The earliest references to diabetes date back to ancient Egypt, where it was described in the Ebers Papyrus as a new disease characterized by weight loss, persistent hunger, frequent urination, and intense thirst. It wasn’t until 1921 that insulin was discovered by Frederick Banting and Charles Best, which revolutionized diabetes treatment.
Initial insulins were derived from bovine or porcine pancreas, which were crude and impure. Because these insulins differ from human insulin by 2 or 3 amino acids, they provoke immune reactions such as insulin allergy, immune-mediated lipoatrophy at injection sites, antibody-mediated insulin resistance, and unpredictable fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Over the past century, significant progress has been made in insulin use in both human and veterinary medicine, and the care gap continues to narrow. In this issue’s “Understanding Basal Insulins: A Steady Approach to Canine Diabetes Management“, Dr. Olin discusses these advances for the treatment of diabetic dogs.
The most promising innovations in human diabetes management include smart insulins and glucose-responsive drugs. Imagine managing canine diabetes without constant hypoglycemia monitoring. As veterinary medicine increasingly adopts human insulin analogues, we build on a century of progress. The question now is not if we can improve glycemic control in diabetic dogs, but how quickly these advancements can be translated into safe, practical, and affordable treatments.
New Online Article Series in Partnership With Pawsibilities Vet Med
It is no secret that veterinary medicine is among the most homogenous professions in the United States—most veterinary professionals are likely to be White, female, and English speaking. But this representation does not reflect the breadth of veterinary clients. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging affect everything from interpersonal interactions to patient care, making these areas a core priority for the profession to thrive. A new 6-part series of articles in partnership with Pawsibilities Vet Med highlights essential issues in these areas such as navigating the U.S. credentialing landscape as a foreign veterinarian, ageism in veterinary medicine and starting a veterinary career later in life, pipeline and pathway development, and more.