Diabetes and Your Dog – Care and Prevention

Just as humans might develop diabetes, so too can dogs.  Diabetes is a difficult disease and owning a dog that suffers from this condition will require a little extra work and care.  The disease is a serious and life threatening one and, left untreated, usually ends in the death of your pet.

The disease is characterized by an insulin deficiency which means that the dog has trouble producing or regulating insulin levels.  A diabetic dog will have difficulty metabolizing sugars if the disease is left untreated.

Investing in a good blood glucose meter will make life much easier.

Diabetes is often broken into two different types.  The first, known as Type I, is the type of diabetes which is developed in a dog’s early years.  The second, or Type II, occurs when a dog becomes insulin dependent, or can’t live without regular insulin.  This type is more common in older dogs.

While no one knows just when Type I diabetes will strike, there are certain factors that can lead a dog to develop Type II diabetes.  Older dogs are certainly more susceptible, but factors such as obesity and diet certainly play a large role.  Further, diabetes is often a hereditary disease.  If you are aware that your dog has one or more parents or grandparents known to have had the disease, have your veterinarian perform a simple blood test.  Diagnosing diabetes early is the best way to avoid serious health problems.

Your veterinarian will likely tell you that your dog’s diet must be the first thing to change during treatment.  A well regulated diet is very useful in managing diabetes and there are a number of foods which will make your dog’s diabetes far worse, even in small quantities.  As much as we love to give the occasional table scraps to our dogs, with a diabetic dog we must learn restraint.

There are a number of medications to help with canine diabetes and your veterinarian will probably discuss those options as well as different insulins you may want to use with your pet.  Insulin injections, given when needed, are a big part of helping your dog live a long and healthy life.  With insulin injections comes the need for testing your dog’s blood glucose level.  Many pet owners are not comfortable, initially, with testing their pet’s blood on their own, but this is a very necessary test to help you treat your dog effectively.

Diabetes is a common enough disease that your veterinarian should be able to offer you plenty of advice.  Remember that without treatment, your pet will not live a long and certainly not a comfortable life.