Dogs and Diabetes
How can you decide if your dog might possibly have diabetes? In the vast majority of cases, it is not very likely for younger dogs to contract diabetes, but if your pet is more than 4 years old and is exhibiting other symptoms, then the possibility for diabetes could be a real one. Diabetes in dogs is quite a bit more common in females. Many of a dog’s symptoms are a lot like those of diabetes in humans.
Signs Your Dog May Have Diabetes
* Canine diabetes can begin with an out of shape, obese dog. This is not always true though; in some breeds it can be in the gene pool. Being overweight can be a dangerous sign though.
* Diabetes typically happens in dogs close to the ages of 7 to 9.
* With larger dogs there is more of a possibility to contract diabetes than there is with a littler breed.
* Watch for unquenchable thirst. If this happens, do not try to limit your dog’s water intake. This is necessary because your dog will require all the water it wants to help keep from becoming dehydrated.
* Drinking so much means he/she will need to use the bathroom more often. Your dog, the one you’ve worked so hard to house train so well could start having accidents more often on your carpet. Why? They are not used to transporting so much water in their bladder. Much like the chicken and the egg, and the debate of which arrived first, the need for water or the need to urinate has been debated both ways.
* Your dog may begin dropping weight quickly and unusually, even though she is eating more and could begin moving slower and showing signs of being worn out, acting very tired.
* Your dog may start losing their eyesight, having issues seeing.
Preventing dog diabetes:
1. If you see your dog beginning to gain weight, or if they are already overweight, lower the number of carbohydrates they consume. Yes, much like humans, a large number of carbohydrates add to to weight gain, which adds to the probability of diabetes. Many common dog foods have ingredients that include as much as 98% carbohydrates. Read the food labels and gather as much information as you can about your dog breed to make sure that he is receiving the correct amount of nutrients. Making the switch to a healthier dog food can be an enormous step towards the right direction.
2. Get lots of exercise! A lot of dogs get diabetes that could be completely avoided if they had kept active and not gotten out of shape. This is where you and your family can help out, as the dog owners. If your dog stays sedentary and out of shape, he can contract diabetes even if he is not a breed that is normally at risk.
As of this writing there is not a cure for diabetes. Work together with your vet to ensure that your dog gets the correct treatment and the correct medication to continue to have a happy life. Sometimes diabetes will remain all the way through your dog’s life span. To prevent diabetes symptoms in your dog, do your best to keep your dog’s weight appropriate, get him adequate exercise, and give the dog its medication on a regular basis along with enough water.
Might your dog have diabetes? Do you know what the symptoms are of dogs with diabetes?