Diabetes is a chronic condition that can affect dogs, cats, pigs, horses, and apes. Although diabetes is a health condition without any cure, it can be managed with proper diet and medication. The most common type of diabetes seen in dogs is diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder that affects the way in which the body converts food to energy.
Below shared are some of the details about diabetes in dogs.
What Is Diabetes?
Dogs can be affected by two forms of diabetes.
- Insulin-deficiency diabetes: This is a condition that is caused when enough insulin is not being produced in the dog’s body. Insulin is a hormone that is very much necessary for the conversion of glucose to energy. This could be due to the inefficiency in working or due to damage to the pancreas. The dogs with this condition will need daily shots of insulin.
- Insulin-resistance diabetes: The condition is caused when the pancreas is producing insulin but the dog’s body fails to utilize insulin in the way it should. The condition is usually common in older or obese dogs.
What Are The Symptoms Associated With Diabetes In Dogs?
Belo shared are some of the common symptoms that are characteristic of diabetes in dogs.
- Increased urination: Increased urination is the result of the body’s attempt to get rid of excess sugar through urine.
- Excessive thirst: You will see the dog drinking water frequently.
- Increased appetite: Because its body cells aren’t getting enough glucose, the dog may be hungry all the time even when it is eating food in the amounts it eats regularly.
- Weight loss: Even while eating in regular proportions, the dog may lose weight because of the inefficiency in the conversion of nutrients in food.
Uncontrolled diabetes may cause serious effects in dogs. The effects include:
- Seizures
- Infection in the urinary tract
- Enlarged liver
- Kidney failure
- Cataracts
- Ketoacidosis
What Factors Put Dogs At The Risk Of Diabetes?
Some factors that increase the risk of diabetes in dogs include:
- Gender: The likelihood of female dogs developing diabetes is two times more than that of male dogs.
- Age: Diabetes is more common in middle-aged and senior dogs.
- Obesity: Obesity may lead to insulin resistance. It increases the risk of pancreatitis that may lead to diabetes.
- Cushing’s disease: Overproduction of steroids in the body is a feature of Cushing’s disease. This may lead to diabetes.
Handling diabetes in dogs requires a combination of diet, exercise, and medications. The glucose level in the dogs has to be monitored regularly to evaluate the severity of your dog’s diabetes.