Understanding dog diabetes symptoms is not very difficult. The first signs are usually increased thirst, frequent urination, or sudden weight loss. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce insulin or the body cannot respond to insulin. Detecting it early makes treatment easier and helps your dog live healthier.
Dog Diabetes Symptoms and Early Signs
When you notice the first signs, keep short notes. Try to write fully how the signs affect their health and how they respond. Increased drinking and frequent urination are the most obvious signs. If you observe these signs, be sure to add them to your notes. Keeping short notes will make your veterinarian’s job much easier.
Physical Characteristics
If you see the following changes in your dog, you need to pay attention:
• Drinking a lot of water and urinating often.
• Weight loss accompanied by increased appetite.
• Lethargy, decreased desire to play.
• Recurrent urinary tract infections or skin problems.
Dog diabetes symptoms can be easily observed in everyday life. Be sure to share these signs with your veterinarian.
Short Story
A friend of mine noticed their dog drinking a lot of water when it woke up in the morning. When this continued, they thought there might be some health issues and started taking notes about their dog. A week later they realized their dog’s coat was slowly dulling and its old energy was gone, and they added these signs to their notes. Without wasting any more time they shared the notes with their veterinarian. Thanks to those notes, the vet quickly made a diagnosis. Believe me, early intervention changed a lot.
Temperament and Behavior
You may observe that your dog sleeps more than usual. You might notice your dog is uninterested when you want to play. These are behavior changes. Be careful! Such behavior changes are also counted among dog diabetes symptoms. In such times, keep observing calmly. Ask yourself questions: “How long has it been like this? At what times is it more lethargic?” This information guides treatment. It makes taking quick steps easier. Losing time on health issues can sometimes cause very dangerous situations.
Health Warning Points
If you observe serious signs in your dog; without wasting any time, contact your veterinarian immediately. So what are the serious signs? We can list serious signs as vomiting, rapid breathing, severe weight loss and changes in consciousness. And these signs are danger signals. This condition may be ketoacidosis (an increase in blood acids and a metabolic disturbance) and requires emergency care.
Basic Care
Insulin is the main treatment for most dogs. Insulin is given at home by injection and the correct dose is adjusted by the veterinarian. The approvals reported by NASC underscore the importance of veterinary supervision. Nutrition is also very important. Regular meal times and the appropriate type of food help balance blood sugar. You should avoid sudden diet changes.
At home you can do the following:
• Record the meals they eat and the amount of water they drink.
• Observe whether their energy is normal and note it.
• If insulin is given, keep the application times consistent.
Mental and Physical Enrichment
Short walks are good for your dog. Keep their motivation up with games. Scent games, hide and seek games and simple training sessions give your dog pleasure and also help with blood sugar control. Talk to your veterinarian about the amount of exercise. Excessive exertion can lower blood sugar. Excessive exertion does not help, on the contrary it harms your dog.
Monitoring and Tests
Diagnosis is generally made by high blood sugar and the presence of sugar in the urine. The fructosamine test helps with long term monitoring. Your regular records and veterinary checkups keep treatment balanced. Merck’s recommended monitoring approaches guide this point.
What to Do Now
- If you see dog diabetes symptoms in your dog, make a veterinary appointment. Early intervention is very important.
- Do not change insulin or medications without veterinary approval.
- Keep meal times consistent and create a daily tracking notebook.
- If you observe vomiting, confusion or extreme lethargy, go to an emergency clinic. These signs may require immediate intervention.
One last note for you. When dog diabetes symptoms are noticed, do not panic. Keep taking notes the way I insisted you should. Share your notes with your veterinarian and proceed step by step. With proper care your dog can live a healthy life.
Sources : WebMD Pets, National Animal Supplement Council, Merck Veterinary Manual
For more practical information about canine diabetes symptoms, check out our dog care guide: Protect Your Dog from Fleas and Ticks