*Chronic disease caused by deficiency of insulin and therefore disorders of carbohydrate metabolism
*Chronic disease caused by deficiency of insulin and therefore disorders of carbohydrate metabolism
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*Occurs in most species, most commonly in dog and cat
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===Aetiology===
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Can be caused by
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*Absolute deficiency of insulin
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*Antagonism of insulin by hormones from the adrenal and thyroid glands, anterior pituitary causing high levels of blood glucose
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*Complication of pancreatic fibrosis
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*Insulin binding antibodies, insulinase and plasma antagonists imbalance
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=Clinical signs=
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===Clinical signs===
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*Hyperglycaemia
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*Polyuria
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*Polydypsia
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*Ketonuria
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*Metabolic acidosis
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*Reduced cardiac output (due to loss of water and sodium), reduced blood pressure and renal flow causing circulatory collapse, coma and death
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===Pathology===
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*Pancreas appers normal or reduced in size due to fibrosis
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*In cats, amyloidosis is sometimes present in the islets
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*Fatty change is consistently present in the liver and kidneys
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*The lens in the eye is often opaque due to deposition of sorbitol causing it to swell (glucose is converted into sorbitol once the glycolytic pathway is saturated)