Diagnosis

DM in dogs and cats is suspected in the pres­ence of clinical signs such as polyuria, poly­dipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss. Other clinical signs caused by DM are visual impair­ment secondary to diabetic cataract (dogs), plantigrade stance and generalized weakness due to diabetic polyneuropathy (cats), sys­temic hypertension (dogs), vomiting and lethargy induced by diabetic ketoacidosis, and pollakiuria and stranguria for cystitis.

Hyperglycemia, glycosuria, and increased serum fructosamine are used to diagnose DM. Fructosamines are irreversibly glyco­sylated proteins that are increased in dogs and cats with DM and are the expression of average blood glucose of the previous 1­3 weeks. It is important to remember that hyperglycemia and glycosuria may be induced by stress in cats. In these cases, fruc- tosamine concentrations will be normal. Other laboratory abnormalities in diabetic dogs and cats are hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and increased ALT and ALP activity (less likely in cats). It is recommended that the initial assessment of diabetic dogs and cats is as complete as pos­sible in order to identify any complications and concomitant or predisposing diseases.