Spontaneous Diabetes Mellitus in Tree Shrews, Urogale Everetti

Two tree shrews with bilateral cataracts, a male and a female from a colony of six in captivity for more than a year, were found to have diabetes mellitus. The male died before his condition was controlled with insulin and restrictive diet. A fairly satisfactory state of balance of the female was maintained for two and a half months on a relatively high dosage of insulin. Microscopic examination of the pancreatic tissue of the male revealed degranulation and vacuolation of the islet cells, with probable absence of beta cells. In the female there was diffuse fibrosis with replacement of nearly all of the islet cells.