06/25/2024
Did you know our pets can also have Diabetes? Diabetes Mellitus occurs when the body cannot utilize glucose normally just like in humans. This can result in symptoms in our pets such as:
-Increased thirst
-Weight loss
-Excessive hunger
Our patient below, Dennis, was recently diagnosed and is now being treated. His symptoms were excessive drinking/urinating and losing weight with a normal appetite. In order to assure the insulin dosage is correct, Dennis spent the day with us yesterday to perform his first glucose curve. A glucose curve is when we collect a blood sample every 2 hours to check how the glucose levels change throughout the day after his morning dose of insulin. We recommend rechecking every 6 months to assure correct treatment. Depending on those results, we may or may not change the dose for your pet. Here are some tips on how to protect your four-legged friend from this disease is:
-Maintaining your pet at a healthy body weight
-Feed a low fat diet
-Encouraging daily activity/exercise
If your pet does develop diabetes, it is important to treat as soon as possible. Most cases are very manageable once diagnosed and we are here to help!
