Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes In pets

Every year in November, we observe Pet Diabetes Month. The goal of this month is to raise awareness of the chronic condition known as diabetes, which affects one in 300 adult dogs and one in 230 adult cats in the United States.

Pets with diabetes are unable to produce or use insulin, which hinders the conversion of food into energy. This causes blood sugar levels to stay high, which causes fatigue and other health issues. Although there is no such cure for diabetes, it can be managed with medication and dietary changes.

How is diabetes identified?

A dog's blood glucose is measured, and the vet then checks a dog's urine for the presence of glucose and ketones. The presence of glucose in the urine and persistently elevated blood glucose levels will indicate diabetes mellitus in a dog.

What are the symptoms exhibited by a dog or cat with diabetes?

A few symptoms exhibited by dogs or cats with diabetes are uncontrollable thirst, excessive urination, urinating inappropriately, increase in appetite, weakness, tiredness, excessive dandruff on the skin, weight loss.

How to prevent dogs from getting diabetes?

The ideal treatment for diabetes is prevention. There are steps you can do right away and in the future to make sure your dog is in the greatest health possible to prevent having diabetes, even if you might not be able to completely prevent it in dogs. Don't allow your dog to gain weight and make sure he gets adequate activity. Keeping your dog at a healthy weight will help avoid diabetes and other weight-related problems since overweight dogs are more prone to develop the condition.

How is the treatment for diabetes different in dogs and cats?

In terms of the type of insulin prescribed, the treatment for diabetes in dogs and cats can vary somewhat. Treatment for diabetes in dogs and cats includes twice-daily insulin injections, periodic examinations, and meticulous blood test monitoring. Oral drugs typically don't function well in cats or dogs and don't work at all on dogs in contrast to humans, dogs and cats should not be given oral drugs. They are exclusively applied to cats whose owners are unable to administer insulin injections.

What can put a dog in danger of developing diabetes?

Obesity: Obesity increases the risk of pancreatitis, which can cause diabetes, as well as insulin resistance.

Steroids as medicine: When used repeatedly, steroids used as medicine can develop diabetes in pets.

Age: Although it can happen to anyone, diabetes more frequently affects middle-aged to older dogs. The majority of affected canines have it when they are 5 years old or older.

Recurring or chronic pancreatitis: Diabetes can develop as a result of pancreatic inflammation that is persistent or chronic and results in significant organ damage.

Cushing's illness: The internal overproduction of steroids that occurs with Cushing's disease can potentially lead to diabetes.

Other health issues: It's also hypothesised that several viral and autoimmune diseases might lead to diabetes.

Gender: Diabetes is twice as common in unneutered female dogs as in neutered male dogs.

What is the diet for Dogs with Diabetes?

Dogs with diabetes can use prescription diets. Diet treatment is a crucial part of the management of diabetes. Dog owners should feed their pets at the same time and with the same ingredients every day.

The key to improved and quicker blood sugar management is consistency. These diets often have high fiber content along with balanced fat, protein, and carbohydrate intakes that support regulating blood sugar levels. It is crucial to remember that dog owners with underweight pets or those who are exhibiting additional symptoms consistent with a diagnosis should first consult their veterinarian.

Conclusion:

A diabetes diagnosis is not the end of the road for your dog, even though it is a condition that needs to be managed and treated. Like people, many dogs with diabetes lead healthy, long lives.

However, in order to put yourself in the best possible position as a dog owner, you'll want to know how to identify diabetes in dogs, what you can do to prevent the condition, and what your dog's treatment choices would be if it were ever identified as having the disease.