| Dogs > Infections / Disease > Identifying Canine Diabetes Mellitus | |
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also see Canine Diabetes
also see Feline Diabetes
also see Canine Diabetes Insipidus
also see Diabetes Mellitus
Canine diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by lack of insulin production in the dog's pancreas. This creates an inability to properly metabolize food, increasing the body's blood sugar. Through diagnosis and subsequent treatment, complications can be avoided and the dog can lead a healthy life.
The most common symptoms in identifying canine diabetes mellitus are:
Because the dog's body is unable to absorb the nutrients it's eating, these two symptoms are often accompanied by:
If left unchecked, elevated blood sugars can cause:
To confirm the diagnosis, a fasting blood glucose test is run. If results of the test are over 200 mg/dl, other blood work is run to determine if other body organs and systems have been impacted by the elevated blood sugar. Once results are analyzed, appropriate medication, diet and exercise can be prescribed.
Because of its potential impact on the rest of the dog's body, it is important to identify canine diabetes mellitus as quickly as possible and get it under control. It is only through controlling this disease that the complications can be minimized and the dog can enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
also see Canine Diabetic Treatments Beyond Insulin
also see Canine Diabetes: Diet Management Tips
also see My Canine is Diabetic: Planning Daily Exercise
also see Why Canine Diabetes Symptoms Require Further Testing
also see Diabetes in Dogs
also see Diabetes mellitus