Diseases and Other Fun Things: Part II

Hey guys,

You're all in luck today! Today's topic is hereditary diseases (and other fun things) as opposed to non-hereditary diseases (like heartworms, which we discussed in the last blog post).

One hereditary disease that is on the rise is diabetes. Like humans, dogs also get diabetes. Also like humans, diabetes are more common to females and overweight dogs. The number of affected dogs right now is low, but on the rise—an increase of 32% since 2006—precisely because it is hereditary.

A 2007 study published by the "Journal of Heredity" claims that the Cairn Terrier and the Samoyed are the breeds with highest rate of diabetes. This study provided evidence that small dogs are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, and also tentatively claims that more mixed breeds have diabetes, even though the breeds with the highest diabetic rate are pedigrees. It is unknown whether this is because mixed-breeds are actually more susceptible, or because there are more mixed-breeds; there are other factors that must be taken into account. Regardless, both mixed-breeds and purebreds can and will inherit diabetes, although it is less likely to manifest until a dog is older. 

Enjoy the fluffy Samoyed puppies!

Symptoms may include excessive drinking and urination, poor coat health and dry, scaly skin, weakness in rear legs, vomiting, and weakened immunity. If left untreated or poorly regulated, diabetes could cause blindness and renal (kidney) problems. 

Unfortunately, canine diabetes is incurable, with very rare exceptions. It is dependent on insulin production, but can be treated with medicine (insulin-injections, etc) and regulated with diet and exercise. However, treatment is generally life-long.

Ending on a more positive note, if your dog is not genetically susceptible to diabetes, it can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle--diet and exercise. Even if he is, he may be treated and will live normally, aside from the need for insulin injections, so never lose hope!

~S