Diabetes Mellitus in Dog
"Diabetes Mellitus in dog is similar to diabetes in humans where the body does not produce enough insulin to regulate sugar. While there is no cure, the disease is treatable with prescription medications, changes in diet and may be helped by natural supplements"
When the body does not produce enough insulin, the body is deprived of energy causing it to look for other sources such as the fat stored in the body. Since absorption and the break down of these fats isn't that efficient, acid and fat levels increase in the blood causing a condition called canine ketoacidosis. This break down of fats causes the weight loss associated with the condition. Since the body is craving nutrition, appetite increases. Glucose or sugar in the blood spills into the urine triggering a thirst response and the need for more urination.
Untreated, diabetes can cause life-threatening complications. It's important to provide the proper care for dogs and pets. With treatment, dogs can lead normal, happy lives.
Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus in Dog
Symptoms of diabetes mellitus in dog include excessive thirst (your dog will drink more water than usual) increased need to urinate (your housebroken dog may begin to have accidents in the house), and weight loss. Other symptoms in more severe cases can indlude anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea.See our complete guide to signs of diabetes in dog.
Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in Dog
Your vet will do a blood test to check your dog�s blood sugar and will also test his urine. Your vet may want to do these tests when your dog has been fasting (not eating) for 12 hours or so. The vet will also look for signs of dehydration and electrolyte problems.He or she will also look for signs of advanced stages of the disease, a condition called canine ketoacidosis. Typical symptoms include the abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
Treating Diabetes Mellitus in Dog
There is no cure for diabetes in dogs. Treatment involves daily insulin injections. While there are some oral medications to treat diabetes in humans, there are no oral medications for diabetes in dogs.Your vet will show you how to give your dog insulin injections and tell you when to give them. Give him his medication at the same time every day. It may or may not be necessary for you to check your dog�s blood glucose levels at home. If it is necessary, your vet will show you how to do it as well.
Feed your dog at the same time every day. He should eat the same amount of food each day, as well. It is generally recommended that you feed your dog twice a day to keep his blood sugar levels even. Feed him a commercial dog food and do not give him table scraps. If your dog is overweight it will be harder to control his blood sugar levels, so talk to your vet about how to help him lose weight if needed.
Your dog needs regular exercise, and it will be important for him to get about the same amount of exercise each day because the amount of exercise he gets affects the amount of insulin his body requires. That means if he exercises a lot one day and not at all another day, he�ll need different amounts of insulin. Unless you are monitoring his blood glucose level and adjusting his insulin dose accordingly, this could spell trouble for your dog.
For instructions that you can refer to (use only as a guide, we assume no liability for use of these instructions - only rely on the advice of your veterinarian) cick here for a guide to using a diabetes dog needle.
Dog Diabetes High Protein Diet
High-quality protein is essential to maintain optimal body weight for dog's with diabetes. These types of diets contain a balance of amino acids that are highly digestible.
High-quality proteins include chicken, fish, lamb, egg, and beef as opposed to plant protein which isn't as good. Having a leaner body is associated with better glycemic control.
Commercially available foods to consider include Eukanuba Adult Maintenance, Eukanuba Adult Reduced Fat for weight maintenance and Eukanuba Adult Reduced Fat food for weight loss. See our detailed guide on the optimal
diet for dogs with diabetes.
Other important nutrients include:
l-Carnitine - a vitaminlike compound that promotes fatty acid metabolism for weight loss.
Dietary fiber - foods that contain sorghum, barley and moderate amounts of fermentable dietary fiber such as beet pulp, fructooligosaccharides and gum arabic.
Chromium - this diet supplement helps tissue absorption of insulin.
Natural Medicine for Dogs with Diabetes
There is evidence that suggests that the use of carefully chosen herbal remedies and dietary supplements can help to both prevent diabetes and to keep it under control in dogs who have already developed it. A good commercial source for more research is PetAlive GlucoEnsure.
Have A Dog Diabetes Question For Our Editors?
Do you have a canine diabetes question for our editors or a helpful Story to Share? Please include information such as medical history (describe visits to vet and any diagnosis/test results), age, sex, breed, diet, medications your dog is taking, recent changes in behavior (lethargy, appetite), etc.
Just fill out the form below. There is no charge for this service.
If you do require an immediate response we suggest using this online dog veterinary service that is available 24 hours a day. You decide how much to pay the Vet answering your question and you only pay when satisfied with the answer.
