Natural Pet Health Blog

Free PDF Pet Ebook of the Day

How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden

    Simply Right Click and choose Save As to save to your desktop!  More FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!

Treating Diabetes in cats and dogs involves regular monitoring of diet, Blood Sugar Levels and insulin levels. The monitoring needs to be done on a daily basis and pet owners obviously cannot be expected to visit a veterinarian daily for the daily insulin dose. Understanding the basics of home care helps to manage a diabetic dog effectively.

Once the symptoms of Diabetes in cats and dogs have led to a confirmed diagnosis, the goal of treatment for Diabetes is to control the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Efficient control can help your pet in leading a comfortable life On the other hand uncontrolled hyperglycemia (abnormally high blood sugar) can shorten life span due to complications like kidney disease, retinopathy and arteriosclerosis.

Insulin Injections

Insulin must be administered at the time suggested by the veterinarian. Administration of the correct recommended dose is also important. Try to keep the dose as close as prescribed by understanding the markings on the syringe that you are using. Note that the markings on syringes may vary according to size of the syringe.
Injections administered should be subcutaneous and learning how to inject needs practice. Such a skill comes easily once you have done it in front of the veterinarian for a couple of times.

Monitoring Blood Sugar

High sugar levels almost always spill over to urine. Monitor how your dog responds to exogenous insulin by using strips to test level of sugar in the urine. A urine testing kit contains instructions about the change in color of the strips once it is dipped in urine. Different colors represent normal to danger zone of sugar level. In case of doubt, consult your veterinarian.

It is advisable to keep a record of the test strip results and the amount of insulin injected. A study of this record will help you in understanding the relation between dosage and level of sugar in the urine and also give a definite picture to veterinarian on your next visit.

Dietary Management

Diet plays an extremely important role in controlling blood sugar. Glucose is the primary source of energy in the body and it cannot be totally avoided. Many foods contain substances that are rich in sugar content even if they are not sweet to taste. Feed your dog with a diet that has high fiber content. A diet low in carbohydrates and fats is also recommended. The meal time schedule is related to the time of the insulin injections. Make sure you have discussed this with the veterinarian.

Exercise

Fix up a regular exercise regime to help in maintaining Blood Sugar Levels. Such a practice may even lead to a reduction of insulin dosage over time. Make sure that you carry some source of sugar like corn syrup or honey in case of an insulin reaction especially when you are taking your dog out for a walk or exercise. As soon as you see any symptoms of hypoglycemia (abnormally low blood sugar) immediately rub some on the gums and take him to the veterinarian immediately.

Diabetes is a manageable disease and there is no reason why your canine friend cannot survive and lead a normal, healthy and active life even after being diagnosed as diabetic.

—–

Click Now to subscribe to our Information-Packed Monthly Natural Health Newsletter
and receive your free mini-course in ::Reflexology::!

Pamper Your Dog: 130 Treats for Your Canine Friend - Free Ebook > http://www.remedies...-dog-130-recipes.pdf

Pamper Your Cat: 100 Treats for Your Feline Friend - Free Ebook > http://www.remedies...-cat-100-recipes.pdf

For Guaranteed, Effective, 100% Natural Herbal Remedies for Pets, please visit PetAlive!

Does your pet need a new Collar or Leash? How about a beautiful winter Coat or a fashionable outfit? Perfectly Pampered Pets is Pet’s #1 Choice in Fashion and Great Gifts for Your Pampered Pet!

An I.D. Tag can save your pet’s life or bring him home again. Visit Tags For Pets now!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!