“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.”
—Roger Caras, former President ASPCA

“A meow massages the heart.”
—Stuart McMillan

Diabetes Insipidus

Definition

Diabetes Insipidus is a completely different disease from diabetes mellitus. In extreme cases, both of these diseases can occur together.

Diabetes Insipidus is a disorder of water balance. The animal is unable to concentrate urine, so the volume is very high and the urine is dilute. “Insipid” means tasteless --referring to the dilute urine. This illness is caused by lack of the hormone ADH (antidiuretic hormone) which concentrates urine. This can be because the body is not producing enough of this hormone or because the animal’s kidneys do not know how to use the hormone. Therefore the amount of water taken in is not balanced with the amount of fluid the animal urinates.

Symptoms

• Increased thirst/drinking
• Increased urination
• Often increased urination even if he or she isn’t drinking a lot
• Urine will be very dilute and clear

How using ThePetCheckup regularly can help

Consistent abnormal readings on ThePetCheckup tests can be an indication of diabetes insipidus. If this is suspected, your veterinarian may want to do further testing.

If the animal’s kidneys are working fine and there is a lack of the hormone ADH, treatment usually involves giving the animal the hormone in the form of a spray or drops.

As with most imbalances, early detection provides the key to being able to provide effective treatment for your canine or feline.