Published: September 18, 2006 10:11 pm      

Dogs, cats prone to diabetes development

EDMOND — With so much emphasis on human diabetes these days, I thought it might be of interest to dog and cat owners to know a little more regarding its impact on their pets. Dogs and cats in America have diabetes at about the same rate as we do — about one in every 400 to 500 is positively diagnosed each year.

The American Diabetes Association tells us 7 percent of our human population is afflicted with diabetes mellitus (DM) — that’s 20.8 million people in this country with DM — 14.6 million diagnosed and 6.2 million undiagnosed. If that’s true, and I’m sure it’s at least close, that means there also are a large number of companion dogs and cats in the United States similarly affected.

I recall the surprised look on many clients’ faces when told their dog or cat had diabetes. The response was often, “I didn’t even realize that dogs and cats could have diabetes.” Once convinced that diabetes is a fairly common disease in dogs and cats, the surprised owner’s first question is usually, “What caused it in my particular dog who gets the best care I can give him?”

Good question; no one really knows for sure, although the leading predisposing factors are genetics, obesity and immune-deficiencies such as when the body oddly develops antibodies that destroy cells in the insulin-producing pancreas. Without sufficient insulin, the body’s cells cannot absorb and thus utilize the necessary circulating blood sugar, which eventually ends up in the urinary tract.

Dr. Thomas Shermerhorn, a research professor at the Kansas State School of Veterinary Medicine, sums it up by stating: “We know what goes wrong in diabetes, but we don’t know why it happens.”

Diabetes can occur at any age in dogs and cats, but is most commonly seen between seven and nine. Breeds having the highest incidence are poodles, miniature schnauzers and dachshunds. Females are about twice as likely as males to develop diabetes and unspayed females have a much higher incidence than spayed females.

Cats exhibit no breed predisposition, and a small number of diabetic cats will, after a period of time, and for unknown reasons, lose their requirement for insulin therapy. A strange disease, indeed.

The most common signs of diabetes in dogs and cats are excessive hunger, weight loss, excessive thirst and excessive urination. Animals with diabetes are far more susceptible to infections, injuries are slower to heal, heart disease is more likely to develop and early onset of cataracts, with resultant blindness, is common. Without proper treatment many animals with diabetes will perish within a few months.

The good news about diabetes in dogs and cats is it is usually manageable with the disease having little effect on the pet’s ability to live a full and happy life. But this comes at a price. An owner must be willing to undertake a fairly large financial obligation and make a time and energy commitment. Great individual variations exist in different cases of diabetes and it is consequently important to work closely with your veterinarian for the life of the pet regarding type of insulin to be used, dosage, exercise recommendations, proper diet and to make the owner more aware of other possible health threats.

(Dr. William K. Fauks is a retired Oklahoma City veterinarian. If you have any questions regarding the health of your pet, write to “Ask a Vet,” at 3142 Venice Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73112, or e-mail bfauks1@aol.com.)