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November is Pet Diabetes Month, and it’s dedicated to raising awareness around this endocrine (hormonal) condition that can affect pets. Diabetes diagnosis can be overwhelming at first, but the condition is manageable with the right support from your veterinarian. It’s essential to have a care plan that maximizes a diabetic pet’s quality of life and minimizes risks and complications. Let’s explore how Pet Diabetes Month makes a difference for animal companions nationwide.
What Is Pet Diabetes Month?
Pet Diabetes Month occurs every November, the same month as National Diabetes Month. Diabetes mellitus affects roughly one in every 300 dogs.1 It also affects one in every 200 cats.2
The chronic condition occurs when the pancreas can no longer use or produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Without insulin, your pet’s body cannot use the sugar in the blood to power the cells. Elevated levels result in high sugar levels or hyperglycemia.
Meanwhile, the body still needs energy. The liver uses fat and protein to provide energy, picking away at the body in an inefficient and debilitating attempt to keep it operating. Diabetes can be fatal when allowed to progress without treatment.
Diabetes can be managed with medications and lifestyle changes. Pet Diabetes Month is a crucial time for vets, animal welfare organizations, and devoted pet owners to spread knowledge about the importance of protecting ourselves and our pets to ensure the longest, highest-quality life possible.
Ideas for Observing Pet Diabetes Months
It doesn’t take much effort nowadays to spread awareness to a broad group of owners to get them thinking about their pet’s health. Use #PetDiabetesMonth on social media to spark thoughtful conversations. Share your story, experiences, and knowledge to inspire others.
More importantly, take time to consider your pet’s well-being. November is a perfect time to schedule vet appointments, research pet diabetes, and assess your pet’s routine to see how you can improve their health.
What Are the Signs of Diabetes in Pets?
Regular checkups with your vet are the best way to identify the early signs of diabetes in your pet and plan an effective treatment strategy. As glucose accumulates in the blood and your pet’s body breaks down fat stores for fuel, your pet will show various clinical signs, including:
- Increased thirst
- Increased appetite
- Excessive urination, often in inappropriate areas
- Weight loss
- Lethargy and weakness
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Cloudy eyes
- Chronic infections
- Skin or urinary infections
Diabetes in dogs often appears at age 4, with most diagnoses occurring around 7–10 years old.
Cats typically get diagnosed when they’re over 6 years old. Tonkinese, Norwegian Forest, Burmese, and Abyssinian cats are some of the most at-risk breeds.
Diabetic dogs commonly suffer from fast-developing cataracts, leading to eventual blindness if left untreated. Nowadays, surgery is the most effective treatment for canine cataracts. When carried out by experienced veterinary ophthalmologists, it has a great success rate and can significantly improve a dog’s quality of life.
How Do Vets Diagnose Pet Diabetes?
Early action at the first sign of a potential issue can make an enormous difference in the treatment outcome, especially in cats, because it increases the likelihood of reaching diabetic remission. Untreated conditions can develop into severe bodily deterioration and diabetic ketoacidosis. Elevated ketone levels disrupt the body’s pH and electrolyte balance, affecting major organs and quickly turning fatal.
Your vet screens for pet diabetes primarily through urine and blood analysis. Several conditions can cause hyperglycemia, including hormonal changes and pancreatitis, and additional blood work may be necessary.
Most dogs develop Type I diabetes, where the body cannot produce enough insulin. Type I requires lifelong management and daily insulin injections. Cats are more likely to develop Type II diabetes. The pancreas continues producing insulin, but the body has become inefficient at processing it. Unlike Type I, this form of diabetes can go into remission with early action and several months of insulin injections and dietary management.
How to Prevent Pet Diabetes
Age and breed can predispose many pets to diabetes, but lifestyle is also an impactful factor. Obesity, a critical factor leading to insulin resistance, affects roughly one in five pets, often leading to Type II diabetes. Weight and diet management won’t eliminate the risk. But feeding your pet a high-quality diet based on your vet’s recommendations and providing adequate exercise will have a significant impact.
Pets reflect their owners in many ways, including their health. Studies have shown that diabetic dog owners are more likely to develop Type II diabetes than owners with non-diabetic dogs. Shared lifestyles create shared problems. While considering your dog’s health and susceptibility to diabetes, think about your exercise routine, eating habits, and lifestyle. National Diabetes Month is for people and pets, and it’s a time to make changes that will benefit the entire household.
Final Thoughts
From cancer to osteoarthritis, our pets are subject to numerous threats as they age and slow down. While we can’t predict or prevent many potential health issues, conditions such as diabetes can be influenced by our care decisions.
National Pet Diabetes Month is a time for awareness and action. It encourages pet owners to take simple yet meaningful steps to benefit their pets for their entire lives. By better understanding the disease and working with vets during your normal checkups, you can profoundly affect the length and quality of your time with your pets.
Featured Image Credit: Kovalevskaya Polina, Shutterstock
