Diabetes mellitus, also known simply as diabetes, is a disease that is characterized by chronically high blood sugar levels. It leads to increased thirst, pathological weight loss, poor quality hair, weakness and neurological problems. If it is not treated, diabetes ultimately kills affected cats.

Feline diabetes is similar to type 2 (adult onset) diabetes in humans. Obesity is a known risk factor for the disease.

Many people, including many veterinarians, have speculated that commercial cat foods, especially dry foods, also contribute to the development of diabetes in cats.

In the wild, cats eat a diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Commercial foods, especially dry foods, have high levels of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are readily converted to sugar in the body. Therefore, chronically high levels of carbohydrates in feline diets may contribute to the development of diabetes.

In theory, this makes sense. However, theories like this are easy to test. Take two groups of cats: one that eats dry food, another that eats wet food. Control for confounding variables such as obesity, age and breed. Compare rates of diabetes.

The April, 2008 NAVC Clinician’s Brief contains a summary of just such a study. From the summary:

Analysis of data . . . showed no significant correlation between dry food consumption and development of [diabetes mellitus]. Since dry cat food has a much greater carbohydrate content than canned, high carbohydrate intake also did not appear to be a risk factor.

In my opinion the conclusion that carbohydrate consumption is not linked to diabetes may be a bit of a stretch (I feel that the study was not comprehensive enough to draw such a broad conclusion). However, the study does provide solid evidence that dry food is not specifically linked to increased risk of diabetes.

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The March, 2008 issue of Diabetes Forecast, the healthy living magazine of the American Diabetes Association, contained an article (PDF format) describing yet another way in which pets are beneficial to the health of the people with whom they live.

From the article:

No one knows for sure how they do it, but a growing number of canine companions are helping people with diabetes avoid dangerous hypoglycemia.

Diabetes is a disease marked by abnormal blood sugar levels. Most of the time, diabetics suffer from levels that are too high. However, in some instances sudden drops in blood sugar can occur. This may lead to hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar levels. Extreme hypoglycemia can result in coma, seizures, or even death.

The article describes several instances in which dogs, cats, and even rabbits and birds have alerted their human companions that their blood sugar levels were too low. Many people credit their pets with saving their lives. In some cases, dogs are able to detect an impending drop in blood sugar even before it occurs.

Dogs now are being trained to assist diabetics, much like they aid people with vision or hearing deficits. Dogs4Diabetics, based in Concord, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to training dogs for this purpose.

Dogs are helpful for the prevention of diabetes (because they cause people to exercise more). And it turns out that for people who have diabetes, a pet can be a true lifesaver.

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