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One in 300 Dogs and Cats may Develop Diabetes

Diabetes in dogs and cats
Image by JackieLou DL from Pixabay

Middle-aged and older dogs are the most susceptible to developing the diabetes. Approximately one in 300 dogs and cats develop diabetes mellitus in their lifetime and, as in humans, proper diet and proper administration of insulin can help them improve their condition.

The veterinary organization MSD Animal Health has made an appeal to make dog and cat owners aware of the importance of early detection of diabetes in pets, as it is a disease that does not it only affects humans.

According to a report by MSD Animal Health, middle-aged and older dogs are the most susceptible to developing diabetes, with unsterilized females being the most affected, and if we focus on the breed, miniature poodles, dachshunds, Schnauzers, Cairn Terriers, and Beagles are at higher risk for the disease, although anyone can be affected.

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As for cats, they can have diabetes at any age, without any predisposition due to sex or race , although male adults, especially if they are obese or neutered, are the ones that occupy the first positions and Burmese, Russian blues, Norwegian forest cats, and Abyssinians have also been found to be at higher incidence.

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Diabetes is a disease caused by the body’s inability to produce or use insulin and its origin can be due to various reasons, from obesity – one of the main triggers – to genetic predisposition, just as in people, through lack of exercise, which contributes to increased insulin resistance and leads to Type II diabetes.

Even in the same sanitary conditions, males have less sensitivity to insulin than females (30-40%), which makes them much more vulnerable, and if we stick to age, the older the pet, the greater the risk of suffering from diabetes, with animals older than 7 years being the most prone.

How to Know

To find out if our animal is diabetic, it would be necessary to check if it meets the three ‘pes’ of the disease: increased appetite and food intake, although with weight loss; numerous urinations both in frequency and quantity and abundant consumption of water, symptoms that usually remit when diabetes is under control.

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In addition, over time some sick dogs may develop ocular cataracts, an anomaly that can be delayed by applying the appropriate preventive measures, while in the case of cats the risk of suffering from this eye ailment is minimal, but on certain occasions they may present discoloration. Yellowing of the mucous membranes and an abnormal posture when walking, caused by neuropathy.

To cure diabetes in animals, it is important to maintain adequate eating patterns, whether there is insulin resistance or if its production is altered.

Likewise, the animal must be supplied with a correct dose of insulin through the appropriate devices that exist in the market and that allow an easy, simple, fast and safe administration, assure from MSD Animal Health and add that the rates of remission of the disease in the Cats can reach 90%, while in dogs diabetes usually lasts a lifetime.


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