The Different Forms of Canine Diabetes
There are two different forms of dog diabetes that can affect your pet. These are diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. Diabetis mellitus are the same as human diabetes, which occurs due to the lack of insulin. On the other hand, diabetes insipidus occurs when your dog lacks vasopressin. As can be expected, diabetes mellitus is more common. Diabetes mellitus, in itself, comes in two forms. Diabetes mellitus can be, just like in humans, a Type I diabetes, which means that it is congenital. It can also be a Type II diabetes, which refers to diabetes that only develops later on in life.
The Factors Responsible for Diabetes in Dogs
Diabetes is closely related to a wide variety of other dog diseases. These diseases can usually contribute or cause the insulin deficiency, thus causing the diabetes.
The Indicators of Diabetic Dogs
Loss of appetite and weight loss are the top two symptoms that can occur in diabetic dogs. Other symptoms also affect the diabetic dog’s eating and drinking habits. Diabetic dogs can be observed to be as if constantly hungry and thirsty. Frequent urination can also be a supporting symptom. At first, the symptoms are mild, but when the dog owner fails to notice, the condition will likely get worse. If the initial symptoms are ignored or unidentified, the diabetic dog may start to experience nausea and vomiting, and decreased resistance against bacteria. This makes dogs with diabetes very vulnerable to other diseases such as bladder and kidney disorders. Even a diabetic dog’s behavior can be modified. Canine diabetes may cause depression in the diabetic dog. If you see any of the above symptoms, don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian for an examination. Lab tests will be conducted to search for ketones, which are released by the liver when there is a lack of insulin. The mere presence of ketones is an indicator of diabetes. The glucose level will also be determined to check for hyperglycemia and other indicative symptoms as well.
The Treatment Alternatives for Diabetes in Dogs
The primary form of treatment for diabetes in dogs is the injection of insulin, which obviously counteracts what causes the disease in the first place. There are different kinds of insulins that can be injected. The main difference lies in the length of effective time. There are short-acting insulins which, as the term implies, only remains effective up to four hours after injection. Ironically, short-acting insulins are actually stronger than medium-range insulins, and long-range insulins. These two other types of insulin last for up to 24 hours or 28 hours from the time of injection, respectively. The choice of which insulin to inject depends on the dog’s system and the level of the disease. A veterinarian will still need to check which insulin, and in what amounts, is necessary for every diabetic dog case. Regular visits are also necessary so the situation can be further observed. Needless to say, to treat diabetes in dogs, you, as a dog owner, needs to be committed to helping your dog overcome the disease. Since insulin shots are usually necessary on a daily basis, you need to really devote time to help your pet get well.