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A healthy dog ​​has a blood glucose (sugar) level between 75 mg and 120 mg.
The dog is diagnosed with high blood sugar or hyperglycemia when it is above the normal range. Elevated blood sugar can be temporary, such as caused by stress, or it can be a symptom of a serious medical condition such as pancreatitis or diabetes. High sugar levels are more common in females and older dogs.
Temporary elevated level blood glucose can be quite common for various reasons: diet, stress, stress, medication. Moderately elevated levels may indicate infections (in the mouth, kidneys, bladder), inflammatory conditions (pancreatitis) and hormonal imbalances (hyperadrenocorticism). Persistently high blood sugar levels indicate diabetes. High blood sugar levels cause increased thirst and urination. If you notice these symptoms in your dog,.

If your pet's high blood sugar is temporary due to stress or medication, then symptoms may not appear. However, if it is a symptom of a serious medical condition, you are likely to see some of the following:

• wounds do not heal, infection develops
• depression
• the liver is enlarged
• urinary tract or kidney infection
• Red eyes
• cataract
• large fluctuations in weight
• obesity
• hyperactivity
• excessive thirst or hunger
• frequent urination.

Causes of high blood sugar in dogs

High blood sugar can be due to the following reasons.

• Diabetes mellitus is caused by the loss of beta cells in the pancreas, which leads to a decrease in the production of insulin, as a result, the body cannot process sugar.
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), which can damage the cells that produce insulin, causing the body to also be unable to process sugar.
• Hyperadrenocorticism, caused by neoplasms of the pituitary or adrenal glands, results in high levels of cortisol in the blood, which in turn affects metabolic processes in the dog's body.
• Tooth, kidney, or urinary tract infections.
• Drug reaction.
• Just ate or ate human food with high sugar levels.

Diagnostics

If your dog is showing any symptoms high level blood sugar, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible. Since there can be many reasons for this, be sure to report problems that your veterinarian does not know about, such as recent infections, dietary changes, or any behavioral changes that may help make this difficult diagnosis.

Your veterinarian will order a series of tests to see if your dog has high blood sugar and what is causing it.

Blood tests check the number of red blood cells and white blood cells, as well as platelets and​​ hemoglobin, show blood sugar, proteins and electrolytes. If high blood sugar is the only abnormal finding, your veterinarian may assume that it is a temporary rise in blood sugar and is not a symptom of any medical condition. In addition, a blood test will show if there are elevated levels of certain enzymes that indicate pancreatitis.

Depending on the test results, your veterinarian may order an x-ray or an ultrasound scan to get more information about the underlying cause of high blood sugar.

Your veterinarian may also order a urinalysis that will show elevated sugar levels, bacteria, and ketones that are indicative of diabetes.

Treatment

Treatment options depend on the diagnosis.

• Diabetes mellitus is usually treated with insulin in conjunction with a diet that will bring the animal's weight back to normal.
• Pancreatitis is treated with analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and IVs for several days. Also, the animal needs to drink and eat well to dump the secretion of the pancreas. A low fat diet is recommended (fat will be introduced gradually). Pancreatitis can be life threatening, but if treatment is started on time, most dogs will recover completely.
• Hyperadrenocorticism caused by an enlarged pituitary gland will be treated with one of the drugs that reduce cortisol products. Your veterinarian will prescribe a medication based on your dog's condition. Most cases of hyperadrenocorticism are caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland, while the other is caused by a tumor of the adrenal gland. Radiation or surgery may be required.
• If high blood sugar is caused by an infection, treatment is individualized, usually with antibiotics.
• If high blood sugar is caused by a reaction to medicines, then you need to stop using such a medication and find a replacement.
• Treatment is not needed if high blood sugar is caused by food, exercise, excitement, or stress. The sugar level will return to normal on its own. If the causes are improper food or stress, then measures must be taken to eliminate them.

Recovery period

It is important to see your veterinarian regularly to keep your blood sugar under control. The frequency of visits depends on the diagnosis.

