Diabetic Cataract of the Musk Shrew (Suncus murinus, Insectivora) Exhibiting Spontaneous Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM)

The EDS colony, developed as a new laboratory colony of the musk shrew, is characterized by a high incidence of early-onset spontaneous non-insulin dependent diabates mellitus (NIDDM). In this colony, a few diabetic shrews exhibited a cataract at 1 month after the onset of diabetes, and all diabetic shrews had bilateral cataracts at 5 months after the onset of diabetes. In contrast, cataractous animals were never observed among non-diabetic shrews. These results suggest that the cataract in the EDS colony is a diabetic complication.