What Is Diabetes Mellitus In Dogs

Diabetes mellitus occurs on pets when the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin to control blood sugar or when the cells of the body become insensitive to insulin.

What is diabetes mellitus in dogs. As in people diabetes is a very common chronic disease in dogs and cats. Type i diabetes mellitus sometimes also called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus results from total or near complete destruction of the insulin producing beta cells. Some dog breeds are predisposed to chronic pancreatitis and diabetes including keeshonds and samoyeds. These cells die as a result of inflammation of the pancreas known as pancreatitis.

In dogs diabetes mellitus is usually insulin dependent diabetes mellitus also called type 1 diabetes. In dogs type i diabetes is caused by the destruction of insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes usually results from the destruction of most or all of the beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. Most cases of spontaneous diabetes occur in middle aged dogs and middle aged to older cats.

Although diabetes in pets is sometimes classified as type i or ii the difference between the types is less clear in pets than it is in humans. A key element in the proper use of sugar and starches is the hormone insulin which is secreted by special cells beta cells in the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the beta cells of the endocrine pancreas either stop producing insulin or can no longer produce it in enough quantity for the body s needs. In some pets there is a genetic predisposition to diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism due to relative or absolute insulin deficiency. As the name implies dogs with this type of diabetes require insulin injections to stabilize blood sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus in dogs diabetes mellitus is a disease state by which the body suffers from either an absolute shortage of insulin type i or insulin dependent or from an incorrect response from the cells to the insulin that is being produced a condition termed insulin resistance type ii or insulin resistant. Insulin is required for the body to efficiently use sugars fats and proteins.

Diabetes most commonly occurs in middle age to older dogs and cats but occasionally occurs in young animals. Type i occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin and type ii occurs when the body can not respond normally to the amount of insulin made by the pancreas. As the name implies dogs with this type of diabetes require insulin injections to stabilize blood sugar. Diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas doesn t produce enough insulin.

The condition is treatable and need not shorten the animal s life span or interfere with quality of life. These cells are known as the islets of langerhans.