Dogs are not only our best friends, but when we bring one home, they become part of the family. Just like any other home member, their health, food, and lifestyle are our responsibility, and sometimes these responsibilities include some tough and heartbreaking decisions. We want our pets to lead the best life and never be in pain, but it gets tougher to keep up as they grow old. Putting them down is very hard, but it has to be taken for their excellence. Now let’s check out when to put diabetic dog down and how to treat it.
Diabetes in Dogs
Canine diabetes is a disease with no cure, but it isn’t always fatal. If your dog has diabetes, it either means that its body is producing not enough (or none) of the hormone insulin, or its body does not react to insulin in the right way.
Insulin can control the glucose being absorbed by the body from the bloodstream, turning it into a source of energy. Glucose staying in the bloodstream causes high blood sugar levels.
Without working insulin in your dog’s body, there is no way to control its blood sugar levels.
It leads to a condition called hyperglycemia. This makes the dog very ill after some time, especially if it is in conjecture with other diseases. Diabetes makes canines more vulnerable to other diseases, and there’s a high chance of them going blindness in dogs with diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes in Canines
It is the most common type of diabetes in dogs, also known as insulin-deficient diabetes. Where the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin in an adequate amount or any at all. It happens when the pancreas is damaged or doesn’t function properly. Your dog will lifelong depend on insulin treatments to keep its sugar levels in check. Pet parent must aware how long can a diabetic dog go without insulin, its not more than 2-3 days.
Type 2 Diabetes in Dogs
It is the kind of diabetes where the pancreas still produces some insulin, but the body is not processing it correctly. It is also known as insulin-resistant diabetes and isn’t as common as type 1, but it can happen to overweight or old dogs. Pregnant females can also develop this condition temporarily.
Symptoms of Diabetes in Dogs
- Excessive drinking water
- Excessive urination
- Weight loss
- Increased appetite
- Sweet-smelling breath
- Recurring urinary tract infections
- Lethargy
- Blindness
Causes for canine diabetes
Though there are no particular causes for canine diabetes, there are a few factors that increase a dog’s chance of getting it
- Gender: Unspayed females are most likely to get diabetes.
- Age: Older dogs have more cases of diabetes.
- Weight: Obesity is a factor for type 2 diabetes.
- Genetics: Yes, It also plays a role in this. Your dog’s disease may have been passed down to it.
- Pancreatitis: This inflammation can cause long-term damage to the pancreas, which hampers insulin production.
Dog Diabetes Life Expectancy
The dog doesn’t have to be euthanized immediately after the diagnosis. If the dog has been diagnosed in the first few months, it has two more years left. Though, that is just an average lifespan of a dog with diabetes. You may wonder how long do diabetic dogs live, sometimes, the your pet lives on for many years and hardly has any symptoms of diabetes.
Dog Diabetes Treatment
Your veterinary doctor will take a blood and urine test to determine the glucose levels and find any high liver enzymes or electrolyte imbalances. Once diagnosed, they will recommend specialized diet and exercise routines to maintain glucose levels. The Vet will teach you how to check the dog’s blood sugar levels at home. They will determine the dose and type of insulin you give at home. Most dogs get it twice a day, 12 hours apart.
When To Put Diabetic Dog Down?
The untreated diabetes in dogs can lead to malnutrition and cataracts. It is a decision that has to be taken to save our loving pets from suffering too much. If the diabetes is diagnosed later, it only makes sense to put them out of their misery. Talking to the Vet and getting their advice can help you decide how to euthanize a dog with insulin and the best time to put the your pet down. Extending their pain leads them to a lot of other problems such as-
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Seizures
- Urinary tract infections, etc.
Remember that diabetes is a chronic disease to avoid making this decision, but it can be contained. So, always keep an eye out for the symptoms. It could save your pet’s life.
Conclusion
You probably did everything to ensure that your pet led the best life ever since it entered your home. Seeing its suffering in the final days can be extremely painful but putting an end to it is in your hands. This way, you can say that your dog lived in a significant way till its last day and went away to dog heaven without any pain. If you are someone going through this decision right now, I’m sorry for your loss.