National Pet Diabetes Month

In Honor Of National Pet Diabetes Month, This Article Will Go Over What Diabetes Is, How Pets Get It, And How It Can Be Prevented

Most people are aware of the chronic health condition known as diabetes. However, not many people know that pets are susceptible to diabetes too. That’s why the whole month of November is celebrated as National Pet Diabetes Month! This month-long holiday aims to spread awareness about diabetes in pets and educate pet owners on how to prevent it. This article will discuss what diabetes in pets is, what are the warning signs, and how you can prevent it.

Diabetes Defined

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) defines diabetes as a chronic, or long lasting, health condition that directly impacts how the body processes food into energy. The body breaks down the food we eat into sugar called glucose. This glucose is then released into the bloodstream. As the blood sugar goes up, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin is extremely important as it acts like a key allowing blood sugar into the cells for use as energy. 

Pets with diabetes cannot produce or utilize insulin properly which prevents the conversion of food into energy. When there is a lack of insulin or when cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream causing serious health problems including heart disease, kidney disease, and vision problems. 

How To Treat Diabetes

While there is no cure for diabetes, it can be treated & managed. The key to managing diabetes is to manage your insulin levels. This is done through insulin injections. Insulin injections help reintroduce insulin to the body since the body itself can’t produce  insulin properly. The amount of insulin a pet will need will depend on the severity of their diabetes, so consult with your veterinarian first to determine how much insulin your pet may need before administering.

How To Prevent Diabetes

The good news about diabetes is that it is preventable. The best way to prevent diabetes is to live a healthy and active lifestyle. This includes eating healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy foods. Unhealthy foods include processed foods, sweets, fast foods,snack foods, and food with trans fats. The same goes for sugary drinks such as soda and fruit juice. In regards to pets, this means avoid giving your pets any kind of people-food or table scraps. To learn more about what foods are healthy for your pet, check out our previous article entitled How To Choose A Dog Food.  

Additionally, maintaining an active lifestyle will also help prevent diabetes in your pets. Although both dogs and cats sleep a lot, they are still active creatures. Both dogs and cats need routine exercise and stimulation in order to stay happy and healthy. Taking your dog for daily walks and giving your cat some extra playtime will help keep them active and lower the chances of diabetes. 

The Early Signs Of Diabetes In Pets

Noticing the early signs of diabetes in your pets can make a huge difference in the severity of the condition itself. The sooner you catch it, the sooner you can treat it. Some early signs of diabetes in your pets may include cloudy eyes (especially in dogs), excessive water drinking alongside excessive urination, increase in appetite alongside weight loss, decreased appetite, and recurring infections (such as urinary and skin infections). While these symptoms don’t necessarily mean your pet has diabetes, they are certainly red flags regarding their overall health and you should have them checked out by your veterinarian. 

Spread The Word!

This November, we encourage you to get involved with National Pet Diabetes Month by posting about it on social media. You can help educate pet owners about the dangers of diabetes in pets and how to prevent it through social media. Be sure to use the handle #NationalPetDiabetesMonth when posting on social media and share this article too! Every post can make a difference in a pet and pet owner’s life. The more people that know about pet diabetes, the more we can prevent it. 

Hire A Pet Sitter Today!

Do you or someone you know need a pet sitter? Then look no further than ParaMount Pet Care! We are the leading pet care professionals in the Luzerne County area. All of our sitters are insured, bonded, trained in pet CPR & first aid, and dedicated to caring for your pets. We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services such as in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, overnight stays, and more! Click here to see all of our services! Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 570-814-1037. We look forward to hearing from you soon!