Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This is a study of some risk factors for Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in dogs. As a pilot study it is meant to give information to be used in a planned later, larger and better controlled study. The present study hypothesized that suboptimal feeding (high percentage of homemade and table foods), lack of activity and overweight contribute to the risk of DM. Twenty consecutive dogs diagnosed with DM at the Veterinary University Clinic in Uppsala between 2000 – 2003 were chosen as the experimental group. A control group of 40 matched for age, breed and gender was recruited from the files of the Swedish Kennel Club. The owners received an inquiry with questions about feeding, activity and weight. A semi-structured telephone interview explored these variables in more detail.

The results showed no differences between groups in the proportion of homemade food and table foods in the diet, but the owners of the DM-dogs gave treats significantly more regularly. It was a difference between the groups in activity and training: Fewer dogs that developed DM received high intensity training and they received it less often. These differences were statistically significant. A difference was also found in weight as evaluated by the owners: The DM-dogs were significantly more often overweight at the age of symptom debut and more often had a history of lifetime overweight.

The findings indicate that regular high intensity training and normal weight may contain some protective and preventive mechanisms that reduce the risk of DM. These factors do not eliminate the risk: Even the DM-group contains some dogs with normal weight that receive high intensity training and the control group consists of some overweight dogs that receive little high intensity training. The findings are preliminary and must be reproduced and refined in a later more extensive and better controlled study.

Studiens syfte är att identifiera riskfaktorer för diabetes mellitus (DM) hos hund. Detta är en
pilotstudie som är tänkt att ge information till senare, större och bättre kontrollerade studier.
Studiens hypoteser är att suboptimal utfodring, brist på motion och övervikt ökar risken for
DM. Fallgruppen bestod av 20 hundar som hade fått diagnosen DM vid Institutionen för
kirurgi och medicin på Ultuna mellan 2000-2003. En kontrollgrupp på 40 hundar togs från
Svenska Kennel Klubbens register och var matchade för ålder, ras och kön. Ägarna fick en
enkät med frågor om utfodring, aktivitet och vikt som sedan följdes upp med en
semistrukturerad telefonintervju.
Det var inga signifikanta skillnader mellan grupperna i utfodring, men DM-hundarna fick
oftare hundgodis. Det var signifikanta gruppskillnader i motion: Färre DM-hundar fick
intensivträning och de som fick intensivträning, fick den mer sällan. Signifikant flera DMhundar
var överviktiga vid symptomdebut och hade varit det hela livet. Resultaten indikerar
att intensivträning och normalhull kan ha en skyddande effekt mot DM, men eliminerar inte
risken: Även i DM-gruppen finns det hundar som får intensivträning och har normalhull.
Studien bör reproduceras och utökas.