Definition of diabetes mellitus

The nomenclature of human diabetes mellitus (DM) has been revised, and this classification has been accepted throughout the medical world and literature. The major categories of diabetes are: insulin-dependent DM, type I or IDDM; noninsulin-dependent DM, type II or NIDDM; secondary DM or type S; impaired glucose tolerance, IGT; gestational diabetes; and previous abnormality of glucose tolerance, PrevAGT. A review of the literature has shown that over half of the documented diabetic dogs, with a single medical diagnosis, appear to be type I, IDDM, with a substantial proportion being type S, and the remainder being type II, NIDDM. Obesity is frequently associated with IGT and NIDDM. Diabetic cats most commonly have pancreatic islet destruction associated with pancreatic amyloidosis; they are insulin deficient, IDDM. The commonest causes of secondary diabetes in dogs are pancreatic damage, hyperadrenocorticism and hypersomatotropism secondary to persistent progesterone influence. Progestogen therapy is the most frequently reported cause of secondary diabetes in cats. Diabetes in horses is type S, usually secondary to a functional pituitary tumor but occasionally following chronic pancreatitis. The blood glucose ranges for normal, IGT and diabetic animals, and the normal serum insulin values of various species is tabulated.