Diabetes is a serious health disorder, and starts with a dog's basic ability to take nutrition from its food. The condition is aggravated by factors such as diet, exercise and weight gain, and can progress to very serious levels. Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most serious level of diabetes, with some ugly symptoms. But it can be treated with medication and management.
-
Diabetes Facts
-
Diabetes is typically classified into Type I and Type II. Type I generally manifests when a dog is young, and occurs when the dog's body does not produce enough insulin to adequately transport blood sugar to its destination. Type II may manifest at any time in a dog's life, and occurs when a dog's body is resistant to using insulin, regardless of its presence.
Causes
-
The Dog Diabetes Guide states that diabetes in dogs is an autoimmune and metabolic disease passed through bloodlines. In diabetes, the body's inability to use insulin leads to an inability to ferry blood sugar (energy/food) to the body's cells. The result is a wasting disease of slow starvation, brought on by hormone imbalance.
Effects
-
A diabetic dog's inability to use food or water for nutrition leads to excessive hunger and thirst. This increased thirst leads to increased urination, though the increased hunger only rarely leads to weight gain. Inability to use insulin and gain nourishment leads to weight loss, lethargy, depression and vomiting, according to the Dog Owner's Guide.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
-
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious aspect of diabetes. This condition occurs only in some dogs, and is not a guaranteed progression of diabetes. During DKA, the dog's liver reacts to the consistent insulin imbalance by over-producing ketoacids. These restrict a dog's electrolyte levels, leaving the dog seriously dehydrated. Consistent vomiting is a side effect of this dehydration. The dog's body becomes incapable of keeping any food down, and the dog begins to waste and fail due to persistent vomiting.
Treatments
-
Canine diabetes produces fatal complications unless it's managed and treated. Diabetes in dogs is treated basically the same as diabetes in humans. Owners learn to monitor their dog's health, watch for signs of low blood sugar, and administer an insulin injection when necessary. Diet and lifestyle management become important as well, and owners must learn to feed their dogs high-quality nutrition and keep them active to manage the disorder.
-