Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a severe complication of diabetes mellitus that can occur in both dogs and cats. 

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency that occurs in pets when there is not enough insulin in the body to control blood sugar levels.  

Additionally, insulin may also be prevented from working normally because of hormones that are released as a result of diseases. A dog or cat's body cannot use glucose properly without insulin, so blood glucose levels get high. Their body then creates ketone bodies from fat cells as an emergency fuel source.

While this is okay in an emergency, if glucose regulation is not restored, ketone levels increase resulting in a shift in the body's acid/base balance.

An animal's body becomes more acidic (acidosis), and can't maintain appropriate fluid balance. The electrolyte (mineral) balance becomes disrupted which can lead to abnormal heart rhythms and abnormal muscle function.

If left untreated, diabetic ketoacidosis is fatal. One good tool you can use to test for ketones in your pet with urinalysis regeant sticks available on Amazon. Here is one such product from Bayer which our vet recommended last year:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000532GH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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