There are a number of Golden Retriever health problems that you should be aware of when raising and breeding this breed of dog, including allergies, infections, hip dysplasia, cataracts, and obesity, but there is one in particular I wanted to focus on today - Diabetes. I think everyone has some idea of what diabetes does to people, but until you own a dog it never really hits home that the condition can affect dogs in much the same way.
Diabetes is caused by either a lack of insulin or when your dog cannot utilize insulin properly, diabetes in your Golden Retriever is, thankfully, a manageable condition. If left untreated, however, it can cause other complications and lead to many other health problems.
There are two types of diabetes that your dog can get:
Type I: A lack of insulin production.
Type II: Your dog isn't producing enough insulin, and doesn't respond properly to what it does produce.
Typically we see only Type I in Golden Retrievers.
How Can I Tell if my Golden Retriever Has Diabetes?
Many of the symptoms of diabetes either go unnoticed, or are thought to be the result of other conditions; it's important to be aware of the symptoms and look into them more if your dog shows any signs of them. These symptoms include a change in your dogs appetite, a noticeable increase in water consumption, weight loss, fruity (or very sweet) smelling breath, dehydration, excessive vomiting, your dog is urinating more often than usual, Urinary tract infections, the dog appears very lethargic, develops cataracts, or has signs of skin infections.
It's quite a long list of symptoms and many of them also appear from other conditions such as allergies and infections. Nevertheless, it's worth investigating these symptoms as not managing diabetes can lead to many, even more serious, health issues for your Golden.
Diabetes is more common in older dogs over the age of six years, females, and obese dogs. Obviously there is nothing you can do about the age or sex of your dog, but obesity is definitely a condition you can prevent to reduce the risk.
In the event your dog does develop diabetes, your local vet will help you determine appropriate treatment. In addition to whatever treatment is prescribed for your dog, a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise are essential to help treat and control diabetes.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe conditions such as cataracts, urinary tract infections, and eventually to coma and death.
As you can see, diabetes is a serious condition that requires the owner to pay close attention to the health of their dog, regardless of the breed.
Diabetes is caused by either a lack of insulin or when your dog cannot utilize insulin properly, diabetes in your Golden Retriever is, thankfully, a manageable condition. If left untreated, however, it can cause other complications and lead to many other health problems.
There are two types of diabetes that your dog can get:
Type I: A lack of insulin production.
Type II: Your dog isn't producing enough insulin, and doesn't respond properly to what it does produce.
Typically we see only Type I in Golden Retrievers.
How Can I Tell if my Golden Retriever Has Diabetes?
Many of the symptoms of diabetes either go unnoticed, or are thought to be the result of other conditions; it's important to be aware of the symptoms and look into them more if your dog shows any signs of them. These symptoms include a change in your dogs appetite, a noticeable increase in water consumption, weight loss, fruity (or very sweet) smelling breath, dehydration, excessive vomiting, your dog is urinating more often than usual, Urinary tract infections, the dog appears very lethargic, develops cataracts, or has signs of skin infections.
It's quite a long list of symptoms and many of them also appear from other conditions such as allergies and infections. Nevertheless, it's worth investigating these symptoms as not managing diabetes can lead to many, even more serious, health issues for your Golden.
Diabetes is more common in older dogs over the age of six years, females, and obese dogs. Obviously there is nothing you can do about the age or sex of your dog, but obesity is definitely a condition you can prevent to reduce the risk.
In the event your dog does develop diabetes, your local vet will help you determine appropriate treatment. In addition to whatever treatment is prescribed for your dog, a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise are essential to help treat and control diabetes.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe conditions such as cataracts, urinary tract infections, and eventually to coma and death.
As you can see, diabetes is a serious condition that requires the owner to pay close attention to the health of their dog, regardless of the breed.
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