Looking After Pets

Has your pet been diagnosed with canine diabetes?  Is so, you need to know about these complications that often go along with diabetes in canines.  Diabetes is a complex disease, and the more information you have, the better you’ll be able to care for your companion.

1. Cataracts In Dogs

It’s a sad fact that the vast majority of canine diabetics will develop cataracts within a year of being diagnosed.As the lenses in the eyes gradually become cloudy and opaque, he’ll lose his vision.  This is due to high glucose blood levels that affect every organ in his body.  

Once your pet’s blood sugar levels are stablized, which usually takes at least three months, cataract surgery is an option.Most dogs weather the surgery successfully and regain their sight.  

2. Uveitis And Glaucoma

Uveitis is caused when the lenses in the eyes leak protein into the eyeball, which causes severe inflammation.  This is a complication of cataracts.  It must be treated right away, or it can progress into glaucoma, which causes permanent vision loss.  A detached retina can occur, too.

Unfortunately, if a pet develops uveitis, cataract surgery isn’t an option any more, since there is a much higher chance of complications.

3. Increased Susceptibility To Infections

Your pet may be subject to recurring infections.A vicious cycle results; as blood sugar levels rise, so do bactera levels. More bacteria, in turn, cause higher blood glucose levels.

Urinary tract infections, prostrate infections, pneumonia, and skin conditions are commonly seen in dogs with diabetes.  It’s essential to monitor your pet’s health to keep an infection from gaining a foothold.

4. Diabetic Neuropathy

This complication is a lot more common in cats, but it can happen in dogs with diabetes, too.  In fact, this is sometimes the first symptom of a diabetic canine that the owner notices.Weakness in your dog’s back legs may be a normal part of getting older.  He could have diabetes in dogs.  

The good news is that, in dogs, this condition is usually reversible once the glucose sugar levels are normalized.

5. Diabetic Ketoacidosis In Dogs

This is a severe, life-threatening complication that results from high blood sugar levels.Every dog owner should know the symptoms of canine diabetes so that their canine friend won’t suffer from these complications.

Symptoms include:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Losing weight even though he’s eating ravenously
• Sudden blindness
• Weakness
• Vomiting and dehydration
• Breath smells like acetone (similar to nail polish remover)

A dog with diabetes can develop ketoacidosis very quickly, in as little as a week.  It can be fatal, but most canines will survive with the proper treatment.

The Best Cure Is Prevention

Diabetes in dogs can be prevented.The best means of prevention is to keep your pet from getting fat.  Feed him a high-fiber, low-fat diet, and cut out the treats and table scraps.   

Regular exercise is an excellent way to keep his blood sugar levels under control.An easy way to help to keep your dog in shape, and burn off extra calories as well, is to take him on a long walk, morning and evening.

Studies have shown that certain herbs and dietary supplements found in natural remedies for dogs can help to control blood sugar levels.Most diets don’t contain enough chromium, even though it’s essential for this reason.  

Want to learn more?  Click on any link in this article for more information on preventing and treating diabetes in dogs with a natural remedy that is known to be effective and safe.

If your pet has received a diagnosis of canine diabetes, your pet’s life may depend on your knowing about diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA.  This is a very serious complication seen in diabetic dogs who have high blood sugar levels.If you have a canine companion, you need to know about this life-threatening condition. 

What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis?

Ketoacidosis occurs when too many ketones build up in your pet’s system.You’re probably wondering, what are ketones?

Your pet’s body uses ketones to produce energy.  When fatty tissues are broken down, fatty acids are produced.  These fatty acids are then sent to the liver, which produces ketones from them.Ketoacidosis is the result of the liver making too many ketones when the blood sugar levels are too high.  This condition is fatal, if left untreated.

DKA can be the first symptom of canine diabetes, although it can also occur in pets who aren’t receiving enough insulin.  All pet owners should be alert for the symptoms of this dangerous condition.

• Drinking large amounts of water
• Having to urinate more often than normal
• A ravenous appetite, accompanied by weight loss
• Sudden loss of vision
• Lethargy and weakness
• Vomiting and dehydration
• Breath that smells like nail polish remover (which is what ketones smell like)

DKA is a veterinary emergency, so if your pet is showing these symptoms, take her to the vet as soon as possible.

How Does The Vet Treat DKA?

Treatment depends on how severe a case your diabetic pet has.IV therapy and insulin may be all the treatment that’s needed for mild cases.However, complications can develop in more severe cases, and will require more aggressive treatment.  These complications include kidney failure, pancreatitis, bacterial infections, anemia, and brain swelling that causes neurological problems. 

Once your pet is able to eat and drink on her own again, your vet can decide what kind of insulin treatment is needed.About two-thirds of dogs with DKA will recover and go home with their owners.  Your vet will teach you how to check your companion’s blood sugar, and how to give her insulin injections. 

Can You Prevent Diabetic Ketoacidosis?

If your pet is a diabetic, it’s important to carefully monitor her blood sugar levels, and give her insulin shots as required.

The best way to prevent DKA is to prevent canine diabetes in the first place.  If your pet is overweight, she has a much higher risk of developing diabetes in dogs.  Your first order of business is to get her on a diet.  Cut out the treats and table scraps, and feed her a low-fat, high-fiber diet. 

Regular exercise will help to keep her fit and trim.Don’t kill your pet with kindness by overfeeding her; show her how much you love her by taking her for walks and playing with her instead.  Exercise is also a natural way to keep her blood sugar levels under control.

Some pet owners use natural remedies for dogs to regulate their pets’ blood sugar levels.  Research has shown that herbs, including goat’s rue, fenugreek, and astragalus, along with the mineral chromium, are very effective in controlling blood sugar levels in pets.

