One Health

I wanted to share this article from the One Health Institute at Colorado State University that reveals some interesting links between people and pets with diabetes:

• People with dogs have a higher risk of developing diabetes than those without dogs in the home, likely due to shared lifestyle and environmental factors such as diet and exercise.
• People with dogs were 32% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if their dogs also had the disease. However, this link wasn't observed in cats and their human companions.
• Similar to type 1 diabetes in humans, canine diabetes involves an autoimmune response affecting insulin production. In contrast, type 2 diabetes in humans shares similarities with feline diabetes, often linked to obesity.

What are your thoughts on these findings? How has your or someone else's lifestyle affected your pet or their pet?

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Kayla Anderson
Veterinary Social Worker
Program for Pet Health Equity
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Thank you @Kayla Anderson!

November is National Diabetes Month

🔗 Other Helpful Resources

• For human diabetes awareness and toolkit
• For pets the AVMA brochure "Diabetes in Pets" (dogs & cats)
  in English; in Spanish 

Let's use this month to raise awareness, take action, and support healthy habits across species. Whether you're focusing on your own health, your pet's health, or both, every step matters.

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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
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I loved reading this! Printed and shared with my team as a really unique showcase of the symbiotic nature of human to animal health and lifestyles. Thanks for sharing

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Rachel Ide
Animal Services Director
Young-Williams Animal Center
TN
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Thank you @Rachel Ide! Please share far and wide. :-) 

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T' Fisher, Director of Operations
Program for Pet Health Equity
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-17-2025 09:38 AM
From: Rachel Ide
Subject: Similarities between People and Pets with Diabetes

I loved reading this! Printed and shared with my team as a really unique showcase of the symbiotic nature of human to animal health and lifestyles. Thanks for sharing

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Rachel Ide
Animal Services Director
Young-Williams Animal Center
TN
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That's a really interesting set of findings, and it shows how closely our lifestyles can influence our pets' health - and vice versa. If a dog isn't getting enough walks or is eating a bit too well, it often reflects what's happening in the household overall. I've seen families where both the owner and the dog slowly gained weight during stressful periods, and improving routines helped both get healthier. It really highlights how shared habits around food, activity, and daily structure matter more than we realize. And while reading up on related wellness topics recently, I even stumbled across the best bluechew phone number - a reminder of how connected human health resources can be when you're researching anything lifestyle-related.

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Tyrone Pierce
Veterinarian
Maryland Hospital
MD
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