13 October 2010
Diabetes mellitus (‘sugar diabetes’) is one of the most common hormonal disease seen in dogs and cats with an estimated 1 in 300 going on to develop this condition during their lifetimes. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence to suggest that this number is set to rise as pets live longer and the number of overweight pets increases.
Just as in people, pets with diabetes are not able to produce enough insulin or alternatively their bodies do not allow them to use the insulin they produce. Insulin is vital as it allows sugar in the blood to enter cells allowing the body to function normally. If this process is disrupted, diabetes can result with potentially severe consequences.
As with many diseases, early diagnosis is important. Signs that your pet may be at risk of diabetes include drinking too much water, urinating too much, weight loss despite an increased appetite, and lethargy. However, these signs are not always obvious and easy to miss. Diabetes can cause dogs and cats to become very sick. If diabetes is left untreated, sadly, coma and death can occur. However, with the correct insulin therapy and diet, diabetic pets can lead a long and healthy life.
To increase both the awareness and diagnosis of diabetes in cats and dogs, you are invited to participate in the Great Pet ‘Pee’ Test as part of Pet Diabetes Month in November. To join the campaign, you simply need to visit us during November to pick up a free Great Pet ‘Pee’ Test information leaflet and test strip, then dip the test strip in their cat or dog’s ‘pee’ to indicate a positive or negative result. If a positive result is recorded, you are advised to bring their pet to us for a blood test to confirm the diagnosis.
If you choose to participate you can log your test findings anonymously on www.petdiabetesmonth.co.uk. For each logged result, 10p will be donated to PDSA by the campaign’s organisers, Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. Findings from the survey will be used to help assess current pet diabetes levels throughout the UK and to identify any regional variations.
For further information and to join The Great Pet ‘Pee’ Test, contact us during Pet Diabetes Month this November or visit www.petdiabetesmonth.co.uk
