Living With A Diabetic Dog The Facts

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects humans and the man’s best friends. Animals are not left out in the fight against diabetes. As a pet owner who has a diabetic dog, it is important that you provide it with the care and special nutrition as a way of increasing its longevity. First, you might be wondering what exactly diabetes is. When it comes to dogs, diabetes mostly attacks the endocrine glands which affect its function.

Two Types

In dogs, diabetes is a disease that attacks the endocrine glands and affects its performance. Your dog can suffer from two types of diabetes which are diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. When your dog has diabetes insipidus it means that it can no longer produce a hormone known as vasopressin which is responsible for how your dog’s kidneys intake water. Diabetes mellitus is a condition that renders your dog incapable of produce insulin.

Diabetes mellitus is dangerous and life-threatening to your pet and it comes into types as it is there in humans, type 1 and type 2 and they do have similar symptoms and effects as humans. Only a veterinarian can accurately diagnose diabetes in dogs, but it is important to pay attention to the symptoms that need to be observed. Symptoms that you are likely to notice include extreme lethargy and a large increase in the amount of water your pet consumes daily. If you notice any of these symptoms and you are worried that your dog may be suffering from diabetes, take him to the vet as soon as possible. If your pet suffers from diabetes, there is a big responsibility on your shoulders.

Signs

One of the most common signs of early diabetes is the need to urinate more frequently than before. You may not notice that she pees more often, but like people, she’ll find she wants to drink and eat more to make up for the water loss. But even with an increased appetite, it still seems to be decreasing.

There are two basic options to choose from when it comes to diabetic dog food. First, you can buy the manufactured dog food that is recommended and that is sold at the vet clinics. You can also opt to prepare the meals from natural products yourself. Although the manufactured food is good it may lack some vital nutrients that may be available in the homemade food. With proper feeding, you can easily guarantee that all daily nutritional needs are taken into account.

Dog Food

It should be noted that commercially made dog foods may contain a lot of sugar and due to the fact that most manufacturers don’t list sugar as an ingredient, it may be harmful to your pet. You should always aim to reduce the sugar intake of your pet since it might spike a huge insulin level.
There are natural ways to help your affected pet but if your dog needs insulin, then you should give them insulin. You should always check on the diet and always try to maintain the sugar levels. Exercises do wonders since they help pump more blood to the vital organs and help reduce excess weight which keeps the blood sugar levels in check. Also, regularly visit your vet for checks and dietary advice for the wellbeing of your pet. Dog walking is a great form of exercise for you and your pets.  Start by taking your dog on a daily walk. If you can’t always find the time to walk your dog, hire a professional dog walker.

The Poop

The effects of diabetes on nutrient absorption of dog can be confirmed through medical examination of dog poop. Based on medical tests conducted on dog poop it is easier to make changes to a dog’s diet to lessen the effects of diabetes

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