Canine Diabetes: Risk Factors & Symptoms

by admin · March 11, 2021

Canine Diabetes

by George Newton

The NHS website defines diabetes as, “a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.” Similarly to humans, dogs can become victims of this condition and the complications that it can cause. Diabetes is becoming an epidemic and is growing in canines more than it ever has in the past, specifically, ‘diabetes mellitus’ is increasing. Studies estimate that 1 in 160 dogs will develop the disease. Thankfully, treatment and modern medicine has enabled dogs to live happier and healthier lives.

The way that diabetes works in any organism is fairly easy to understand. Similarly to a car using fuel, the body (whether human or canine) runs on a bodily sugar called glucose. The body breaks down carbohydrates which are taken in through the mouth, and then extracts glucose from the bloodstream (with the assistance of insulin). Insulin is a hormone which comes from the pancreas (an organ behind the stomach). In a diabetic body, cells are not taking in the correct amount of glucose, and glucose builds up in blood instead. Because of this, cells become starved and organs are damaged through ‘overdose’ of glucose bathed blood. Although diabetes in dogs is not curable, if treated correctly, dogs can still live a happy and healthy life after the diagnosis.

Risk Factors for Diabetes in Dogs

There are many possible contributing factors to a canine’s risk of developing diabetes mellitus. Some of these include but are not limited to: breed, age, gender, weight, and diet. Here are just a few of the risk factors and why you should be on the lookout for.

Age: The majority of dogs develop diabetes as they grow older past the 6/7-year mark.

Breed: A study published in the 2003 Veterinary Journal showed how the disease affected various breeds. Mixed breed or ‘mutt’ dogs were much more susceptible to diabetes mellitus than purebred dogs. Though purebred dogs can develop diabetes, the rate was much higher in mixed breeds.

Weight: Obesity is usually associated with diabetes in humans, but it has not been proven when it comes to dogs. Though obesity has been shown to make cells resistant to insulin; there is no proven correlation so far between obesity and canine diabetes.

Gender: Female and neutered male dogs have been shown to be more at risk from diabetes than intact males.

Symptoms and Diagnosis Of Diabetes In Dogs

Like in humans, canine diabetes has the potential to be a ‘silent killer’. However, a veterinarian could discover canine diabetes while doing bloodwork for another condition and from a check-up. There are thankfully, potential symptoms that could alert you to the fact that you need a check up. Potential symptoms could be an increase in hunger or greater thirst, weight loss, and increased urination.

The easiest way to see if your dog is suffering from diabetes is a blood test. These tests measure the glucose levels in your canine’s bloodstream. However, high glucose levels do not always mean diabetes straight away and could be a symptom of other diseases. Due to this, your vet may run a series of other tests to rule other things out.

Once diagnosed with diabetes, your veterinarian will take multiple glucose/ insulin tests to determine the treatment. Post-diagnosis, tests will need to continue to monitor your dog’s diabetes.