Diabetes mellitus in most cases will require insulin injections and a strict sugar-limiting diet. Food should be high in protein and fiber, and low in fat and carbohydrates. Close monitoring of your dog's blood sugar levels can help you know if your insulin dose is correct. exercise for your pet to maintain a normal body weight. Strictly follow all advice from your veterinarian. In cases of diabetes, pancreatitis, and hyperadrenocorticism, veterinarian observation is critical to your dog's recovery to monitor progress and notice any recurrence of symptoms or drug side effects.

therapist, endocrinologist,
neuropathologist, DVM, BSc

Diabetes dogs, cats and humans have a lot in common. However, the mechanism that leads to the development of diabetes, and its manifestations, often differ significantly depending on the type of animal. Consequently, the approaches to treatment are also not all the same. Therefore, we cannot blindly transfer everything we know about human diabetes to dogs.

So, for example, it is wrong to differentiate canine diabetes into type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as is the case in humans. In addition, many drugs that work well for humans work poorly or do not work at all on animals. There are other differences as well. So, we will only talk about dogs.

What's going on normally

All cells in our body need glucose ("sugar") as their main source of energy. Glucose enters the body through the intestines from food or from internal stores (liver glycogen, muscles, etc.). From the intestine or from internal stores to the places of consumption, glucose is carried by the blood. However, for most cells it is not enough for the blood to bring them glucose - it is also necessary for a hormone called insulin to transmit the corresponding signal to the cell, and the cell is able to perceive this signal. This hormone in the body is formed in the so-called islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

So, after eating, glucose from the intestines enters the bloodstream and its level in the blood rises. The pancreas senses this increase and releases insulin into the bloodstream. The cells in the body receive the insulin signal and carry glucose from the blood into the cytoplasm (inside the cells). The level of glucose in the blood drops, the cells feel "full", the pancreas stops releasing insulin into the blood.

What Happens With Diabetes

In diabetes, one or both of the following occurs:

• the pancreas loses its ability to produce enough insulin
• body cells lose their ability to perceive the insulin signal

In both cases, the cells "do not understand" that there is already enough glucose in the blood, and they do not transfer it inside. As a result, blood glucose levels remain high while cells are “starving”. Hence one of the symptoms diabetes mellitus- high blood glucose.

Normally, the kidneys do not allow glucose to pass from the blood into the urine. However, when the blood glucose rises above a certain limit, the kidneys fail and the glucose begins to pass through the urine. Thus, another symptom of diabetes mellitus appears - high glucose in the urine.

When there is a lot of glucose in the urine, it "pulls" water from the blood after it. As a result, the volume of urine increases and the animal begins to urinate a lot. Water is removed from the body, the body becomes dehydrated, the animal feels thirsty and begins to drink more. Hence the other two symptoms of diabetes: polyuria and polydipsia (heavy drinking and urination).

Since cells cannot enter glucose inside, this situation is essentially starvation for the body. It includes compensation mechanisms: the animal feels hunger, and it starts eating more than usual (although this is not beneficial, since glucose remains in the blood and then leaves with urine), and internal energy stores are mobilized. When the glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are no longer enough, the body begins to use the stores of protein and fat. Due to the breakdown of protein, it decreases muscle mass... This is another symptom of diabetes mellitus - increased appetite along with weight loss.

With the massive breakdown of fats in the body, many ketone bodies are formed. Ketone bodies can also be found in urine. One of the ketone bodies is acetone, therefore, in animals with severe diabetes, you can notice the smell of acetone in their breath. In addition, the acidity of the blood increases (pH decreases). This situation is called diabetic ketoacidosis and is critical. Without intensive treatment, it can lead to death in a matter of days, or even hours.

High blood sugar adversely affects many systems: diabetic cataract(the lens of the eye becomes cloudy), due to damage to the nerve fibers appears hind limb weakness and plantigrade gait(rare in dogs). The presence of sugar in urine creates excellent conditions for the growth of bacteria, therefore cystitis are also a common complication of diabetes.

