Symptoms of Dog Diabetes

Dog diabetes is unfortunately common.  The average age of onset of diabetes in dogs is 6 to 9 years old.    Zeke was 9 1/2 years old when his dog diabetes was diagnosed.   Common symptoms of dog diabetes that prompt pet owners to take their dog to the veterinarian include:

• excessive thirst and drinking lots of water 
• urinating more than usual and in the house
• weight loss
• cataracts and blindness  

If your dog has the above symptoms of dog diabetes he or she should be take to the veterinarian.  The vet will perform a blood test to test the dogs glucose level.  When Zeke was diagnosed his glucose was just over 400.  In a normal dog that number would be 120 or less.

When Zeke was diagnosed with dog diabetes in July 2007 he had all of the above symptoms.  He had lost about 4 or 5 pounds although I had not really noticed that as a symptom because it was gradual I think.   Once Zeke was on a proper dose of insulin which at the time was Vetsulin his weight gradually increased back to his normal weight of about 28 pounds.

I had noticed that Zekes' vision was not as good as usual but I thought it was just his age since he was around 10 years old at the time.  Within a few months time of being diagnosed with dog diabetes Zeke did develop cataracts and became completely  blind.  For more information please read my post on Blindness in Diabetic Dogs and Cataract Surgery for Diabetic Dogs