Pet Diabetes

Glucose is absorbed from food in healthy animals. This sugar provides the energy that their body’s cells need to work.

Insulin is a hormone which signals cells to absorb glucose. If this message fails cells do not take up glucose, so don’t have enough energy for their normal processes. The glucose is left in the blood, but doesn’t get used. This is called diabetes mellitus. 

Diabetes mellitus is the most common type of diabetes. It can occur in two ways:

• Due to a lack of insulin 
• Due to the body becoming resistant to insulin

Diabetes insipidus is very rare.

It is caused by a problem with a hormone in the body called antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH regulates water levels in the body.

Pets with diabetes insipidus cannot regulate their body water, so urinate a lot. They can become dehydrated in as little as 4-6 hours if they don’t have access to fresh water to drink.