Who has diabetes

It most commonly appears in dogs between the ages of 7 and 9. Among dogs, unsterilized females are more likely to suffer from it.

What is the reason

In dogs, the underlying cause is hereditary predisposition.

Without delving into the mechanism of development of diabetes mellitus, we can say that in most cases it is impossible to establish the exact cause of its appearance. However, there are factors that predispose to diabetes and, together, can lead to it.
These factors are:

• overweight
• hormonal treatment
• pancreatitis
• the period of the first 1-2 months after estrus or pregnancy
• other hormonal disorders.

How to make a diagnosis

To make a definitive diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, it is not enough to detect any one of the aforementioned signs, since there may be many other causes for each of them besides diabetes. So, for example, polyuria and polydipsia can be caused by chronic kidney failure, blood glucose can rise simply from stress, cataracts can simply be senile, and increased appetite along with weight loss can be caused by worms. For this reason, if you or your doctor suspect diabetes mellitus in an animal, it is often necessary to carry out a whole range of examinations, which are needed both in order to make an accurate diagnosis and in order to detect associated problems and complications. These examinations may include: blood tests (general, biochemical, acid-base balance, serial glucose measurements, hormone tests), urine tests, assessment of the amount of fluid consumed and urine output, X-rays, ultrasound, ECG.

So, we know that our animal has diabetes mellitus, that is, the cells of the body do not enter glucose from the blood inside. In most cases, to overcome the lack of your insulin or low sensitivity to it, you need to administer insulin from the outside.

It is impossible to predict in advance exactly how much insulin will be required for a particular animal. However, based on the weight of the animal and previous experience, you can start with a specific dose, and then adjust the amount and frequency of insulin administration in accordance with the body's response. For the most accurate and fastest dose selection, the best way is to build a glucose curve. To do this, blood glucose is measured every 1-2 hours after the administration of insulin for 8-24 hours. Thus, it is possible to find out at what interval after the introduction of insulin begins to act, at what period does the peak of its action occur, how long and how strongly it acts.

The next step is to select the optimal feeding time for the animal. Depending on the type of insulin used (short, medium or long acting), on the type of feed and on individual characteristics the animal may be advised to be fed simultaneously with the administration of insulin, some time after administration, divided and frequent feeding in small portions, or providing constant access to food.

Further supervision is carried out by the owner with regular monitoring by the attending physician. The condition of the animal may change, insulin sensitivity may increase or decrease, and comorbidities may appear. For this reason, it is necessary to periodically come for follow-up examinations, conduct laboratory tests and sometimes repeat the construction of the glucose curve.

It is essential that the physician or assistant explains in detail and shows the owner how to store, how to draw up and how to administer insulin.

It is important to remember that the effect of too high blood glucose affects the body gradually, while a drop in glucose below normal levels (hypoglycemia) can lead to fatal consequences very quickly. Therefore, using insulin, the task is not to bring glucose to a normal level, but to keep it slightly above the upper limit of the norm. This way, we will be sure that we will not get hypoglycemia.

For the same reason, it is not as scary to “under-dose” insulin as to overdose it. Therefore, if you injected insulin, but were not sure that you got where you need to (for example, you felt that the coat became wet at the injection site), or you do not know if someone from your home has injected insulin before you, never do not re-inject insulin. It is better to skip the injection once than mistakenly inject twice.

Since there are often some difficulties in purchasing insulin from pharmacies, it is recommended that you always have one spare unopened pack of insulin at home. It is usually recommended to throw an opened package of insulin in 1.5-2 months, even if it is not used up completely.

Feeding

Usually, immediately after a meal, glucose rises very much in the blood, and the body of a diabetic animal cannot cope with such a load. Therefore, the point of diabetic feeding is to ensure that glucose is transferred from the feed to the blood as slowly as possible. This is usually achieved by selecting specific sources of dietary fiber in the correct proportion. In addition, the feed should contain a limited amount of calories and a sufficient amount of protein. The best solution is to feed with special medicated feed. If, for any reason, this is not possible, you should discuss other options with your doctor. As we mentioned above, the frequency and time of feeding are adjusted individually.

