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Preventing and Treating Canine Diabetes
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•Diet. Researchers are still exploring what diet is best for dogs with diabetes. Most veterinarians recommend a diet low in fat and high in fiber. Fiber slows the entrance of glucose into the blood and may satisfy your dog’s appetite sooner, so she eats less and loses weight. Your veterinarian may recommend a prescription dog food designed for dogs with diabetes, or a homemade diet developed by a veterinary nutritionist. Some dogs may refuse to eat special diets; in that event, careful choices should be made when selecting a regular dog food. The one food Dr. Schall absolutely advises against for diabetic dogs is the semi-moist type that comes in packets. “They generally contain more refined carbohydrates than other dog foods,” he says. •Exercise. Exercise not only may help reduce your dog’s weight, it also lowers blood glucose levels. Your dog should exercise every day for about the same length of time at about the same exertion level. Consistency is important—an unusually long or vigorous exercise session can cause blood glucose levels to drop dangerously low. •Weight loss. If a dog is overweight, shedding some pounds can make the cells more sensitive to insulin, which means that glucose uptake is easier. •Spaying. Spaying prevents female dogs from going through diestrus. Day to Day With Your Diabetic Dog Hyperglycemia can lead to ketoacidosis (harmful levels of ketones in the blood), which qualifies as an emergency, and you should call your vet right away. Symptoms include drinking lots of water, urinating frequently or copiously, loss of appetite, weakness, vomiting, lethargy, ketones in the urine, or—in the most serious situation—coma. Test strips are available to detect ketones in your dog’s urine, and you should report the presence of ketones to your veterinarian immediately, even if your dog has no other symptoms. In hypoglycemia, a range of symptoms may be present, including restlessness, lethargy, confusion, weakness, wobbliness, lack of coordination, shivering, sweaty paws, seizures or coma. Test your dog’s blood glucose level if these symptoms appear. If it is below the recommended level, rub maple syrup, Karo syrup or tube cake frosting—high-sugar foods that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream—on your dog’s gums and the inside of her cheek, then call your vet to report the episode and get further instructions. *** |
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This article first appeared in The Bark, Issue 41, Mar/Apr 2007
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Great article! I have an almost 4 year old Chocolate Lab who was diagnosed with diabetes at 18 months old. (Normal weight, healthy young dog)
It was quite a challenge at first but within a few weeks he was under control and we were all "experts" in managing his care. He nearly lost his sight last summer - but we found a wonderful canine opthamologist and had cataract surgery for him. His sight was fully restored.
This is probably the most comprehensive article I have read about the care of a dog with diabetes. It is good to know what else to expect he may have challenges with in the coming years. Right now - he is doing fine.
Hi Sharon,
I came across this article and saw your comment and had to reply. We also have a black lab that is almost 4 years old and he was diagnosed at about 18 months with diabetes. He was also very healthy. I agree that it was quite the challenge and we had cataract surgery too and Kingston is doing great. We are still working on his Insulin dose and are always trying to get him more controlled. This article was very helpful!
If you have any suggestions on food I would greatly appreciate any information I could get. I have a 9 yr old black lab that has recently been diagnosed and it has been very hard on us she has adapted very well but it is gradually taking a toll on her. She has lost her sight but we don't think she is stable enough for surgery and this week I have noticed her moving slower so I am hoping a change of diet will help her. Would love to hear your suggestions.
Thanks so much...
I have a 12+ year old black lab he was diagnosed 2 months ago our vet and the problem is regulated blood sugar levels. We think we have some kinda handle on it and it spikes of 500. We give no scraps and only what vet says. He is almost totally blind now. COOPER is a real trooper he has still got puppy in him. At times I wish I knew what to do when it spikes. Talking again to vet in 4 days. He is on 17 cc or whatever it's called two times daily. I am getting scared now. Because it will go down then right back up. Any suggestions for US.
Hi Sharon
We have a chocolate lab that is 2 years old has has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Still coming to terms with it as it has been a bit of a shock to realise why he has been feeling so unwell. Looking forward to the next steps to improving his quality of life more, I just hope that is a long long time
Hi Sharon
We have a chocolate lab that is 2 years old has has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Still coming to terms with it as it has been a bit of a shock to realise why he has been feeling so unwell. Looking forward to the next steps to improving his quality of life more, I just hope that is a long long time
The title of this article suggested that ways to prevent dogs from developing diabetes would be discussed. I didn't really read any ways to prevent diabetes in this article unfortunately. While I'm glad that canine diabetes can be fairly easily managed with a little knowledge, shouldn't we be more interested in preventing our loved ones from developing this disease in the first place????
For what it's worth, the dental chew treats that you can buy in the supermarket (the chewy ones made with glycerin and rice flour that are supposed to reduce tartar and plaque buildup on dog's teeth) seem to cause bladder infections in my dog, which I think may be precipitated by high blood sugar.
My beagle mix has hypothyroidism, and shortly before she was diagnosed, she started passing blood in her urine. The vet determined that she had a bladder infection, and that her blood sugar was very high. I was giving her one of these dental chew sticks every day.
The vet told me she needed to lose weight fast, and since I was concerned that the dental chew sticks might be too high in carbohydrates for her, I stopped buying them.
She's on thyroid medication now, but recently I purchased the dental chew sticks again because I was concerned about her teeth. Within 24 hours, she started passing blood in her urine.
I'm not sure what the issue is with these sticks. Could they be high in sugar or other refined carbohydrates? Whatever the reason, I've decided not to give them to my dog again.
