The Tribune

Dr Basil Sands

Diabetes is defined as a disease caused by a deficiency of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and is necessary for body tissues to use blood sugar. Without insulin, sugar remains in the blood and eventually passes in the urine. This causes increased urine production and thirst.

Hunger increases because the body cannot use the sugar in the blood. As the disease progresses, chemicals call ketones accumulate, resulting in vomiting and dehydration. Eventually coma and then death occurs in untreated animals. Diabetes is not a curable disease, but with proper insulin treatment the disease can be controlled. Diabetic dogs are susceptible to some of the same complications seen in people.

Eye problems: Cataracts are common complications of diabetes in dogs. Diabetic cataracts form when glucose is converted to sorbitol within the lens of the eye. Sorbitol can't get out of the lens and it attracts water from the blood stream which causes the lens fiber to swell and burst, creating cataracts. Cataracts can cause blindness but they can be surgically removed even though I do not recommend this surgery. Problems with the retina are common in diabetic people, but not in diabetic dogs.

Infections: Diabetic dogs and people both are susceptible to skin infections, poor wound healing, urinary tract infections and pneumonia.

Organs: Kidney problems are not a common complication for diabetic dogs as seen in diabetic people. Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas) can be a cause or an effect of diabetes mellitus in dogs.

Nerve problems: People with diabetes sometimes develop numbness in their hands or feet. Nerve complications are rare in dogs. Occasionally, however a dog whose diabetes has not been controlled will have weakness in the hind legs, poor reflexes or muscle wasting.

Diabetes does seem to occur more in some breeds of dogs than in others. It is found in higher than average numbers of miniature schnauzer, pugs, beagles, and miniature and toy poodles. Recurring bouts of pancreatitis can destroy enough of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas to result in diabetes. But in most cases the underlying cause of the disease is not known.

Treatment: Unfortunately, oral medications for diabetes don't work for dogs. Those medications like Glucotrol and Glucophage instead of insulin can control diabetes in people. Diabetic dogs require insulin injections.

Diet, however, does have a place in controlling diabetes in dogs. A high fiber diet slows the absorption of simple carbohydrates from the digestive tract and helps smooth out the post meal glucose spike.

The biggest worry for most people whose dogs are diagnosed with diabetes is the thought of giving their dogs insulin injections (yes, with a needle and syringe). Fortunately the process is really not bad. Is there any alternative to insulin shots for diabetic dogs? Not really. Insulin cannot be taken by mouth. When it is swallowed, it is digested and does not reach the blood stream in a usable form.

Most pharmacies carry several different types of insulin for human diabetics, and the same types of insulin are used for dogs. Your vet will write a prescription for the specific insulin your dog will be using, as well as for the syringes needed to give the insulin injections. ( Syringes and needles are sold by prescription to limit their potential use for illegal drugs.)