Diabetes Mellitus and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Diabetes Mellitus and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

CavalierHealth.org Copyright © 2004 Blenheim Company The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is genetically susceptible to developing an incurable disease known as diabetes mellitus, and Cavaliers are at a greater risk of developing diabetes mellitus than many other breeds.

What It Is

Diabetes mellitus is commonly called "sugar diabetes", because it results in excessively high levels of blood sugar, and the presence of sugar (glucose) in the urine. The disease prevents the Cavalier from converting the glucose in its diet into energy. It is caused by a deficiency of the hormone insulin. Insulin is required by muscles, fat tissue, and the liver to utilize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats ingested in the diet.

The average age of dogs that develop diabetes mellitus is 6 to 8 years. However, Cavaliers as young as six months of age have become diabetic and have remained so for the rest of their lives.

Symptoms

Symptoms of the disease include a grossly exaggerated thirst, a poor appetite, weight loss, and a sweet smell on the breath. If the diabetic Cavalier is not treated soon enough and correctly, it can develop far more serious form of diabetes mellitus, called ketoacidosis, with symptoms including sudden onset of cataracts in the eyes, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, blindness due to degeneration of the retina, and coma. Ketoacidosis represents a very serious disruption to the dog's metabolism and will most likely result in death if left untreated.

Diagnosis

Diabetes mellitus is diagnosed on the basis of the dog's symptoms and an abnormally high blood glucose measurement. The normal level of glucose in the blood is 4 to 7 mmol/L. Diabetes mellitus is the only common disease which will cause blood glucose levels to rise above and stay above that normal level.

Diabetes mellitus cannot be cured, and the Cavalier will require daily, carefully measured and administered injections of insulin for its entire life. The administration of insulin is the most important aspect of controlling diabetes mellitus. Most dogs require only one injection of insulin per day, though two may be needed. Drugs in tablet form which stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin have proven to be ineffective in controlling diabetes in dogs.

In addition to injecting the insulin daily, the owner of the diabetic Cavalier will need to closely monitor the dog to ensure its diabetes is under control. This may require that the owner collect and test urine samples daily to determine the presence of glucose and adjust the dose of insulin accordingly. Blood glucose monitoring is another way of determining the dosage of insulin.

The Canine Inherited Disorders Database recommends that dogs with symptoms of diabetes mellitus should not be bred, and parents and siblings should be considered potential carriers. As it is considered a likely genetic disease in Cavaliers, all breeding stock should be tested for consistently high blood glucose levels. Any littermates of breeding stock having diabetes mellitus should be taken into consideration. Unfortunately, since the disease is known to not develop until as late as 8 years, breeding stock which may test clear for symptoms of diabetes mellitus may well carry the genes which cause it and may themselves develop symptoms of the disease later in life. Therefore, there is no certain test to assure that any Cavalier breeding stock is clear of diabetes mellitus.

Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, Padgett, G.A., Howell Book House 1998, pp. 198-199, 232.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: An Owner's Companion. John Evans. Crowood Press, 2003, pp. 36, 37.

Guide to Congenital and Heritable Disorders in Dogs, Dodds WJ, Hall S, Inks K, A.V.A.R., Jan 2004, Section II(85).

Dogs, Diet, and Disease: An Owner’s Guide to Diabetes Mellitus, Pancreatitis, Cushing’s Disease, and More.
Caroline D. Levin RN. Lantern Publ.2001

Canine Inherited Disorders Database: http://www.upei.ca/~cidd/Diseases/endocrine%20diseases/diabetes%20mellitus.htm