Health and diet

Four-legged diabetics

You probably have someone among your friends, who has diabetes. However, do you know, that cats and dogs also suffer from this disease quite often?

What diabetes actually is

Diabetes, whether the human or animal form, is caused by lack of insulin (hormone of the pancreas) or by incapability of the body to use it effectively. Insulin transports sugar to body cells and thereby it decreases its level in the blood.

With diabetes, sugar accumulates in the blood and causes the so-called hyperglycaemia. Excessive sugar damages organs and disrupts the inner body balance: higher blood sugar level increases plasma density, which results in a drop of liquids in the cells and in their dehydration and damage. Cells lower proteins production and this results in loss of body weight, weakness, lowered function of the immunity system, worsened healing of wounds etc. Moreover, the organism must obtain energy from other sources, mostly from fats, and thereby, a great amount of waste substances pile up in the body.

In dogs, diabetes is a relatively common disease and it can affect them in the same manner as cats. Even though some breeds are more predisposed to it (for instance poodles, dachshunds or German shepherds, from cats, it is the Burmese cat), any dog can get it, usually of a middle or higher age. However, female dogs are affected by diabetes more often, mainly the uncastrated ones, and castrated tomcats.

How does diabetes originate in an animal

In most cases, diabetes is caused by a disease of the pancreas – an autoimmune reaction, inflammation or tumorous disease. Another reason may be the mentioned resistance of tissues to insulin. Obesity may also be a trigger, in cats a metabolic illness.

Symptoms

The symptoms usually appear only slowly. An indicator is mainly an increased intake of liquids and thereby also more frequent urination. Later, we can notice the animal is losing weight, despite its eating habits remaining unchanged and it consuming the same amount of food. In advanced stage, dermal conditions can appear or diseases of the urinary tract. The animal is often tired or it’s more difficult for them to breathe.

If you’d overlook the symptoms in the long term, the illness would develop into its final stage: the animal will gradually get blind, it will suffer from vomiting, lack of appetite, apathy, dehydration and that can be followed by a shock and death.

If you suspect that your pet might have diabetes, then for sure do not hesitate and see a veterinarian. Diabetes can be established by blood withdrawal and assessment of blood sugars or by evidence of sugar in urine.

Treatment of diabetes

If it concerns a bitch, castration is necessary to stabilise her. Since in an absolute majority of the cases, diabetes in bitches is caused by unbalance of sex hormones, that causes the resistance to insulin to develop. Without castration, it is virtually impossible to find the right dosage of insulin.

Treatment of diabetes is lifelong, as in people. It consists of a diet and subdermal insulin application.

Fortunately, today, you will also find diet granules for diabetics on the market and there are even treats made for them. So even a pet with this disease can have the same life as other animals if it receives the right care.

Have you got a four-legged diabetic at home? What is life with such ill animal like and what does it entail?

 

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