Management Of Canine Diabetes Mellitus
Canine diabetes mellitus is a lack of insulin produced by the body. Proper management of the canine diabetes mellitus is necessary to prevent dangerous complications. Diabetes management includes lifestyle changes and veterinary treatment.
Dogs that are middle age or older and are overweight are at the highest risk for canine diabetes mellitus. Inflammation of the pancreas can also cause diabetes. Younger dogs can also develop diabetes especially if there is a history of diabetes in the dog’s bloodline.
The body uses insulin produced by the pancreas to metabolize glucose. Without enough insulin, of glucose in the blood cannot be used for energy and blood glucose levels can rise to unsafe amounts.
The treatment for canine diabetes mellitus usually includes a control diet, regular exercise, and insulin injections. The size of the dog in the dog’s breed can affect the frequency and dosage of insulin necessary to control canine diabetes mellitus.
The dog owner must follow instructions for the proper storage and administration of insulin. Insulin injections are administered just under the skin along the dog’s back. The frequency and dosage of insulin injections are different for different dogs.
The dog owner may need to frequently test the dog’s urine with a test strip that indicates the level of glucose in the urine. The veterinarian may have the dog owner keep a log of the dog’s diet, insulin injections, any changes in behavior, and urine test results.
Consistency is important when managing diabetes. A feeding and exercise routine should remain consistent. The feeding routine may include giving the dog part of its food in the morning and waiting up to ten hours to give the remainder of the food.
Dog owners need to refrain from feeding the dog extra food or snacks which can have an adverse effect on the dog’s blood glucose levels. An ideal amount of exercise and feeding schedule is likely to be suggested by the veterinarian.
The veterinarian may recommend a specific diet for the dog. Dogs with canine diabetes mellitus often do best with dog food that is high in protein and fiber. The change is required for proper diabetes management may seem overwhelming at first, but often the dog owner feels more at ease once diabetes management becomes part of the daily routine.
Posted: October 11th, 2009 under Dogs.
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