Animals with diabetes are unable to produce enough insulin to properly regulate their blood sugar. Insulin is responsible for spreading sugar into cells to produce energy. With excess sugar in the body's system and without sufficient energy at the cellular level, dogs with diabetes lose weight, develop cataracts, and suffer from urinary tract infections and kidney disease. There is no cure for diabetes, but the sooner you detect it, the more effective the treatment will be. Some dog breeds are more prone to diabetes and you should investigate your dog. If he is one of them, you should pay more attention to the early warning signs.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Knowing If Dogs Are More Susceptible to Diabetes
Step 1. Recognize that dogs that are overweight are more prone to developing diabetes
Diabetes in dogs can begin when they are heavier than average. The best way to see if this could be a problem for your dog is to examine your dog's ribs. You should be able to feel the ribs easily. Otherwise, the dog may already be overweight. Some dogs have long, thick coats that make their ribs more difficult to rub. Another good test is to feel the dog's back groin. If you can feel it by pushing it down a little, your dog is not overweight.
If your pet is overweight, talk to your vet about safely lowering calories and increasing exercise. There is a special diet that might suit him. Additionally, you can achieve success with your dog by reducing treats and treats and weekly walks
Step 2. Be wary if your dog is over seven years old
Diabetes usually strikes dogs between the ages of seven and nine. As dogs get older, lack of exercise can lead to weight gain. This condition then usually results in increased levels of glucose and insulin by insufficient amounts, triggering diabetes.
Step 3. Know which races are more vulnerable
Some dog breeds are more common with diabetes, although any dog can get the disease. Miniature Poodles, Mini Schnauzers, Dachshunds, Beagles and Cairn Terriers are vulnerable species. Mixed breed dogs are also not immune to diabetes.
Method 2 of 2: Detecting Diabetes in Dogs
Step 1. Watch out if your dog is constantly thirsty
One of the most visible signs of diabetes is excessive drinking. Since a high glucose level refers to dehydration, your dog should drink more and more water. Dogs with diabetes will drink more water than usual.
- As a result, the dog will begin to urinate more frequently. Sometimes, dog owners will notice that their dog has started urinating at home or in his own bed.
- Do not limit the water supply to the dog. Dogs need enough water to keep themselves hydrated.
Step 2. Be aware that your dog is sleeping more than usual
A key sign of diabetes is to look lethargic more often. This dog is tired because sugar is not carried to the cells in the body, so he runs out of energy. This drowsiness is also known as “diabetic fatigue”.
Step 3. Check your dog's eyesight
In the long term, dogs with diabetes can develop cataracts. In addition, dogs with diabetes are at risk of sudden blindness from diabetic retinopathy (a disease that attacks the retina at the back of the eye).
Step 4. Visit your vet immediately if you notice any of these symptoms
Untreated diabetes can lead to other health complications. The dog doctor will do a blood test to see how high the level of glucose in the dog's bloodstream is and make sure that no other organs are affected by diabetes.
Step 5. Take the test
There are several tests (blood and urine) that your vet will run to diagnose your dog. The three main tests he performs to determine if your dog has diabetes are a complete blood count (CBC), a serum biochemistry profile, and a urinalysis. Taken individually, any of these tests will indicate a variety of conditions and diseases, but when taken together, these tests will tell the doctor if your dog has diabetes mellitus.
- The CBC test evaluates the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your dog's bloodstream. If the vet finds a higher level of white blood cells, this could indicate a urinary tract infection, which is common in dogs with diabetes. Low red blood cells can indicate dehydration. It can also mean that your dog is suffering from red blood cell disease.
- Serum biochemistry profile tests are taken separately from blood tests. This test focuses on the level of sugar and other ingredients in the dog's blood such as enzymes, lipids (fats), proteins, and cellular waste. While any oddity can indicate diabetes, veterinarians mainly focus on serum glucose (sugar). This test is generally run after the dog has fasted. An increase in the glucose level may indicate diabetes.
- Lastly, a urinalysis is a chemical examination of your dog's urine. Sugar leaking into the urine can be a strong indication that your dog has diabetes. Healthy dog urine will not contain glucose. Take a urine sample to take to the vet for immediate answers.
