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What is Diabetes in Dogs? Diabetes is an incurable disease that affects dogs as well as people. There is approximately 1 in 500 dogs that contract Diabetes. Diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system caused by a deficiency of insulin. Insulin regulates how sugar is absorbed and used by the body. When dogs have Diabetes, it may be because their pancreas is not producing sufficient insulin, or their body cells may fail to respond to insulin. This means that they may have overly highly glucose levels in their blood, or that their cells cannot absorb enough glucose. Diabetes in dogs is a serious disease and does need regular treatment. However dogs that have received good medical attention and are treated for Diabetes correctly, can still live happy healthy lives. What Type of Dogs Does Diabetes Affect? - Overweight. Most dogs that are affected by Diabetes are obese. - Age. The highest occurrences are normally found when dogs are between five to seven. - Female. More females than male dogs get Diabetes. What Are the Symptoms of Diabetes in Dogs? - May drink more water. - Dogs may also lose weight. - May urinate more frequently. - Dogs may overeat. - Dog may become lethargic. How to Find Out if Your Dog has Diabetes? - Visit your Veterinarian. They can do blood and urine tests to check if your dog has Diabetes. The blood test will show how high the levels of glucose are in your dogs bloodstream. A urine analysis will show if they have urinary tract infections and also will allow the Vet to check their kidney function. - Act quickly as Diabetes in dogs that is untreated can lead to further health problems. How to Treat Diabetes in Dogs - Insulin. If your dog has Diabetes your vet may recommend daily injections on insulin and will provide details on how and when to administer the treatment. Your Vet will need to see your dog regularly so they can monitor your dog's glucose level to work out if the Diabetes is being controlled correctly. As a dog can go into Diabetic/Insulin Shock if it is given too much insulin, make sure that you understand the medication process fully with your Veterinarian. - Exercise. Dogs need regular exercise. Discuss an exercise program with your vet as exercise will affect the "sugar" levels in your dog's bloodstream. - Diet. Ideally your dog should be on a special low fat diet and may need to be fed regular small meals instead of one main meal. Check with your Vet on the dog's diet as your dog may still need to lose weight but you don't want your dog to lose weight too quickly. - Emergency. Speak to your Vet to find out what to give if they are given too much insulin, or if they are having a seizure. Other Effects of Diabetes in Dogs Diabetes Cataracts - A Diabetic Cataract is when the lens of the eye becomes opaque. This can result in blindness. - A Diabetic Cataract is caused by excess glucose in the bloodstream that may cause swelling in the lens. - To treat Diabetes Cataracts the lens of the eye can be removed surgically. What Happens if Diabetes in Dogs is Untreated? If Diabetes is not treated in dogs it can lead to death. There is a condition called Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) which is where very high blood glucose concentrations can result in a breakdown of the body fat for energy. The signs of this include vomiting and rapid breathing and could lead to death. How to Avoid Diabetes in Dogs? There is no cure yet for Diabetes and there is always a chance of your dog contracting Diabetes. However by keeping your dog active, fit and healthy you are reducing the chance of your dog getting Diabetes. It may also be better for your dog to be spayed and neutered. As well as being responsible if you are not a breeder, it may help to reduce the chance of Diabetes. Even the best loved dog can contract Diabetes or another illness. You may wish to consider Dog Health Insurance as many pet insurance firms now will insure against Diabetes. As Diabetes is very expensive to control, an option when purchasing an animal is to insure them against illnesses such as Diabetes.
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CANINE DIABETIES
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Friday, 22 May 2009 03:35
DEB
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| Last Updated on Monday, 29 December 2008 13:26 |