A case of diabetes mellitus in Japanese Black cattle

A 3 year-old female Japanese Black cattle was diagnosed as diabetes mellitu s (DM). Hyperglycemia (295 mg/dl), increase of serum fructosamine (487 mu m ol/l), elevated glycosylated hemoglobin A(1) (GHbA(1); 10.9%), low concentr ation of serum insulin (<1.0 mu U/ml), increased serum glucagon (399 pg/ml) , and glucose intolerance (glucose disappearance rate; k = 0.53) were noted . On the histopathologic findings in pancreas, insulitis with infiltration of mononuclear cells was found. This case suggests that serum fructosamine and GHbA(1) are available parameters for understanding of pathophysiologica l conditions of bovine DM.