New Guidelines for Finding Diabetes

A friend of mine just went to the doctor for his 50-year-old check-up. When he went for blood tests, they told him he had to try again the next day, because the doctor had ordered a fasting blood sugar test as a screen for diabetes.

According to the American Dianetes Association, nearly eight percent of the US population has diabetes!

- 18 million people are diagnosed with diabetes
- Nearly 6 million HAVE diabetes but have not been diagnosed
- Over one and a half MILLION new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in adults every year

New regulations published in the journal Diabetes Care from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) may make the fasting glucose test a thing of the past for many people. The ADA is now recommending checking a hemoglobin A1C level as a better screen for early diabetes.

What is hemoglobin A1C (Hb A1C) and why is it recommended?

- Hg A1C gives an average of what your blood sugars have been over the last three months.
- Hg A1C is routinely used to monitor blood sugar control in patients who have diabetes.
- The ADA recommends that a screening Hg A1C score of 5.7 to 6.4 percent indicates pre-diabetes. Levels of 6.5 percent or higher indicate diabetes.
- People may be more apt to get a blood test if they don’t have to fast before getting it. So the Hg A1C may help screen people who have trouble scheduling fasting blood work.

And what about Fido? About one in every 10 dogs will develop diabetes. Diabetes typically affects dogs 7 to 9 years old. Breeds more prone to getting diabetes includes Dachshunds, poodles, Cairn terriers, beagles, and miniature Schnauzers and pinschers.

Symptoms of doggie diabetes include:

- Sluggishness
- Excessive water drinking and urination
- Unexplained change in weight

Find out more about diabetes in dogs here and talk to your vet about concerns you may have.