Is your dog or cat drinking too much?
Meet Blue...
Recently Blue's owner, Mrs Rehman, had to bring Blue in to see us as she had noticed him losing weight and hanging his head over his water bowl.
Blue's blood and urine results indicated that he was suffering from diabetes. Although Blue's owner was anxious at what was in store for her and Blue, Mrs Rehman would have done anything to make him well again and realised that she was going to have to ‘just do it’!
Very quickly Mrs Rehman picked up the techniques of drawing up the insulin and injecting her much loved pet. Now she is confident and comfortable with the procedure and, much to her delight, Blue is responding and doesn’t appear at all worried about his ‘medicine’, especially when followed by his favourite part of the day – food!!
Although Blue has yet to be completely stabilised he is well on the way to a full recovery and will continue to enjoy many years with Mrs Rehman.
Many thanks to Mrs Rehman of Moss Side Catteries for letting us use Blue’s photos.
About diabetes
Diabetes is a relatively common disease in older people and is being recognised more frequently in older pets. If left untreated the disease has serious effects and ultimately will result in the death of your pet. The good news is that, in the majority of cases, the disease can be treated and, with commitment from the owner, the pet can live a normal happy life.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease caused by lack of insulin. Insulin is a hormone which keeps blood sugar at the right level. When there is no insulin, glucose levels rise in the blood and spill into the urine. This causes your pet to drink more water and to urinate more frequently.
What are the signs?
Owners will usually first notice that their pet is drinking and urinating a lot! Accidents overnight are a common finding and owners describe their pets as hanging their heads over the water bowl. They also seem to be hungry and eat well but are actually getting thinner, and some owners find that their older pet is just slowing down and seems very quiet.
Can we treat diabetes?
Diabetic pets require insulin to be given once or more usually twice a day by their owners. The insulin needs to be given by a small injection under the skin. Dogs and cats very rarely feel this injection so owners can learn quickly and become confident in their pets treatment.
How will I know if my pet is getting better?
After starting the insulin the pets drinking quickly reduces to a more normal level and hence there will be less urine produced. The pet becomes more active and his/her weight stabilizes. Although at the beginning we do have to see our diabetic patients quite a few times and blood tests will need to be taken to monitor your pets stabilization, regular checkups will eventually only be every 3 – 6 months where we check weight, demeanour and drinking levels.
How can I prevent this disease?
Unfortunately any dog or cat could develop this disease however there are some risk factors to consider. All entire female dogs should be speyed, both to prevent possible diabetes (older entire females are more at risk) but also for many other health benefits. Obese cats should be put on a supervised diet that our nurses can help you with.
As an owner of an older pet you need to be aware of the amount your pet is drinking and eating and also monitor its weight. These can all be checked during a routine appointment with myself where a urine and possibly blood sample can also be tested.
Andrea Westbourne BVSc, MRCVS
