What is pet diabetes? Diabetes in dogs and cats explained

If your dog or cat has just been diagnosed — or you're trying to understand a worrying set of symptoms — this is the plain-English explanation of what diabetes actually is, without the jargon.

What is diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body can't move glucose (sugar) from the blood into its cells for energy. That job is done by insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas. In diabetes, there either isn't enough insulin, or the body has stopped responding to it properly. Glucose then builds up in the bloodstream while the cells effectively starve — which is why a diabetic pet can lose weight even while eating well.

Why does it cause the symptoms it does?

The classic signs all trace back to that build-up of glucose. Excess glucose spills into the urine and drags water with it, so your pet urinates more and drinks more to keep up. The cells' hunger for energy drives increased appetite, while the body breaking down fat and muscle for fuel causes weight loss. Understanding this makes the symptoms far less frightening — they're all one process.

How is it different in dogs and cats?

This matters for treatment. Dogs usually have a form where the pancreas makes little or no insulin, so they need insulin injections for life — much like type 1 diabetes in people. Cats more often have a form driven by insulin resistance, frequently linked to weight, closer to type 2 — which is why weight management and a low-carbohydrate diet are so powerful, and why some cats can even go into remission. Same disease name, genuinely different journeys.

What does managing it involve?

Three things, done consistently: insulin (usually twice daily), a suitable and consistent diet, and monitoring so you and your vet can see whether it's working. It feels overwhelming on day one and becomes routine within weeks.

Mello is built to make that daily tracking simple and turn it into something your vet can actually use.