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Just like with humans, our furry friends can develop canine diabetes. This is caused by the body’s inability to produce a hormone called Insulin, which controls the levels of sugar absorbed into the blood after eating. Dogs need this sugar as it provides cells around the body with energy so they can function normally.
Most dogs will suffer from type 1 diabetes, which means their body does not produce any Insulin at all. They will need to be on insulin treatment daily, usually by injection that the owner can do at home. Very rarely, a dog may suffer from type 2 diabetes. This variation of the disease means they can produce small amounts of insulin, but not enough or their body does not react correctly to the amounts they do produce.
Canine diabetes is likely caused by the dog’s body mistaking its own insulin cells for something else. The immune system’s natural reaction to a threat is to destroy those cells. In some cases, dogs who have suffered with pancreatitis may later develop canine diabetes.
