It is not only the human kind that can develop diabetes. Even our beloved pets, no matter how well we care for them, can develop diabetes. This is often a scary situation for the pet owner but rest assured- it can be managed and there are options available.
Signs & Symptoms of diabetes in pets
- Excessive water drinking and increased urination.
- Weight loss, even though there may be an increased appetite.
- Decreased appetite.
- Cloudy eyes (especially in dogs)
- Chronic or recurring infections (including skin infections and urinary infections)
Many older pets that are diagnosed with diabetes go on to live many more happy years, but this takes commitment and close care of your pet.
Diabetic cats and dogs can live just as long as perfectly healthy pet if the diabetes is diagnosed and treated
properly by both the veterinarian and the owner.
This takes great commitment from the owner. Pets must be cared for and watched daily with a high level of care and patience.
There can be no feeding the cat or dog and forgetting until the next day. There is no leaving the pet along to go on a trip. Every day your pet will need medication, fed a proper diet (no more table scraps) and their behavior will need to be monitored closely. You will also need to monitor their glucose levels just as a human would do their own. You can purchase any regular meter and test strips and test right from your home. And you will need to stick to a strict diet and likely begin insulin shots as well.
Your vet can best advise you on what your pets levels should be and how to test and read the numbers properly.
This doesn’t mean you will have to give up your job and stay home full time with your pet, but it does mean you will have to pay more attention to what their behavior is and know what to do if the situation should change.
It is also more of a financial obligation to have a sick pet. So it is something that should be discussed in length with your vet. But it is manageable and you can both have many more years of love and companionship together 🙂
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