Diabetes insipidus

DIABETES INSIPIDUS

  • A functional disturbance of the kidney (decreased tubular reabsorption) due to pituitary dysfunction so that ADH is not secreted in adequate amount to control water excretion, leading to watery urine, free from albumin and sugar.

Etiology

  • More in horse especially stallion (Bed wetting).
  • More in summer than in winter.
  • Cats: Cancerous growth of pituitary and injuries to skull.
  • Rare in farm animals.

Symptoms

  • Polyuria: Horse 40 to 60 liters. Dog 3 to 4 liters.
    • Urine: Watery with odour: Low sp. Gr. 1.001 to 1.002.
    • In early: Easy voiding.
    • In Late: Some what painful.
  • Polydipsia: Horse 100 Liters; Dog 10-15 lit/day. When sufficient water not available – Drink urine.
  • Appetite – slowly decrease.
  • Mucous membrane and skin – dry.
  • Hair: dull and coarse.
  • In Dogs: cataract, abscess in the perenial glands and prostate.
  • Sooner or later emaciation.
  • Neglected cases: Absolute cachexia.

Differential diagnosis

Treatment

  • Horse: Best food free from albumin and salt.
  • Reduce water to 20-24 liter / day.
  • Pitressin tannate in oil.
Last modified: Wednesday, 14 December 2011, 5:29 AM