Effect of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose on control of glycemia in dogs with naturally acquired diabetes mellitus

Objective--To evaluate effect of acarbose on control of glycemia in dogs wi th diabetes mellitus. Design-Prospective randomized crossover controlled trial. Animals--5 dogs with naturally acquired diabetes mellitus. Procedure--Dogs were treated with acarbose and placebo for 2 months each: i n 1 of 2 randomly assigned treatment sequences. Dogs that weighed less than or equal to 10 kg (22 ib; n = 3) or > 10 kg (2) were given 25 or 50 mg of acarbose, respectively, at each meal for 2 weeks, then 50 or: 100 mg of aca rbose, respectively, at each meal for 6 weeks, with a 1-month interval betw een treatments. Caloric intake, type of insulin, and frequency of insulin a dministration were kept constant, and insulin dosage was adjusted as needed to maintain control of glycemia. Serum glucose concentrations, blood glyco sylated hemoglobin concentration, and serum fructosamine concentration were determined. Results--Significant differences in mean body weight and daily insulin dosa ge among dogs treated with acarbose and placebo were not found. Mean prepra ndial serum glucose concentration, 8-hour mean serum glucose concentration, and blood glycosylated hemoglobin concentration were significantly lower i n dogs treated with insulin and acarbose, compared with insulin and placebo . Semisoft to watery feces developed in 3 dogs treated with acarbose. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--Acarbose may be useful as an adjunctive treatment in diabetic dogs in which cause for poor glycemic control cannot be identified, and insulin treatment alone is ineffective.