Diabetes In Dogs Is On The Rise

All Dog Owners Should Know The Risk Factors For Canine Diabetes

May 29, 2009

It's possible for a dog owner to lower his pet's chances of developing canine diabetes. Weight control is the best way to prevent diabetes in dogs.

Most dog owners never consider the possibility that their pets could develop canine diabetes. But ignorance of diabetes in dogs is not bliss, especially for the pet. This disease causes serious complications, including blindness and ketoacidosis. If a canine diabetic is left untreated, the pet will die.

All pet owners need to know what the risk factors are, so that they can reduce the chances that their canine companions will be affected.

An Overweight Pet Is Well on Her Way to Becoming a Diabetic Dog

A pet who is overweight has a much higher chance of becoming a canine diabetic. This is unfortunate, because this risk factor is the most controllable.

Obesity is as much a problem among the doggy set as it is in people, and it all comes down to feeding a pet the right amount of a healthy diet. Not only do we feed our pets the wrong kind of food, but we also overfeed them.

Dry pet food is made mostly from grains, mostly because they're cheap and abundant. However, all those grains are very high in carbohydrates. The problem with too many carbs is twofold. First, if your pet is not active enough, all those carbs will be stored in her body as fat.

Second, and most importantly, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose during the course of digestion. This glucose goes into the bloodstream all at once, causing a spike in blood sugar levels. Proteins and fats are also broken down into glucose, but they're digested more slowly, so the glucose is released over a longer period of time.

Overweight pets are more prone to developing insulin resistance, which is a condition in which the body can no longer utilize the insulin produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar levels. When this happens, type 2 diabetes, which is the kind most commonly seen in dogs, develops.

What's the best diet for a canine? A high-quality canned food that's high in fiber and low in fats and carbohydrates is best. Many dog owners are making their own pet food now, to ensure that their companions are getting the best diet. Avoid feeding table scraps and treats, which are very high in sugar.

Spay Your Dog to Prevent Diabetes in Canines

Pet owners are encouraged to spay their dogs to reduce the problem of pet overpopulation. But there's another very good reason for having a dog spayed.

Middle-aged females are two to three times more likely to develop diabetes in canines than male dogs are. Estrogen is to blame, as this hormone can interfere with insulin production. By having a pet spayed, the risk of her becoming a diabetic canine is reduced considerably.

Certain Dog Breeds are Prone to Canine Diabetes

Although diabetes in canines can happen in any breed, certain breeds are more genetically predisposed to develop this condition:

Owners of these breeds should always be aware of the symptoms of diabetes in dogs, so that if the pet should develop diabetes, she can receive the proper treatment as soon as possible.

Certain Drugs May Cause A Diabetic Pet

Dog owners should be aware that certain drugs, including cortisone-type medications, and hormones used to control heat in females, may trigger diabetes in dogs by interfering with insulin production. Pet owners should be aware of this potential side effect, especially if their dogs are already at risk for diabetes.

Risk factors for canine diabetes include obesity, whether or not the dog is spayed, which breed the pet is, and what drugs the pet may be given. It's important for dog owners to be aware of these risks, so they can reduce them if possible. While diabetic dogs can be treated, the best treatment is prevention.

The copyright of the article Diabetes In Dogs Is On The Rise in Dog Care is owned by Darlene Norris. Permission to republish Diabetes In Dogs Is On The Rise in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.