Canine Diabetes Prevention

Dogs that develop diabetes do so for the same reasons as humans, not enough insulin is produced by the body to metabolize the glucose or sugar in the blood to be used as energy for all the cells of the body.

There are actually two forms of canine diabetes that occur in dogs. They are:

Canine diabetes mellitus

This is considered the Type 1 diabetes for dogs. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin to meet the body’s glucose needs. This will result in being treated with insulin and is the most commonly seen diabetes in dogs.

Canine diabetes insipidus

This is referred to as Type 2 canine diabetes and occurs when there is sufficient insulin production but the cells in the body are not able to respond to it.

Diabetes usually occurs in dogs between the ages of 7 to 9 years old. Female unspayed dogs are almost twice as likely to develop diabetes as male dogs. The risk is most high in dogs which are overweight. This can be caused by feeding your dog a diet which is high fat and full of sugar.

Unfortunately, most commercial dog foods contain high levels of processed fats and sugars. It is recommended that dogs be fed a natural diet which keeps the dog slim. To prevent diabetes it is best to stay with a raw, natural unprocessed diet which is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates.

A healthy dog is not only eating a good diet but is also at their ideal weight. This involves getting regular daily exercise. Exercise promotes increased blood circulation and also stimulates glucose uptake in cells.

It may not be possible to prevent diabetes mellitus in dogs. But maintaining a good weight and having regular exercise goes a long way to being helpful in keeping your dog healthy. It is also important to have your dog checked annually so that urine and blood tests can be done. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed the better the outcome will be.