How to Monitor Diabetes in Dogs

Monitoring a dog with diabetes is essential because it is a life-threatening disease comparable to diabetes in humans. Your dog can have one of two types of diabetes: Type I and Type II. Type I diabetes transpires early on in a dog's life whereas Type II diabetes transpires during the senior dog years. Supervising your dog's diet and insulin intake are primary ways to treat its diabetes effectively.

Instructions

  1. Monitor Your Dog's Diet

    • 1

      Limit the amount of sugar in your dog's diet. Sugar can raise your dog's glucose level. Before purchasing food or treats for your dog, read the nutrition facts, which are usually on the back of the package.

    • 2

      Include complex carbohydrate foods in your dog's diet. Complex carbohydrate foods such as pasta and wheat bread are helpful to your dog because it transforms food into glucose at a slow pace, but foods that contain simple carbohydrates, such as milk, are harmful to your dog because it turns food into glucose at a quick pace.

    • 3

      Include foods containing high fiber in your dog's diet. Food that contains high fiber such as rice and corn are beneficial to your dog because it helps him effortlessly and quickly digest food. A high fiber diet also prevents your dog's glucose level from rising and falling.

    Monitor Your Dog's Blood Glucose Level with Urine Strips

    • 4

      Purchase the urine strips. The urine strips are available your local pet pharmacy or store. The urine strips are recommended for the beginning stages of your dog's diabetes.

    • 5

      Capture your dog's urine into a container. The best times to capture the urine is in the when your dog wakes up, in the afternoon before he eats, and before he goes to bed. The container should be clean and wide enough to accurately capture the urine.

    • 6

      Insert the dipstick into your dog's urine. Completely soak the test pad on the dipstick then remove and tap it dry.

    • 7

      Place the dipstick up to the color chart located on the back of the container.

    • 8

      Read and record the results. The color chart displays the results of the blood glucose level; record the results in a notebook. Include the time and date the testing took place as well.

    Monitor Your Dog's Blood Glucose Level using a Glucometer

    • 9

      Warm up your dogs ear using a gentle rubbing motion with your hands. Testing your dog's glucose level with a glucometer is usually done using his ear.

    • 10

      Jab your dog's ear with the lancet in a quick motion.

    • 11

      Collect a drop of blood onto the testing strip. If the blood does not appear after the ear is pricked gently squeeze the ear until blood appears.

    • 12

      Press a cotton ball or tissue paper firmly against your dog's ear to discontinue the bleeding.

    • 13

      Put the testing strip into the meter to receive your dog's glucose level results. Record the results in a notebook; include the time and date as well.

    Insulin Treatment Technique

    • 14

      Shake the insulin bottle to mix the ingredients.

    • 15

      Fill the needle with dosage amount recommended by your dog's veterinarian.

    • 16

      Pull your dog's skin near the neck area in an upward direction.

    • 17

      Insert the needle into the hollow area of the skin.

    • 18

      Let go of the skin and eject the medication by slowly pressing down on the needle.