3/05/2013

Our pets are more like us then we think, not only are they loyal friends and companions to us humans, but also they are susceptible to some of the same ailments and diseases that their human masters suffer from, diabetes is one of them. In dogs, diabetes is life threatening if not detected in early stages and treated, although with proper treatment diabetes can be controlled and your pet can lead a normal life. Diabetes in dogs is more common in obese dogs. Some breeds of dogs are more likely to have diabetes than others, these breeds are Poodles, Schnauzers, Keeshounds, Cairn Terriers, Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, and Beagles. An early detection of diabetes in dogs can get the dog proper treatment and they can live for years once their blood sugar levels are regulated.



It is necessary for any pet owner to monitor your sick dogs symptoms and behavioral changes in their pet to know if something is wrong with their pet, there are some specific symptoms that will let you know if your dog is diabetic. These symptoms include but are not limited to, consuming more fluids, urinating more than normal, rapid weight loss, an increase in the dog's appetite, the dog being dehydrated, and a sudden formation of the cataract. If your pets diabetes remains uncontrolled the dog can become ketotic, this essentially means that the body starts using reserve fat as fuel for the energy production in the body, resulting in ketone bodies being accumulated in the blood. Once that happens the dog may produce some more symptoms these include, depression, vomiting, weakness, and rapid breathing. If your dog shows any of the above symptoms you should be concerned and contact a veterinarian immediately.



The vet will then diagnose the dog by running several blood and urine tests on your pet. The vet will want to check the blood sugar levels in your dog which ideally should be between 70-150 mg/dl, if it is anything above 200 mg/dl that indicates that your dog is suffering from diabetes. The vet will also want to check your dog's urine for any glucose content which also indicates diabetes. These tests are necessary not only to diagnose diabetes in your dog but to rule out several other diseases that have the same sick dog symptoms.



Immediate treatment is necessary for diabetes in dogs; this treatment includes a proper diet to control the sugar levels in a pet as well and administering insulin to regulate the blood sugar level of the animal. First of all low fat and low sugar meals are required so the condition does not get worse. The veterinarian will guide you to a proper diet for a diabetic dog and tell you what foods to avoid. Other than the diet for milder cases of diabetes in the dog the veterinarian will also administer a dose of medication to be given to the dog, for more severe cases 1 or 2 shots of insulin might be necessary everyday to regulate the blood sugar in your pet. It is essential that proper care is taken of a diabetic dog so it can live a trouble free life and its condition is controlled.
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