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Healing & Alternative Health
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care:
Signs of the Aging
Dog and Cat
Part 19:
Organs of the Abdomen: Diseases of the Pancreas: Diabetes Mellitus
by Kathleen M. Carson, D.V.M
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In this month’s column I’m going to discuss another disease which results from problems with the pancreas: this one is called diabetes mellitus (DM). "Mellitus" refers to sweetness. It is such a complex disease that I have elected to separate it from the other common pancreatic disease, pancreatitis (see columns for February, March, and April 2006).
If you remember from my February 2006 column, the pancreas has two major parts: 1.) the exocrine part, which produces digestive enzymes, and 2.) the endocrine part, which produces the hormone insulin.
Insulin is made in groups of special pancreatic cells called beta cells. The beta cells are clustered together in scattered areas throughout the pancreas; the clusters of beta cells are called the Islets of Langerhans.
When your animal eats a meal, the food is swallowed, goes down his esophagus, and enters his stomach. After it’s been worked on in his stomach, it enters his small intestines. The entry of the food into his intestines stimulates his pancreas to release insulin into his bloodstream.
As the food is broken down in your animal’s small intestine, the broken-down ingredients of the food enter her circulating bloodstream from her intestines. One of these ingredients is glucose, a simple sugar. Glucose is used by her body’s millions of cells for energy. What insulin does is promote the transfer of glucose from the blood into her cells. If there is no insulin, the glucose is unable to enter her cells.
Your animal’s digested food also contains amino acids, the broken-down components of protein; and fatty acids, the broken-down products of fat. After these are absorbed from her intestines into her bloodstream, insulin also allows the cells of your animal’s body to take in these amino acids and fatty acids.
Lastly, insulin helps your animal’s body to store the glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids which her body doesn’t need immediately. The insulin stimulates liver and muscle cells to convert the excess glucose into a substance called glycogen, which is then stored in those liver and muscle cells. It stimulates your animal’s fat cells to make and store fat from any excess fatty acids, and stimulates liver and muscle cells to make and store protein from excess amino acids.
Diabetes mellitus has two common types: in Type I DM the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. Patients with Type I DM need insulin injections; it is also called Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus or IDDM.
In Type II DM the insulin is present but is prevented from doing its job; the latter is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance comes about when your animal’s body’s cells don’t have enough insulin receptors, or the insulin receptors don’t work properly. Without functioning insulin receptors, even if insulin is present in the blood, it can't help glucose to get into the cells.
Patients with Type II DM usually don’t need insulin injections; dietary changes and oral hypoglycemic drugs like glipizide (which stimulates the pancreas to produce more insulin) are usually sufficient to keep the disease under control. Occasionally, these patients need low doses of insulin. Type II DM is also referred to as Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus of NIDDM.
Some Type II DM (NIDDM) patients go on to develop Type I DM (IDDM).
Just about all diabetic dogs have Type I DM (IDDM). Many, but not all, cats have Type II DM (NIDDM). Experts disagree as to whether the majority of diabetic cats have Type II DM (NIDDM), but certainly a much larger percentage of diabetic cats have this form than diabetic dogs do.
Canine Type I DM (IDDM) in is usually caused by the inheritance of genes which predispose them to this disease. Breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzer, English Springer Spaniel, Miniature Poodle, Keeshond, and Alaskan Malamute are examples of those breeds more prone to Type I DM (IDDM).
In fewer cases, canine Type I comes about because of the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas which make insulin. The destruction is due to either chronic pancreatitis or to autoimmune disease triggered by such things as infectious agents or drugs.
Lastly, female dogs are twice as likely as males to develop diabetes.
Feline Type I DM (IDDM) comes about through chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and possibly through a condition called amyloidosis, though not all experts agree about the latter.
Causes of Type II DM (NIDDM), which occurs almost exclusively in cats, are obesity, genetics, and possibly amyloidosis. Also, males are 1.5 times as likely as females to develop this disease.
A less commonly seen form of DM is secondary DM, also referred to as Type III DM. Secondary DM comes about because of drugs or another disease/bodily condition. An example of drugs which can cause secondary DM is corticosteroids; examples of diseases/conditions are Cushings Disease, acromegaly, and diestrus (a part of the female heat cycle). Secondary DM may disappear if the drug is discontinued or the primary condition is resolved.
Most diabetic animals are older. The peak incidence of DM in dogs occurs at 7 - 9 years of age. Most cats with DM are over 8 years of age when diagnosed.
Next month I’ll write about the signs and diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus.
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Dr. Kathleen Carson, DVM
Veterinarian & Author
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Dr. Carson received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California at Davis in 1968. She's been a small animal practitioner (dogs and cats ) for all the years since, except for a short stint at the San Diego Zoo when she first graduated.
She belongs to the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.
Since 1974 she's lived and practiced in the South Bay Area near Los Angeles. She started the area's first house call practice in 1976 and the first pet crisis/loss group in 1989. The human-animal bond is of special interest to her.
She started exploring complementary veterinary medicine in 1987. Her practice became 100% holistic in 1996. She utilizes acupuncture, herbs, supplements, Bach Flower Remedies, homeopathic remedies, nutrition and medications for her patients in her practice.
She's currently taking a leave of absence from her house call practice due to health reasons but continues to do phone consultations and to write.
E-mail:
Critterhlr@aol.com
website:
http://www.holistic
vetconsult.com
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