Canine Diabetes - Does Your Dog Have it?

Canine Diabetes: A Serious Dog Disease That is Completely Manageable

Canine diabetes is a serious disease that causes there to be too much glucose in the blood. If your pet has any of the signs, a dog health exam will help you find out with certainty. Canine diabetes symptoms usually include the following:

- drinking excessive amounts of water
- frequent urination
- weight gain (or weight loss in some cases)
- increased lethargy during the day

A simple blood test can tell the vet if the glucose counts look suspicious. You should have a full physical exam done on your dog annually, even if he seems perfectly healthy. Be sure to ask your vet to include a full blood work-up, to rule out diabetes (as well as many other diseases). It's well worth the added cost!

If your pet has been diagnosed with canine diabetes, don't panic. While it is a 'special needs' issue that will influence many daily decisions, it is a manageable disease in dogs. You just have to learn some simple steps and stick to a schedule.

The first goal after a canine diabetes diagnosis is to get the glucose levels down to a normal (or only slightly elevated) level. This will not require thorough dog health exams like the original blood test. The vet can draw some blood and test the levels fairly quickly, with minimal cost to you.

Canine diabetes means someone must administer insulin injections (in most cases). They are easy to do and will quickly become routine. One person in the family should be responsible for the shots, but everyone should know how to give them (age teen and up) in case of a dog health emergency. I highly recommend posting a printout of how to give the injection to your pet in every room in your house, just in case.

In our house, where we have a diabetic dog, we made a canine diabetes "Dog Health Cheat Sheet" for potential problems, like these:

- too much insulin is accidentally injected
- the needle breaks off while in the dog
- there's a seizure (not common, but can happen occasionally)

The cheat sheet includes the vet's emergency number and some basic actions to take in each scenario. We made several copies to be posted all over the house, but especially by the phone, the fridge (where the insulin is kept), and the bed (where our dog hangs out a lot).

The other goal with canine diabetes is to maintain the glucose level (with your vet's help). It is crucial to take your pet periodically to the vet for a whole day (8-hour period at least) so they can check blood sugar levels throughout the day. Just as in humans, blood sugar levels fluctuate in your pet throughout the day. Having your vet monitor and take several blood readings during a longer stretch of time helps ensure that your diabetes treatments are actually working as intended.

It's a little more work to care for diabetic dogs, no doubt about it. But our pets are family members and we love them dearly. Right? They give us their devotion, protection, and love, so the least we can do in return is give them proper health care, especially if they have problems like canine diabetes. Going the extra mile for them will help them live happier lives with less pain and more enjoyment. Can there be a nobler goal?

John Schwartz is a freelance writer, webmaster, and dog lover. He has written many published articles on subjects that include shopping for dog supplies, improving pet health, and good dog training practices. Please visit my dog supplies website at http://www.puppies-dogs-supplies.com for more dog and puppy tips.

MORE PETS INFORMATION RESOURCES updated Tue. September / 17 / 2024

     Related Pet Articles from the

Shut The Door Buddy: Simple Dog Tricks To Teach and Impress
The shutting and opening door trick can be taught to all dog breeds. The only consideration maybe would be asking small size dogs to close large or heavy doors which are beyond their physical capabilities.

Choose an Acrylic Bird Cage
Congratulations. You've decided to buy a bird, and you even know what kind.

Housebreaking Dogs and Puppies - A Step by Step Guide to Potty Training Your Dog or Puppy
If you're reading this I think it's safe to assume that you either currently own, or are about to buy, a dog or puppy and don't want to come home to nasty "surprises" on your living room floor. That's why I'm writing this step by step guide to potty training your adult dog or puppy.

Petting a Dog is Good For Both of You
Studies have shown that regularly petting a dog brings a person the following benefits: Lower blood pressure Lower cholesterol Lower risk of heart disease Improvement in chronic illnesses (such as Alzheimer's or AIDS) Improvement in emotional condition -- easing of stress, sadness, and pain. A lot of that is common knowledge.

What You Should Know About Dog Health Care
Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important part of our families. We care for them as we care for ourselves.

Are Your Fish Sick?
Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing hobby, but it can turn stressful if your fish start to die off. The most common cause of fish disease is poor water quality so it is vital that you perform regular maintenance on the tank, making sure you do a partial water change periodically and clean out any waste or uneaten food so it does not decay and poison the water.

Apistogramma , Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium
The real apistogramma's come from southern America, they all have the same characteristics, like a complex breeding behavior, as their large relatives, only their size is different. Besides the apistogramma group there are also some relatively popular dwarf cichlids from Africa, like the Pelvicachromis group.

Train Your Buddy To "Walk" & "Dance" - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!
Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that put an abnormal strain upon the muscles of the back and hind legs and most dogs require considerable practice before they gain sufficient control of those muscles to balance themselves in this unnatural position. Before you rush into teaching this trick, bear in mind that not all dogs can do this trick, especially the big dogs such as St.

A Dogs Tale
My name is Shadrach, and I am a dog - a BIG, handsome, elegant, and intelligent dog. No, I am not vain at all, that is just what my mom always tells me so I assume it's true.

Hamsters and their quest for world domination
"Hamsters?!" I hear you say. "Who cares about some fury little rodents.

Tips For Toys
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky for us there are endless choices.

Potty Training Your Puppy
A new puppy is a joyous addition to any home. Who can resist that cute little bundle of lovable furry fun? Wouldn't it be great if puppies were potty trained and came into our homes without any mess or bother? OK, reality check here.

Tips For Traveling With Your Dog
Whether it be on a vacation to your favorite resort, or just visiting the in-laws for the weekend, many people are choosing to take their dogs with them when traveling. Land or air, there are many things to take into consideration.

The Myth of 100% Complete Processed Pet Foods
Every day, people by the millions pour food from a package into their pet's bowl. Day in and day out, meal after meal, pets get the same fare.

What You Need To Know To Keep Your Dog Safe In Your Car
Man's Best Friend is a great companion around the home, but Rover will love joining you on road trips - short or long - as well. If you've tried taking your dog along in the car before and met with bad results, don't give up.

Leash Training Your Dog-Take The Time To Get It Done and Do It Right
Attempting to train your dog to walk on a leash may feel like you're a contestant in a tug-of-war contest. But, it doesn't have to.

Okay Lets Do A Poodle Again
My wife and I have been married for 32 years. In that time our pets, more commonly known to us as dogs, have taken a large part of that shared life together.

Dog Vomiting? Help Your Dog Now
In most cases you should not be too concerned about your dog vomiting. If you know that the dog got into something or you changed its diet, you can probably wait 24 hours to see if the vomiting clears up, but only if your dog does not appear lethargic.

Stop Your Dog From Pulling You Down The Street
From the first day of life on a leash, most dogs learn that by pulling on it, they get to where they want faster. Its the behavior that so many dog owners struggle with.

Feral Cats - Societies Problem Children
There is a lot of talk going on about what to do with the issue of feral cat population. Some measures have been proposed which will allow residents to kill what they perceive to be feral cats on their property.