Canine diabetes mellitus results in decreased insulin levels and elevated blood glucose levels. Controlling the blood glucose levels is the basis of treating diabetes mellitus in dogs.
Using Oral Hypoglycemic Drugs to Treat Canine Diabetes
Oral hypoglycemic medications, such as glipizide, are generally not very effective in treating diabetes mellitus in dogs. In order to be effective, oral hypoglycemic medications require pancreatic cells to be able to secrete some insulin. In diabetic dogs, these cells are usually not able to secrete adequate amounts of insulin, rendering oral hypoglycemic drugs useless in treatment.
Canine Diabetes Mellitus is Best Treated with Insulin
In most instances of canine diabetes, insulin is required for treatment and represents the primary means of managing blood glucose levels.
There are several types of insulin available for use in diabetic dogs. Vetsulin® (also known as Caninsulin®) is the only insulin approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for use in dogs. However, other types of insulin, such as NPH and glargine (Lantus®), are frequently used and can be quite effective in treating diabetic dogs.
Monitoring Insulin Effectiveness in Diabetic Dogs
Monitoring the blood glucose levels in a diabetic dog is an essential part of treatment and is often used to determine whether changes in insulin type or dosage are necessary. There are several ways to monitor blood glucose levels.
Observation of the diabetic dog for clinical signs of diabetes mellitus is one of the most common methods of monitoring efficacy of treatment. In most diabetic dogs, adequate control of blood glucose levels results in improvement or resolution of many of the clinical signs associated with diabetes.
Individual blood glucose measurements are rarely used to determine whether changes in insulin are necessary because single blood glucose measurements are simply too unreliable to be able to judge the efficacy of treatment.
Blood glucose curves are often used to evaluate the efficacy of insulin therapy. Blood glucose curves involve a series of blood glucose levels measured periodically (usually every one to two hours) over a 12- or 24-hour period. Blood glucose curves allow evaluation of:
- the onset of activity of insulin
- how long the insulin remains effective
- when peak insulin activity occurs and how low the blood glucose level drops
- how high the blood glucose rises before the next insulin injection
These evaluations may indicate whether the insulin is appropriate for the individual animal and whether changes in the insulin dosage are necessary.
Fructosamine levels are frequently measured as well in an attempt to monitor blood glucose levels. Fructosamine is a glycolated protein (a protein which binds to glucose) which provides an average blood glucose reading for the previous 10-21 days.
Urine may also be monitored for glucose and/or ketone levels. However, changes in insulin therapy are rarely made based solely on urine testing. However, persistent levels of ketones in the urine or abnormally high levels of glucose in the urine may indicate a need for further evaluation of the diabetic pet.
Appropriate Diets for Diabetic Dogs
High fiber diets are frequently recommended for diabetic dogs. However, the most important aspect of feeding the diabetic dog is providing consistency in type of food, amount of food, and timing of feedings. Feeding a consistent diet will make stabilizing blood glucose levels much simpler.
Weight loss, where appropriate, will also help stabilize blood glucose levels. High fiber diets can be helpful where weight loss is necessary. If the diabetic dog refuses to eat a high fiber diet, psyllium or another fiber source can be added to the existing diet to increase the fiber content.
Canine diabetes mellitus is managed primarily through the use of insulin therapy. The efficacy of insulin therapy can be monitored by several different methods and these methods are often used in combination to provide the most accurate picture of the efficacy of the treatment. Consistency is the most important element in feeding the diabetic dog.
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