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SHEET Diabetes mellitus in dogs
Health info sheet

Diabetes mellitus in dogs

the diabetic sugar is a endocrine disease present in our pets. It is the most common endocrine disease in dogs and the second most common in cats. It can be transient or more often permanent.

Of the risk factors exist, such as obesity, lack of physical activity, taking certain medications and genetic factors.
Diabetes mellitus is characterized by the presence of too many sugar (glucose) in the blood.

Sugar is found in many types of food and is essential for the functioning of the body. It provides part of the energy necessary for life. It is distributed to all the cells of the body and insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, allows these cells to use this glucose.
In diabetes, theinsulin is no longer produced by the pancreas or no longer works effectively. Glucose then accumulates in the blood and causes hyperglycemia.

Diabetes is a serious illness, which progresses slowly at first but can cause serious complications. Early diagnosis is therefore important. The clinical signs are often very marked: you may notice a weight loss and an marked increase in drinking and some amount of urine (Polyuro-polydipsia), the dog sometimes can no longer restrain himself at night. The urine seems "sticky". Sometimes more severe complications are present: cataract in dogs, abnormal gait in cats (plantigrady), or even acute depression and vomiting, sometimes linked to complicated diabetes mellitus, ketoacidotic diabetes.
The diagnosis is made by your attending veterinarian using a blood test and a urine analysis.

As in humans, treatments exist to stabilize the disease and avoid complications, these are insulin injections that your veterinarian will prescribe. These can be accompanied by a special diet for diabetic animals.

Follow-ups will be carried out in order to verify the dose of insulin and the good clinical evolution of the animal. In general, owners quickly observe that their pet is better, less tired, drinks and urinates less and regains weight.

En/aOn conclusion, do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian for advice and ask to carry out screening blood tests. A diabetic animal will then be able to live happy days with its owner!
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