There's a cute little Bichon that Pepper and I see most mornings on our walk. A few months ago, the dog showed up with a sensor on her chest. I asked what it was, and found out it's a glucose monitor. The dog has diabetes.
As in humans, with diabetes, the glucose-insulin connection isn't working as it should. In dogs, diabetes occurs in two forms.
1. Insulin-deficiency diabetes. This is when the dog's body isn't producing enough insulin. The pancreas is not functioning properly, and the dog needs daily shots to replace the missing insulin.
2. Insulin-resistance diabetes. This is when the body isn't utilizing the insulin as it should, so glucose isn't being pulled out of the body. This creates obese dogs.
The damage done by not treating diabetes in dogs is similar to that done by not treating diabetes in humans. Organs are damaged, especially kidneys, eyes, heart, blood vessels or nerves.
How do you know if your dog has diabetes? Excessive thirst, increased urination, weight loss and increased appetite. As diabetes becomes more advance, loss of appetite, lack of energy, depression and vomiting may occur. Left untreated, diabetes will lead to cataracts (ultimately blindness), enlarged liver, urinary tract infections, seizures and kidney failure.
If your dog's appetite, water consumption or general attitude change, you may want to have a vet check him out. Early detection can lead to many good years of life. My son's dog developed diabetes at around 8 years of age. He was a big dog, and with early detection and daily insulin shots, he lived another 3 years.
My neighbor's dog with glucose monitor is doing very well. The monitor is synched with the owner's phone, so he knows what his dog's glucose level is at all times and can medicate him appropriately. With proper diet and exercise and his glucose monitor, he should live many healthy years.
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