Caring For Your Diabetic Dog

Diabetes is one of the popular diseases affecting human beings and its rate has kept on increasing with each year. However, diabetes in dogs has also recorded a rise over the past few years. In

Diabetes is one of the popular diseases affecting human beings and its rate has kept on increasing with each year. However, diabetes in dogs has also recorded a rise over the past few years. In USA alone, it is estimated that 1 out of every 160 dogs has diabetes. While in humans the condition is primarily caused by diet and can thus be treated through diet, it is a life-long condition in dogs. This leaves one remedy alternative only which is managing the condition in your pet. Diabetes in dogs mostly affects pets older than 7 years and is more prevalent in female and neutered dogs as opposed to intact males and dogs under the age of one year. It is important to learn what to do if you find out your dog is diabetic. Without proper medication and management, the pet may eventually die.

How do I know my dog is diabetic?According to most recommendations, research studies and medical suggestions, diabetes in dogs cannot be fully treated. In fact, your pet will require daily shots of insulin injections every day. This is because dogs suffer diabetes mellitus (type-1 diabetes). It is a condition referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes and occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce any insulin at all. Once you discover that your dog is diabetic, it is important to visit a professional vet to prescribe insulin shot. Some of the crystal symptoms seen in diabetic dogs include the following;•    Excessive thirst and water consumption•    Increased appetite•    Weight loss that becomes severe even with increased meal consumption•    Excessive urinationOther symptoms include a  persistently high concentration of glucose in urine and blood stream. After a diagnosis of the condition, the next logical step is to seek treatment.
What to doAs aforementioned, there is no curative treatment for diabetic dogs. However, two important things need to be done to ensure your pet remains healthy and happy despite their condition. They include the following;•    Daily insulin shots – Just like humans rely on insulin shots when the condition becomes severe, dogs require daily insulin injection to cover for the missing insulin. These shots help balance blood sugar levels and prevent the various symptoms of diabetes.•    Diet change – While diabetes in dogs is rarely a result of sugary diets, it is still highly influenced by it. There are certain foods that increase the symptoms and this condition and daunt the management. You should continue giving your dog a special diet at the exact time without changing the proportion until regular management is achieved.
•    Prognosis – With effective dieting and regular insulin shots, dogs with diabetes will survive for as many years as those without the condition.
ConclusionDogs can go one or two days without their insulin shots without causing a crisis. However, this should not be regular as it daunts the chances of achieving regularity in managing the condition. If you do not take an interest in caring for your pet, they may suffer complications that range from hyperadrenocorticism to hypothyroidism, liver and renal insufficiency, chronic inflammation, cardiac inflammation, EPI, hyperlipidemia, severe obesity and cancer among others. It is therefore very important to consider this a financial commitment to treating and caring for your dog.

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