Diabetes case study

Molly the Cairn Terrier visited late one afternoon. She had been ‘off colour’ for a few days. Molly usually had an excellent appetite but over the past few weeks she had lost a lot of weight.

On examination, Molly was dehydrated and had lost 20% of her body weight over three months. A blood test revealed her blood sugar levels were very high and a diagnosis of diabetes was made.

A quick urine test also showed that there was glucose in her urine and unfortunately confirmed the presence of ketones, a potentially life threatening condition that can occur when the body can no longer cope with the disease.


Diabetes in pets is similar to type 1 diabetes in people and generally needs administration of insulin once or twice daily to control the condition. The body fails to produce enough insulin to help move sugar from the blood stream into the cells for energy.

The four main signs include:

1. Increased appetite
2. Weight loss
3. Increased thirst
4. Increased urination

Molly needed intensive care. She was placed on an intravenous drip and insulin therapy was commenced. Thankfully she responded well and started to improve overnight.

Treatment of diabetes is life long and involves regular blood tests and monitoring. Some patients do not respond as we would expect and further investigation into other diseases sometimes needs to be considered.

If you notice any changes to your pet’s daily habits such as a change in appetite or thirst, it’s a good idea to arrange a check up with us as soon as possible.