Jessy, a lovable Yorkshire terrier, was just three years old when she started appearing out of sorts. Worried about her worsening condition, Jessy’s humans took her to the vet, who gave them a surprising diagnosis: Jessy had diabetes.

According to Dr Tarryn Dent, the business unit lead of companion animals at the global animal health company Zoetis South Africa, “One typically thinks of diabetes as a human condition, but statistics suggest that one in every 308 dogs will develop the disease, with female dogs most at risk. For cats, the stats are a little higher: One in 230. Neutered cats appear to have an increased risk.”

What is diabetes in pets?

“When your pet eats, the food is digested to release glucose, which cells use for energy,” explains Dent.

“Eating triggers your pet’s pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that binds to special receptors in their cells and acts like a key that allows glucose to enter the cell, so it can be used for energy.”

Just like humans, cats and dogs get diabetes when their pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or produces enough, but their body doesn’t respond correctly to insulin.

There are two types of diabetes in cats and dogs:

• Type 1 diabetes: More common in dogs. This type of diabetes means a pet’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes: This is when ya pet’s pancreas produces insulin, but their cells don’t respond correctly to it. It’s more common in cats.

Signs of diabetes in dogs and cats

Diabetes is a serious condition in dogs and cats that, left untreated, can lead to blindness, nerve damage and organ failure.

While there’s no cure, owners can manage it to lower a pet’s risk of complications and allow them to enjoy a happy life. So, the sooner you pick it up, the better.

Look for these signs:

• Weakness or fatigue: Is your cat lying around when they would usually want to play? Does your dog get tired five minutes into a walk or seem reluctant to go in the first place?

• Extreme thirst: Are you having to fill their water bowl more often?

• Frequent urination: Is your pet waking you to go out at night when they used to sleep through? Are they going out more often than before?

• Increased appetite: Has your pet’s food bill gone up? Is your dog or cat sitting by their empty food bowl after they just finished a big helping?

• Weight loss: Is your pet looking thinner even though they’re eating well?

Any of these signs could be a red flag, so speak with your vet.

Diagnosing and managing diabetes in dogs and cats

There are various tests a vet can run if they suspect diabetes. Most involve taking a blood or urine sample. In some cases, a vet may also want to examine a cat’s or dog’s internal organs with an X-ray or ultrasound.

If a pet is diagnosed with diabetes, try not to feel hopeless. If caught early in dogs and cats, owners can manage the disease. And there’s plenty they can do at home to help make life easier for their pet.

• Exercise: Ensure your pet gets regular exercise to lower their blood glucose levels;

• Diet: Feed your pet healthy, veterinarian-approved food and don’t give them treats from the dinner table;

• Stress: Anxiety can affect your dog or cat’s blood glucose levels. As far as possible, avoid triggers that make them anxious, like being left alone at home for a long time;

• Regular testing: You can test your pet’s blood glucose levels using an at-home testing kit, like Zoetis’ animal-specific glucometer (Alphatrak). It only takes a tiny blood sample and is easy to use;

• Injections: Your pet may need insulin injections. Your vet can show you how to do this at home, so your pet doesn’t have to go through the stress of frequent vet visits.

Once they knew what they were dealing with, Jessy’s humans learnt to manage her condition with a healthy diet and at-home injections. She enjoyed a happy, active life, filled with love and plenty of tail wags.