Great article! I never knew mixed breeds were more prone to diabetes than purebreds. As the parent of two mixes, I will definitely be keeping an eye on them. Here is more information from the VCA on canine diabetes. http://www.findavet.us/2011/11/canine-diabetes/
Good article. Please check out our dog diabetes product (Dia-Treaties) that works to stabilize while reducing insulin needs.
www.vinteknutrition.com
Veterinarian tested for 4 years. All natural treatment for diabetic dogs. Dogs love them. It helps their skin and coat and they perk up very quickly. They feel better. You get your old dog back.
I am on the Board of the South Jersey Chapter of the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). I have also been a diabetic for 30 years. Diabetes affects pet and children alike and has been increasing 5% per year. The target age for diagnosis for kids is now 1-4 years. It is one of the top 5 diseases in canine and top 3 in cats. We have partnered with a local veterinary organization to include Pets in our annual Walk for the Cure. This program, PAWS for the Cause, is directly targeted at diabetes research. Since our inception we have raised $1.6B for research. If you would like to help us fund research to cure this disease please visit http://www.regionalvet.com/paws-for-the-cause.php. Any help you can give us is appreciated. We are a grassroots organization dedicated to managing and curing this disease.
My dog was diagnosed three years ago and she continues to do pretty well with exercise and a very strict diet. I think putting her on natural dog food really turned her health around. We were very happy with the Natural Balance food our vet suggested because it kept her weight at a safe number and she really likes the taste. We also give her Healthy Bones treats throughout the day to keep her insulin levels stabilized.
My Keeshond Leo was diagnosed as the age of 8 back in April of 2009 (about 3 months before he turned 9 years old). He went completely blind within a month. Thankfully I was able to save up enough money to return his sight to him (people thought I was crazy and said that he would adjust; but he never did...he was becoming a scared animal all the time and that totally wasn't my Leo). He is now 12 years old and acts like he did back when he was a young dog.
Unfortunately we still have yet to fully control his diabetes. He has been pretty unregulated since the beginning. Switching to a grain free diet did help a ton (he is now eating Blue Buffalo Wilderness Senior) but he is still about 50 mg/dl above the normal range.
Been looking for any help with my newly diagnosed diabetic toy poodle. Last July she developed ketoacidosis. After a rush to the ER came the news of diabetes. My Angel went totally blind within a month. She was set to get cataract surgery but it was held off due to her abnormal curve test. No matter how often we seem to repeat this test and go up on insulin it's always abnormal. I really want her sight restored. Seems so unfair. She manages well without sight finally. Some say let her be but I know she wants to run around outside freely again with her sis. She eats twice a day with insulin that follows but my gut is telling me she needs a few snacks in between to stabilize her. I never give in or go against the vet but she seems always hungry. She's on Prescription Diet food. I've been reading, buying books but can't seem to find the answer. Anyone out there with suggestions please help. We're due for ANOTHER curve test soon.
Sage (11yo Cairn Terrier) and I have been dealing with her diabetes and cataracts since 2009...she has been hard to regulate and I do her curves with an AlphaTrak (pretty easy to do and more accurate because of the stress factor at the vet's). She has lost most of her eyesight but it was gradual and she is a terrier so not much scares her or stops her. There doesn't seem to be any one answer out there and each dog is different but I have had success feeding Sage a homemade diet of rinsed beef, Healthy Dogma supplement (reduced amount in meat when making) and a vitamin and digestive enzyme/probiotic combo. The only goodies she gets are minimal ingredient with no grain/sweeteners (like Buddy Bisquits) and yes, I do give her little goodies (tiny) throughout the day or after a walk. She does well and we have opted not to do surgery for her eyes at this time. We also are using Humulin N (Vetsulin was great for her but alas is gone). I hope some of this information helps...it's way worth it to do all this to keep them as healthy and feeling good while they are with us...good luck!
I am wondering if Science Diet is a good dog food, my daughter's 5 yr old schnauzer was prediabetic, he was not overweight, her vet said to start feeding Science Diet light for adult dog. He has since started pooping in the house, and can't make it through the day without an accident. Is the dog food causing this.
I lost one schnauzer to complication of diabetes. My second one almost died also. The vet food they were giving him was starving him to death. He is now on a diet of roasted chicken and green beans, twice a day. I also give him a mid day snack of sliced turkey. Only when I began feeding him myself did he improve. He was to the point they told us to put him down - that was over a month ago and he is thriving on green beans and chicken. In looking back, I would not feed my dog the vet prescription food... Just a thought... make sure you monitor the insulin levels when doing this (we took him in weekly to do so). we also found with our own food we brought his insulin dose from 19 unit to 6 !!!!!!!!!
Your story confirms my suspicions on vet recommended food.
One of my 3 Australian Terriers, and the youngest, most active, happy go lucky one, was just diagnosed with diabetes.
How does this happen?
My immediate thought went to the diet set by my vet. He assures me it is not and it is just bad luck.
Iam not convinced.
I am about to start the twice daily injections and I assume another change in my little girls diet.
I can not avoid the injections because I am told diabetes is NOT reversible, but I can avoid the vet recommended food.
To this end, I would really appreciate the detail/recipe of the chicken an green bean mix.
Many thanks for your post, it has helped me a great deal.
jeff
Yes, very simply, yes.
Even if there isn't the research evidence clearly to demonstrate that obesity causes type 2 diabetes in dogs, it is pretty likely! Why? Because it so clearly and dramatically does so in people (who, whilst not in all parameters identical to dogs metabolically, are largely so) and because every vet can tell you that they know of many obese dogs that lost weight and thereby normalised their blood sugar.
If your dog is obese and diabetic, it might be a good idea to try a diet first. Even if it didn't reverse the diabetes, obesity is bad for your dog in at least as many ways as it is for people - and they are so much easier to put on a diet!!
Peter