Are you worried about your dog? Or maybe you are just educating yourself prior to getting a dog. Either way this article plans to educate you on diabetes in dogs. 1 in 500 dogs develop diabetes which is approximately 0.2% of dogs so while you are not alone there will be someone close who is in the same situation as you.
When your pet eats food it the food is broken down into components that can be used by your body. The components are usually carbohydrates which are broken down into insulin, proteins which are broken down into amino acids and fats which are broken down into lipids. When carbohydrates are broken down they break down into a sugar called glucose, the intake of glucose into your cells is dependent on the hormone insulin. Insulin is produced and secreted in the pancreas.
Diabetes mellitus is due to a lack of available insulin due to your pancreas not secreting enough, it can also be caused due to an increased resistance to the insulin in your body’s cells. Diabetes in dogs results in the cells inability to absorb enough glucose it can also result because of overly high glucose levels.
There are two types of diabetes. There are called type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the insulin producing pancreas doesn’t produce as much insulin as it should which means there is a lack of insulin in your dog which leads to an unstable insulin level. The only way to treat type 1 diabetes is to inject with insulin. Type 2 diabetes is where the body’s cells are insulin resistant. Type 2 is less severe and more common than type 1. This type of diabetes can be manipulated via your pets diet with controlled nutrient timing you can regulate your dog’s insulin and blood glucose levels. Balance this with regular exercise and you will find diabetes very treatable.
All dogs are susceptible to diabetes, but middle aged and older dogs are more prone to developing diabetes. However, overweight, middle aged, male dogs are the most prone to developing diabetes so if you notice this in your dog seek advice from a veterinarian as soon as possible. The breed of dog you have does influence how susceptible it is to diabetes. An increased risk of developing diabetes is present in the following breeds: Keeshond, Hungarian puli, Goldn retriever, Poodle, Samoyed, Miniature pinscher, Daschund, Old English sheepdog, Springer spaniel, Schipperke, Minature schnauzer, Alaskan malamute, Chow chow, Finnish spitz, Beagle, West Highland white terrier, Cairn terrie, Doberman, Labrador retriever.
There is no preventative medicine or pill as of yet. But there are steps you can take and they are as follows. Limit your pet’s carbohydrate intake. Try not to feed your dog ‘table scraps’ as these are generally another carbohydrate feast. Feed your dog a quality balanced diet with ample carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Make sure your dog gets ample amounts of fruit and vegetables. Get rid of sweets from your dog’s diet, make sure to take your dog for regular walks as overweight dogs are more susceptible to diabetes. Most of all be consistent with your pet care.