Diabetes in dogs BY: DR KATHRYN KNIPE FROM BIRNAM VETERINARY CLINIC
What is Diabetes? Diabetes, or more accurately, Diabetes mellitus, is a complex disease resulting in an insufficiency of insulin, the hormone which is responsible for helping the body utilize glucose as an energy source in the body. Diabetes in dogs is only rarely diagnosed in young dogs. Most dogs develop insulin-dependent, or type 1 diabetes mellitus, at a later stage in life. In this article, we will focus on the classic type 1 diabetes that develops in older dogs. How would diabetes develop in my dog? The development of diabetes in dogs is usually a result of an inability of the pancreas, which is responsible for the production of hormones that regulate blood glucose, to produce adequate amounts of insulin. This can occur as a result of destruction of pancreatic cells due to chronic inflammation in the pancreas (known as chronic pancreatitis) or auto-immune destruction of the pancreatic cells (the body attacking its own cells). Insulin resistance is an additional complicating factor that can have many causes. What factors put my dog at risk for developing diabetes? Diabetes is typically diagnosed in older dogs, with females being twice as likely to be affected as males. There is a genetic predisposition suspected in poodles (miniature and standard), Schnauzers (miniature and standard), Bichon Frise and Samoyeds. Obesity is a high-risk factor. Chronic or recurrent pancreatitis can lead to destruction of the pancreatic cells responsible
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MARCH 2022 | PETPRINTS
