Cattle can, in fact, suffer from diabetes. Most commonly, cattle will contract type two diabetes; type one diabetes is far less likely to be seen in cows (although it is not unheard of). Diabetes in cattle can be caused by cows being overweight, or being fed poor quality feed. If cattle are exhibiting signs of diabetes, they should be examined by a vet. The condition is treatable, like it is in humans, with regular injections of insulin. There is no need to keep a diabetic cow separate from other cows (except perhaps for feed reasons) as diabetes is in no way contagious.
Diabetes is a medical condition that can be seen in both humans and animals. An individual with the condition will have high levels of sugar in their bloodstream. This is because the person's pancreas does not produce enough insulin, which is needed by the body to help cells absorb glucose (a form of sugar). Alternatively, it could be that insulin is produced but the body is unable to absorb it properly. Luckily, diabetes can be managed with injections of insulin that replace the insulin the body should have produced on its own.
- Symptoms of diabetes in animals
Unless you are constantly with your cattle or other animals, it could be very difficult to spot diabetes. Most commonly, the condition is brought to attention if the animal is suffering from frequent kidney or urine infections. Also, there could be a rapid change in appetite and weight - although these two factors may not correlate. For instance, a cow may be seen to eat more but then lose weight. Something else to look out for is excess urination, which could occur more regularly than usual. If you think one of your animals could have diabetes, you should have a vet inspect it just in case. This is a very simply procedure and won't be too expensive.
