Q: Pebbles, my 9-year-old terrier, was diagnosed with diabetes several months ago. I give her insulin injections and monitor her diabetes with urine test strips. Is there a better way to determine how well her diabetes is being controlled? A: Diabetes mellitus arises most often in middle-aged dogs, usually around 7 to 9 years of age. Three-fourths of diabetic dogs are female. Clinical signs include increased drinking and urination, increased appetite with decreased weight, and lethargy. Some diabetic dogs also develop cataracts and urinary tract infections. While humans can experience different kinds of diabetes, dogs almost always have insulin-dependent diabetes, similar to type 1 diabetes in humans. In both forms, the pancreas does not produce insulin as it should. Insulin has many roles, one of which is to move blood sugar, or glucose, into the cells of the body, where it produces energy the tissues and organs require to function …