)
1 out of 100 dogs has it by the age of 12 and 1 in 500 cats will also have this condition. Their pancreatic cells produce little or no insulin. Or there is an abnormal response to the insulin that is produced.
In the following interview, we discuss Diabetes Symptoms in Dogs & Cats in detail.
