Insights into the Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs in Pakistan

Diabetes mellitus is a condition that affects dogs and is caused by inadequate insulin production or action. The disorder is influenced by genetics, the immune system, and lifestyle exposures such as obesity and medication use. Dogs typically experience Type 1 diabetes and require exogenous insulin for life. The disorder is prevalent in middle-aged to older dogs, and the incidence rate among female dogs is increasing. Dogs with diabetes require insulin treatment and regular monitoring to ensure proper dosage. Various monitoring tools are available to veterinarians for effective management. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in dogs in District Faisalabad and Islamabad Capital Territory of Pakistan. A total of 180 samples were collected, fasting blood glucose levels were measured using a commercial glucose meter and were more in females (127.78 mg/dl) than males (96.4 mg/dl). The overall prevalence for the 43 positive dogs examined were 23.88% with 95% confidence interval (CI) limits 18.25-30.62. Female dogs were more prevalent (42.30%) than male dogs (9.80%). On the basis of age, diabetes mellitus was more in dogs with age > 2 years (29.23%) and less in dogs with age < 6 months (10.34%). Neutered female dogs were at high risk (35.93%) as compared to neutered male dogs (11.68%) while intact male dogs were at much higher risk (28.20%) than neuter male dogs but intact female dogs were considerably less at risk than neuter females. Laboratory analysis was carried out to evaluate the other markers related to diabetes which includes urinalysis, liver functioning tests, CBC and serum biochemistry. The mean values of ALT and ALP were more in females (92.95 & 264.83) than males (62.24 & 239.02). This study followed the recommendations of the Recognized Animal Ethics Committee, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The outcomes of this research give valuable evidence on the prevalence of diabetes in dogs in Pakistan and will help raise awareness about this disease among pet owners.