Pet Diseases: Dog Diabetes - Symptoms and Treatment

Could My Dog Be Showing Signs of Diabetes?

Dogs suffer from many of the same ailments that people do: skin irritations, arthritis, cancer, even diabetes. It’s no easier to watch a dog go through these horrible ailments than it is to watch a person, but one ailment that’s definitely treatable in your dog is diabetes. As with people, diabetes can cause all sorts of problems if it’s left untreated.

There are certain signs that a person may have developed diabetes, and the same is true with dogs. They begin to display signs that something isn’t right - now it’s on the owner to recognize the signs and seek help for the dog.

One sign that your dog may have developed diabetes is that he is suddenly weak and has little energy. Since this particular symptom could point to any number of ailments, it’s best to take your dog to the vet for a checkup upon noticing that he’s so tired. Another red flag is that the dog has a definite increase in thirst. If he empties his water bucket much quicker than previously, have the dog tested for diabetes.

Some symptoms seem more severe, when dealing with diabetes in dogs, making it impossible for the owner to ignore, such as abdominal pain. Some owners notice that the dog will yell when getting up or lying down, or when petted in the abdominal area. Damage to the pancreas is the reason for the pain, but even still, it’s not too late to get treatment.

Dogs that are the most at risk for diabetes are ones that have had a poor diet most of their life, obese dogs, stress, or just being female. That’s right, female dogs are twice as likely to have diabetes as male dogs.

There’s no cure for diabetes but your vet can recommend insulin, dietary changes, and other therapies that will help your pet remain fairly healthy and alert. Exercise is also very important when trying to lessen the effects of diabetes.