Dogs, Diabetes, and its Symptoms
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.
Clues for Dogs With Diabetes
* Canine diabetes can start with an out of shape, overweight dog. This is not always true though; in some breeds it can run in the gene pool. Being out of shape can be a dangerous start though. * Diabetes usually happens in dogs near the ages of 7 to 9. * With larger dogs there is more of a potential to contract diabetes than there is with a smaller breed. * Notice if your dog's thirst is unquenchable. If this occurs, 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 getting dehydrated. * Drinking so much means he/she will need to urinate more often. Your pet, the one you've worked so hard to house train so perfectly could start having accidents more frequently on your carpet. Why? They are not used to having such a full bladder so often. Like the chicken and the egg, and the question of which came first, the need for water or the desire to urinate has been debated both ways. * Your dog may start losing weight quickly and unusually, even though she is eating larger amounts and could begin moving slower and showing signs of being overly tired, acting extremely tired. * Your dog may begin losing their eyesight, having issues with vision.
Helping prevent dog diabetes:
1. If you notice your dog starting to put on weight, or if they are already overweight, reduce the number of carbohydrates they take in. Yes, much like humans, a large number of carbohydrates contribute to weight gain, which adds to the probability of diabetes. Many common dog foods have ingredients that contain as much as 98% carbohydrates. Read the food labels and learn as much information as you can about your dog breed to make sure that he is in receipt of the correct amount of nutrients. Making the change to a healthier dog food can be an huge step in the right direction.
2. Get lots of exercise! Much dog diabetes could be completely avoided if the dog 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 along with your vet to ensure that your dog gets the proper treatment and the correct medication to continue to have a normal life. Sometimes diabetes will remain all the way through your dog's life course. To prevent diabetes in dogs, do your best to keep your dog's weight at the right level, get him abundant exercise, and give your dog its medication on a regular basis along with adequate water.
Does your family want a a healthier dog? Have you ever thought about diabetes in dogs?. This article, Dogs, Diabetes, and its Symptoms is released under a creative commons attribution license.
Related posts:
- Could My Dog Have Diabetes?
- Allergies Are Becoming More Common in Dogs
- Are my dogs ears infected or just red?
- Dog Allergies and their Symptoms
- What Worms? Does Your Dog Have Them?
- My Dog Isn’t Eating
- Ear Infection – How To Tell If Your Dog Has It
- The Problems With Diabetes
- Diabetes And Expectant Mothers
- Could my dog be infected with worms?