Content

• Steps

Diabetes in animals is a condition in which there is not enough insulin produced to regulate blood sugar. Insulin is responsible for converting sugar into energy for cells. If the sugar is in excess and is not converted to energy for the functioning of the cells, the diabetic dog will lose weight, cataracts, bladder infection and kidney disease. There is no specific cure for diabetes in dogs, but treatment is more effective if caught early. Some dogs are more susceptible to diabetes than others, so it's important to determine if your dog is. If so, you should pay close attention to the diabetes warning signs.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Determine if your dog is susceptible to diabetes

1. 

   
   
   Recognize that an overweight dog is more likely to have diabetes. Diabetes usually occurs if the dog is worse than normal. To see if your dog is overweight, touch his ribs. Use your hands to stroke the dog's ribs to feel the ribs easier. If your dog cannot feel his ribs, he may be overweight. However, feeling the ribs is often more difficult in dogs with thick, long hair. In this case you can examine the back hip bone. If the dog can feel the hips after being lightly pressed down, the dog may not be overweight.
   • If your dog is overweight, talk to your doctor about how to safely reduce calories and increase exercise. You can effectively help your dog lose weight by cutting back on dog junk food and walking more every week.

2. 

   
   
   Note for dogs over 7 years old. Dogs 7-9 years old are usually at high risk of diabetes. The older the dog, the more inactive and more prone to weight gain. Being overweight in old dogs will increase glucose levels, reduce insulin leading to diabetes.

3. 

   Recognize a dog breed that is susceptible to diabetes. Any dog ​​is more likely to have diabetes, but it occurs in certain breeds. Miniature Poodles, Mini Schnauzers, Dachshunds, Beagles, and Cairn Terriers are diabetic-prone dogs. Crossbred dogs with poor immune systems are also more likely to develop diabetes. advertisement

Method 2 of 2: Detecting Diabetes in Dogs

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   Pay attention if the dog is constantly thirsty. One of the most obvious signs of diabetes is drinking plenty of fluids. High glucose levels will lead to dehydration, so your dog needs to drink plenty of water to rehydrate. Dogs with diabetes often drink more water than usual.
   • Drinking plenty of water causes your dog to urinate more. Often times, you may notice your dog begin to pee in the house or where he sleeps.
   • Should not Limit the amount of water the dog drinks. Your dog needs to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

2. 

   Pay attention if your dog sleeps more than usual. One of the main signs of diabetes is lethargy. Dogs will lose strength and fatigue when sugar is not converted to energy for the cells to function. This will lead to "diabetic fatigue" with drowsiness in dogs.

3. 

   Check your dog's vision. Dogs with diabetes for a long time may experience cataracts. In addition, a dog with diabetes is at risk of sudden blindness from diabetic retinopathy (a condition that affects the retina behind the eye).

4. 

   Take your dog to the vet immediately if he develops the symptoms listed above. Untreated diabetes can lead to serious complications. Your veterinarian can test your dog's blood to check blood glucose levels and make sure other organs are not affected by diabetes.

5. 

   Get tested. Your dog may run a variety of tests (blood and urine) to diagnose diabetes in your dog. There are 3 main diabetes tests: complete blood count (CBC) test, serum biochemistry, and urine analysis. Just one of these 3 tests can identify many different diseases and health problems. However, to determine diabetes in dogs, the veterinarian needs to conduct all 3 tests simultaneously.
   • A complete blood count (CBC) test will assess the amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your dog's blood. If the white blood cell count is high, the dog can develop a urinary tract infection - a common condition in diabetic dogs. A low red blood cell count may indicate dehydration or a ruptured red cell.
   • Serum biochemistry is conducted through a separate blood sample. The test will focus on monitoring your dog's blood sugar and other substances such as enzymes, lipids (fats), proteins, and cellular waste. Although an abnormality in any substance can determine diabetes, your veterinarian will usually only look at serum glucose (sugar). Usually, if the blood sample is taken after the dog fasted, a high glucose reading is most likely a sign the dog has diabetes.
   • Finally, a urine analysis is a chemical test of your dog's urine. Sugar often gets into the urine, so a urine test can diagnose diabetes in dogs. Healthy dogs usually have no glucose in their urine. You should collect a sample of your dog's urine for the doctor to test and give the fastest diagnosis.
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