What happens if diabetes mellitus is left untreated

Diabetes mellitus is the scientific name for a group of diseases that affect the body's ability to use blood sugar. Glucose is a vital element of an individual's health because it provides important energy sources for the muscle and tissue cells throughout the body.

It's also the primary type of fuel your brain uses. Diabetes can have many underlying causes depending on the type. All forms of diabetes can cause a person to have excess sugar in their blood.

A too-high glucose level in the blood might cause serious health complications, especially if the diabetes is left untreated. The two chronic diabetes conditions are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There are also diabetes conditions with the potential for reversal, including prediabetes and gestational diabetes. Prediabetes occurs with increased blood sugar levels that aren't quite high enough for a diabetes diagnosis, while gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.

These are five of the most severe complications an individual may experience if diabetes is left untreated. Metabolic emergencies are common in patients who have either major type of diabetes. Their body isn't capable of processing the sugar in their body through insulin, so their glucose levels become extremely heightened, which can lead to emergencies requiring immediate medical intervention. The metabolic abnormality most commonly faced by individuals with diabetes is hypoglycemia, which occurs in patients undergoing a course of hypoglycaemic therapy involving insulin.

Diabetes in cats, if left untreated, can be fatal. There are a number of symptoms you can look for and alert your vet to the potential of diabetes. The faster you get a diagnosis, the faster you can put together a treatment plan and help your cat feel better.

While, diabetes is a serious condition, if diagnosed and treated quickly, your cats diabetes can be controlled through diet and activity levels. Even if your cat is suffering from a more difficult stage of diabetes, you can treat your cat with daily injections, much as humans with diabetes. After a diagnosis speak with your vet about the best treatment methods for your cat and work your cat into a routine that includes these treatments.

Your cat may be resistant to his new routine at first, but will start feeling better almost immediately. Excessive Thirst in Diabetic cats When your cat's body over produces insulin it causes the kidneys to work over time trying to flush the excess out. This means your cat needs to replenish fluids more often than usual. If you notice your cat is drink more water than usual, this may be a symptom of diabetes. Diabetes in Cats and Weight Loss Because the excess or shortage of insulin can cause changes in your cats appetite, you cat can lose weight whether they experience and increased or decreased appetite.

Weight loss from a decrease in appetite is cause by lack of nutrients. If you notice an increase in appetite and your cat is still losing weight this is a definite red flag for diabetes. Diabetic Cat Lethargy When you're cat is experiencing the symptoms mentioned and the spikes in blood sugar, they often feel lethargic or seem depressed.

Think about how you feel when your dizzy, have fluctuations in appetite and are experiencing other symptoms. A month ago my sister wanted to know if her Jack Russell Terrier could be sick because he was drinking and peeing all the time. I told her he needed to go to the vet; he could have a simple urinary tract infection or he could have more going on.

In dogs, diabetes mellitus rarely responds to dietary changes - unlike some people and some cats - and almost always requires twice daily insulin injections to control the disease. Having seen clients react to a diagnosis of diabetes, I wondered how my sister and her husband would react if they had to take care of this chronic condition that requires significant planning and scheduling. I wondered what they would choose to do if their dog did have diabetes rather than a urinary tract infection.

Receiving a diagnosis of a chronic disease can be difficult to wrap your mind around. During my years in practice, I noticed that there are some pretty universal questions most clients ask. How will the disease progress? First I will introduce myself, since I'm "new" to this forum. I am Maura and have been a cat-lover all my life. As an adult, reading that first paragraph, that sounds harsh and irresponsible - but I was a kid in that household.

Currently, I own an indoor-only cat whom I love dearly. She is a brown tabby, going on 12 years old in March. I suspected she may have diabetes, took her to the vet yesterday, and just received a call that confirmed my suspicion. Perhaps this is not the forum to address this - but I am going to be brutally honest.

I cannot invest the personal commitment or the financial expense that will be required to care for her. Now that probably sounds harsh and irresponsible too - but it is the truth. My life, as-it-stands, cannot accommodate the needs of a diabetic cat. Tears literally come to the surface as I type this. I've never owned a cat this age -- so this is new territory for me.

I guess what I am wondering from the folks at this forum is three-fold:: How long can my cat live comfortably with this disease? As of now, she is the same smart, energetic cat, responsive cat she's always been. My suspicions were based on the fact that she is drinking and urinating excessively.

What is the progression of untreated diabetes? And to what extent and expense do you offer medical care for your pet? I realize that this varies from person to person based on many factors. I guess I am hoping to alleviate the guilt I may feel for not treating this disease.

How long can a 14 year old diabetic cat survive without insulin? I love my cat and I'm willing to do anything for him to survive and be ok.

Cost doesn't matter. About a month ago he was very weak and ill and the vets suspected diabetes his test was very high, but they said this could just be stress. We took him back for another test, it was again very high - high We took him back for another test, it was again very high - high enough to have diabetes, but they AGAIN told us that its common for the result to be very high if the cat is stressed out which he was, he loves his home and hates being at the vets.

They put him on a drip overnight, and he got better and better - we feed him good foods too. However now he has went back to being really weak - and has started peeing a lot inside which he never did, as well as eating constantly and drinking loads of water. I always thought it was diabetes - now I'm almost convinced. We have an appointment for next Tuesday, but I'm sick of the waiting and messing around.

Will he be ok until then? And does it sound like diabetes? Also, it's not his age because he was very very healthy until about a month ago Are you sure you want to delete this answer?

Best Answer: It depends. Without complications, he would survive but would be feeling rotten, and may lose weight. An area of the retina referred to as the macula experiences swelling because of a fluid build-up. Individuals need their macula to look straight ahead and focus, which is essential for facial recognition, driving, and reading. Most diabetic patients who go blind do so because of DME. Get to know the next major complication of untreated diabetes now.

High blood pressure is quite common in patients with diabetes and appears in approximately eighty percent of type 2 patients and twenty-five of type 1 patients.

This is linked to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease. On its own, a high blood pressure reading indicates a greater risk of cardiovascular complications and stroke. Combined with diabetes, the risks feed off each other and present a risk level that makes cardiovascular issues nearly inevitable. Individuals with diabetes must take care to control their blood pressure very well, and as such, they typically have their blood pressure monitored by their doctor.

The ideal blood pressure is lower than over Some patients with high blood pressure are given ACE inhibitors. These blood pressure medicines not only lower blood pressure but also offer a level of protection to the kidneys. That said, a doctor may choose to use different blood pressure medications instead.

Diabetes insipidus is a rare condition that has nothing to do with the pancreas or blood sugar. Is diabetes 1 or 2 worse? In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the cells that release insulin, eventually eliminating insulin production from the body.

Without insulin, cells cannot absorb sugar glucose , which they need to produce energy. As type 2 diabetes gets worse, the pancreas may make less and less insulin. What foods cause type 2 diabetes? Red and Processed Meats Red meat and processed red meat are both linked to type 2 diabetes. Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats are particularly bad because of their high levels of sodium and nitrites.

How long can I live with diabetes? A year-old male with type 2 diabetes could expect to live for another A year-old male with the disease might expect to live for another 4. Can diabetes go away? Diabetes is a condition that affects blood sugar levels and causes many serious health problems if left untreated or uncontrolled. There is no cure for diabetes, but it can go into remission.

People can manage it with medication and lifestyle changes. How do most diabetics die? About two-thirds of people with diabetes actually die from cardiovascular conditions like heart attacks or strokes, says Dr.

But it's also important they work with their doctors to keep their blood glucose—as well as their blood pressure and cholesterol—in the healthy range.