Need to learn more about a natural remedy that can help dogs with diabetes?  Just click on any link in this article for more information.

It just doesn’t seem fair.Your furry friend has been diagnosed with canine diabetes, and now he seems to be going blind.  Unfortunately, cataracts in dogs are extremely common in dogs with diabetes.  In fact, most canine diabetics will develop cataracts within a year of being diagnosed with this disease.

Basics Of Cataracts

A cataract forms when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy and opaque.Once it loses its transparency, the animal can no longer see through it.Blindess is the result.

Cataracts in dogs are common.They can occur in any age or breed of dog, but diabetic dogs and older pets are most prone to developing them.

Why Are Cataracts Common In Diabetic Dogs?

All cataracts develop in the same way, whether the pet has diabetes or not.  The lens in your pet’s eye is normally in a dehydrated state, compared to the rest of the body.The lens remains clear as long as this delicate balance between water and protein is not disrupted.  

If this balance is upset, more water is absorbed into the lens, which causes it to become cloudy and opaque.One of the insidious effects of diabetes is that blood glucose levels rise in all organs of the body.Excess glucose in the eyball is absorbed by the lens.  In turn, this causes the lens to absorb more water, which causes the cloudiness and vision loss in cataracts.

The process can happen in as short a time as a few weeks.This symptom is often the first warning that a pet has canine diabetes.

How Are Cataracts In Dogs Treated?

Cataracts are treated with surgery.A dog who has cataract surgery usually regains his vision.  If you decide not to have the surgery, your pet will become blind.  

Believe it or not, blind dogs do very well.  It’s usually more of a problem for the owner than it is for the pet.  Blind dogs adjust quickly, and can live long, happy lives.  You will need to have your vet monitor your pet’s eyes to prevent any other complications.

Can Natural Remedies For Dogs Protect Your Pet’s Eyes?

Bilberry has a long history in folk medicine an an herb that can stop, or even reverse, the formation of cataracts.A close relative of the blueberry, bilberries are filled with anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants.  These antioxidants neutralize free radicals, preventing them from damaging the eyes.  

Would a remedy that contains bilberries help prevent blindness from cataracts in dogs?  It just might.  In any case, it wouldn’t hurt to try it, especially if bilberry is combined with goat’s rue, astragalus, fenugreek, and chromium, which have been proven to lower blood glucose levels in pets.   

It’s essential to purchase a remedy made by a company that formulates only the safest and most effective natural pet remedies.  You’ll want to know your companion is receiving the right combination of herbs that will naturally regulate his blood glucose while protecting his eyes at the same time.

Don’t wait any longer.  While it’s still fresh on your mind, learn more about how natural remedies for dogs can protect your diabetic dog’s eyes.  Just click on any link in the article to learn how to help your furry friend.

Even though canine diabetes is becoming more and more common, many dog owners don’t know the symptoms of diabetes in dogs.  But ignorance is not bliss for your canine friend.If diabetes in canines is not treated, blindness and infections are the result, and the dog will eventually die. 

Anyone who has a canine companions should know these seven symptoms seen in dogs with diabetes.

1. Drinking Lots Of Water

Don’t ignore this symptom.  A dog who suddenly becomes very thirsty and is drinking lots of water may have high blood sugar levels.  In an attempt to flush some of the extra glucose out of her system, her body will be demanding more water.

Some dogs increase their water consumption so gradually that you may not be aware of it until she starts urinating a lot more often.

2. Urinating More Often Can Be A Sign of Canine Diabetes

If your pup is having accidents in the house because she can’t wait to get outside, or if she’s asking to go out more often, diabetes in canines may be the cause.

3. Her Get Up and Go Got Up and Went

A formerly peppy pup doesn’t want to do anything but lay around.  She seems weak and lethargic, not like her usual happy self.  She seems to have lost her interest in life.

4. Sudden Weight Gain Or Loss

If your dog has a sudden weight gain or loss, especially if she’s ravenously hungry, canine diabetes may be the reason. This is espcially true if she’s always hungry, but is losing weight.

5. Her Breath Smells Sweet

“Dog breath” has been replace with a sweet smell.  This indicates that your dog has high blood glucose levels.  Take her to the vet right away.

6. Shivering or Shaking

A dog with the shakes may have hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.  Your pet needs immediate veterinary treatment.

7. Infections That Never Seem To Go Away

A pet who has recurring urinary tract infections, gum infections, or fungal infections may have canine diabetes.  A decreased resistance to infections is one of the symptoms of diabetes in dogs. 

You May Not Notice Any Of These Symptoms of Canine Diabetes

Sometimes dogs with diabetes don’t show any of these symptoms because the disease changes their bodily functions so slowly.  This is why canine diabetes is known as the “silent killer.”

Can diabetes in canines be prevented?  Yes, it can.  Here are some suggestions:

• Keep your dog slim and trim
• Avoid feeding dry dog food.  Feed her a high quality canned food that’s high in fiber and low in fat..
• Having her spayed will prevent the high estrogen levels that can sometimes interfere with insulin production.
• Regular exercise will keep her in good condition, as well as helping to keep her blood sugar at normal levels.

Can natural remedies for dogs help?  Research has shown that certain herbs and dietary supplements may play a role in normalizing your pet’s blood glucose levels.  A pet with canine diabetes will need insulin for the rest of her life.  Prevention is definitely the best cure.

Don’t continue to believe that ignorance about canine diabetes is bliss.Knowing the symptoms of diabetes in dogs will protect your pet.  Click on any link above to learn more.