Symptoms of Diabetes in Animals

Diabetes is caused by the body not producing enough insulin or using insulin improperly. Many of the disease's symptoms in animals are similar to those present in humans with diabetes. When an animal exhibits the symptoms common in diabetes, a diagnosis by a licensed veterinarian is necessary to examine levels of sugar in the blood and urine. Fortunately, diabetes is manageable with ongoing care and insulin injections.

Background

Insulin is required for the body to properly use sugars, proteins and fats. Diabetes in animals most commonly affects middle-aged and older animals and is most common in female dogs and male cats. There are two types of diabetes in animals, uncomplicated diabetes and diabetes with ketoacidosis.

Risk Factors

Animals that are overweight are at higher risk for developing diabetes. Certain medications can interfere with insulin and lead to diabetes. When animals develop diabetes at a young age, the condition is often genetic.

Symptoms

Diabetes can have a wide range of symptoms that are similar to human diabetes. Weight loss is common, despite an often increased appetite. The disease can also cause a decrease in appetite. The animal will often have increased thirst and more frequent urination. Kidney, bladder and skin infections are common side-effects when the disease goes untreated. In dogs, diabetes may lead to cataracts in the eyes, caused by accumulation of water in the lens. This can potentially lead to blindness. Less common symptoms include weakness and an altered gait caused by nerve or muscle malfunctions. Diabetes with ketoacidosis has additional symptoms. Ketoacidosis occurs when there are a high concentration of ketones in the urine. Ketones are acids the body produces when it doesn't have enough insulin in the blood. If the diabetes is present with ketoacidosis the animal may also be ill, vomiting and depressed.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of diabetes is made by a veterinarian examining blood and urine samples of the animal in question. A large increase in blood sugar and high amount of sugar in the urine are indicative of diabetes.

Treatment

Long-term treatment of diabetes involves daily injections of insulin. Although oral medications are commonly used in cats, the treatment has not been found as effective in dogs. If ketoacidosis is present, the animal will be given intravenous fluids and rapid-acting insulin. After the animal has stopped vomiting and is eating normally, insulin treatment will continue as with uncomplicated diabetes.