How can you tell if your dog might possibly have diabetes? In the wide majority of cases, it is very uncommon for younger dogs to have diabetes, but if your pet is older than four years old and has shown some of the symptoms, then the potential for diabetes could be a real one. Diabetes in canines is quite a bit more common in females. Many of a dog’s symptoms are much like those of diabetes in people.
Symptoms for Dogs that have Diabetes
* Canine diabetes can begin with an out of shape, overweight dog. This is not always true though; in some breeds it can be in the gene pool. Being obese can be a dangerous sign though. * Diabetes typically happens in dogs around 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 important because your dog will require all the water it wants to help keep from having dehydration issues. * Drinking so much means he/she will need to use the bathroom more. Your dog, the one you’re so proud of how house trained they are, 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 losing weight quickly and abnormally, even though she is eating more and could begin moving slowly and showing signs of being worn out, acting very fatigued. * Your dog may start losing their eyesight, having issues with vision.
Helping prevent dog diabetes:
1. If you see your dog starting to put on the pounds, or if they are already overweight, lower the number of calories they consume. Yes, much like us, a large number of carbohydrates add to to weight gain, which adds to the likelihood of diabetes. Many everyday dog foods have ingredients that include as much as 98% carbohydrates. Take a close look at the food labels and learn as much as you can about your dog breed to ensure that he is getting the right number of nutrients. Changing over to a healthier dog food can be an enormous step towards a leaner and healthier dog.
2. Get plenty of exercise! A lot of dogs get diabetes that could be completely avoided if they had kept exercising and not gotten out of shape. This is where you and your family can pitch in, as the dog owners. If your dog stays lazy and out of shape, he can contract diabetes even if he is not a breed that is typically at risk.
As of this article there is no cure for diabetes. Work side by side with your vet to ensure that your pet gets the best treatment and the correct medication to continue to have a happy life. Sometimes diabetes will stay all the way through your dog’s life span. To help deter diabetes in dogs, do the best you can to keep your dog’s weight at a good level, keep him active with plenty of exercise, and make sure he gets his medicine on a regular basis along with plenty to drink.
Does your family want a a healthier dog? Should you be worried about diabetes in dogs?. This article, Diagnosing Dog Diabetes is available for free reprint.