
Caring for Cats and Dogs with Diabetes
For many people, a pet is like a member of the family. Finding out that your pet has diabetes can be difficult, but – just like humans – pets can manage to live otherwise healthy lives with the disease.
There are many things you can do to help your diabetic pet cope. Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be successfully managed.
Diabetes Symptoms in Pets
Weakness and fatigue are common symptoms in both cats and dogs. In cats, diabetes can cause wasting of back muscles or weakness in the back legs. When it comes to dogs, you may notice a general feeling of lethargy. The dog may be less active, or it could be sleeping more.
Increased thirst and urination are two early signs of diabetes that go hand in hand. You may notice that your pet is drinking more water and urinating more frequently, or that your pet is having “accidents” in the house.
Weight and hunger are also things that you should be conscious of when it comes to your pet. If your cat or dog suddenly acts as if it is always starving despite eating the usual amount, this can be a sign of diabetes. Sudden weight loss is also a common occurrence because diabetes can increase a pet's metabolism.
It can be easy to disregard how much a pet eats, and it is important to know that obesity can cause diabetes to develop in animals, just like in humans. If your pet is obese, you should keep an eye on it to determine if it is developing any symptoms of diabetes.
Diabetes Management, Diet and Exercise
If your pet has been diagnosed with diabetes, the most important thing to do is to monitor your pet's blood sugar levels. Th
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