Last updated on May 2, 2022
Many misconceptions exist about the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, that affects 37.3 million people in the United States. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the pancreas produces less of or completely stops producing the hormone insulin. Insulin is essential to live – It breaks down the sugars in the body, converting them to energy.
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Last updated on January 16, 2019
So the vet just diagnosed your pet with diabetes mellitus, which means that your pet isn’t producing enough insulin which is required for the body to efficiently use sugars, fats, and proteins. Diabetes mellitus is most often diagnosed in older dogs, primarily female dogs and older cats, most often male cats. Younger animals can also be afflicted.
Can diabetes in animals be managed? For most animals, diabetes is managed long term by the injection of insulin once or twice a day by the owner or caretaker. While some diabetic cats can be treated with oral medications instead of injections, oral medications are rarely effective in dogs. According to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, there are three general types of insulin used in dogs and cats:
