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Diabetes mellitus in dogs - disease management

With exercise, the correct diet and insulin therapy you can successfully manage the health of your diabetic dog.

Can diabetes be cured?

The underlying cause of diabetes cannot be cured. Diabetic dogs usually require lifelong treatment with an insulin preparation.

Aim of Treatment

Restoring your diabetic dog’s quality of life is the aim of treatment. This means minimizing diabetic complications without causing hypoglycaemia and stopping the signs of diabetes mellitus:

• drinking lots of water
• urinating frequently
• increased hunger and weight loss.

Poorly managed or untreated diabetes mellitus may result in diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition. This must be treated as an emergency requiring prompt treatment. Read more under Emergencies.

How are diabetic dogs treated?

Successful diabetes management is dependent upon a regular routine.

• Regular insulin injections– See Insulin therapy
• Correct feeding – See the section on Nutrition for advice on establishing the correct feeding regime for your dog.
• Regular exercise
• Intact bitches with diabetes should be spayed. The ovaries produce progesterone for a period known as diestrus after the bitch has been on "heat". Read more...

Helping your dog regain its quality of life through the effective treatment of diabetes is very rewarding.