Diabetes And Your Pet

Diabetes has become a common diagnosis for our furry family members, affecting roughly 1 in every 400 dogs. While diabetes occurs less commonly in felines, recent studies reveal they are increasingly falling prey to the illness.

There are two forms of diabetes: mellitus and insipidus. Pet owners should be aware of the potential threat to their pets: according to one source, more than $1.5 million in veterinary expenses was filed by veterinary pet insurance policyholders in 2007, with the average expenditure to treat this condition (per visit) exceeded $200.

The good news is this: both diabetes insipidus and mellitus can be covered under certain veterinary pet insurance plans. The key is to enroll your pets when they are young, before they develop the illness.

Diabetes Insipidus
If your pet, Fluffy" is diagnosed with diabetes insipidus (less common than diabetes mellitus), her kidney has either become insensitive to the anti- diuretic hormone ADH (which allows her to conserve water intake and concentrate urine), or she no longer produces a sufficient quantity of the hormone. Without ADH, Fluffy"s urine volume will become very high and diluted.

Fluffy"s symptoms may include:

"Excessive drinking (polydipsia);
"Excessive urination (polyuria);
"Change of urinating habits (i.e. urinating in the house);

Pet parents often misinterpret these symptoms, attributing them to behavioral issues rather than a serious medical condition, which, left untreated, can lead to more serious problems, including dehydration, stupor, coma and death.

There are two forms of diabetes insipidus; each has its own treatment:

1.Central diabetes insipidus: Fluffy"s pituitary gland does not secrete enough ADH (perhaps because of trauma, a tumor on the pituitary gland, a congenital defect or another unknown cause.) Fluffy"s veterinarian may prescribe desmopressin (a drug that mimics ADH productivity), which is administered either through a nasal spray pump (as an injectable liquid) or in a tablet;

2.Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus: Fluffy"s kidneys do not respond to the ADH produced by the pituitary gland (due to drugs, a metabolic disorder or a congenital defect.) Veterinarians usually treat this with thiazide diuretics which help to concentrate urine, or with a chlorothiazide (an oral drug that stimulates the kidneys to help concentrate urine.)

Fluffy"s veterinarians will also reinforce the necessity to provide her with plenty of water at all times. This will help prevent dehydration and protect Fluffy"s kidneys.