Sharing key points from a published research study involving nearly 1,000 dogs with diabetes mellitus, Vet Candy highlighted:
- Dogs were diagnosed with DM significantly more in the winter and northern USA compared to all other seasons and all other geographic regions, respectively.
- The prevalence of juvenile onset among dogs with DM was 2.8%.
- The proportion of dogs with juvenile onset among pure breeds was not significantly different than in mixed breed dogs.
Source: Vet Candy, August 8, 2022. Link.
From the study
In conclusion, in USA dogs, diabetes mellitus is diagnosed more commonly during the winter season and in the northern part of the USA. The incidence of type 1 diabetes in humans is also associated with high altitude, small number of sunshine hours per day, cold climate, and winter.