As for the amount of food consumed per day, it is very important to feed the animal in such an amount that it remains thin. Being overweight reduces the sensitivity of cells to insulin, which means it aggravates diabetes.

When to sound the alarm

If the animal develops weakness, unsteady gait, trembling, loss of consciousness, convulsions, it is necessary to offer the animal to eat (if it is conscious), and if it refuses to feed, spread honey, sugar syrup or glucose solution on the mucous membrane of the mouth (tongue, gums) and contact a doctor immediately.

If your blood or urine glucose levels rise above their previous levels, you should contact your doctor within 1 to 2 days.

If the blood glucose level falls below 3 mmol / liter, it is necessary to offer the animal food (if it is conscious), and if it refuses to feed, spread honey, sugar syrup or glucose solution on the mucous membrane of the mouth (tongue, gums) and immediately contact a doctor.

If your urine glucose drops to zero and / or ketones appear in your urine, your blood glucose should be checked.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a critical condition that usually appears after an animal has been suffering from diabetes for a long time. However, in some cases, diabetes can lead to ketoacidosis in a matter of days. As mentioned above, in this state, the body mobilizes large amounts of fat as an energy source. The liver of these fats forms ketone bodies, one of which is acetone. This leads to acidification of the blood and can lead to death in a short time.

Symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are: odor of acetone from the mouth, lethargy, refusal to eat, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, low temperature, coma.

If you develop one or more of these symptoms, you should immediately contact your doctor.

Treatment of animals with diabetic ketoacidosis is primarily insulin and intensive care. Insulin in such cases is used not so much to lower blood glucose levels as to stop the production of ketone bodies in the liver. For this purpose, short-acting types of insulin are used, the drug is injected very often (every 1-2 hours) and under strict control of blood glucose levels. Droppers are needed in order to restore the water, acid-base and electrolyte balance in the body, in order to quickly remove ketone bodies from the body, and also to prevent blood glucose from falling below normal due to the introduction of insulin in large doses.

Problem cases

If it is not possible to stabilize the patient for a long time, the reason may be as follows:

• incorrect intake and / or administration of insulin
• inoperative insulin (expiration date or storage conditions have not been respected)
• accelerated metabolism of insulin (rapid excretion from the body)
• the Somoji effect (too high a dose of insulin can first lead to a sharp drop, and then to a strong and prolonged rise in glucose levels)
• the simultaneous use of other drugs (especially hormones)
• changes in internal hormonal levels (sexual cycle in bitches, hyper- and hypo-adrenocorticism, acromegaly, etc.)
• concomitant infections (in particular, cystitis, periodontal disease, dermatitis) and other diseases
• obesity (see above)
• true insulin resistance
• excess fat in the blood
• antibodies against insulin.

What can be done besides insulin

In most cases, no one can substitute insulin for the treatment of canine diabetes. However, there are a number of measures that can, if not negate, then at least significantly reduce the insulin requirement of animals. For bitches, this is primarily sterilization (removal of the uterus and ovaries). If diabetes manifests itself in the first two months after estrus or pregnancy, then sometimes sterilization or simply the end of this period completely relieves the animal of the symptoms of diabetes. However, the predisposition to diabetes remains, and at any time it may reappear.

Another important point regarding fat animals is the reduction of body weight to normal. It is also important to increase the physical activity of animals (longer walks and play with dogs).

You should switch to feeding with special medicated feeds (Hill's w / d, Royal Canin Diabetic, etc.).

Oral hypoglycemic agents

Glipizides(as well as glyburide and glibenclamide) - increases the production of insulin by the pancreas. This drug is not effective in treating canine diabetes. Metformin - increases the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, and also reduces the release of glucose from the body's internal stores and the synthesis of glucose in the body.

Metformin could possibly help animals that still have some ability to produce insulin, but side effects(lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting) limit its use. At this stage, additional research is required to draw conclusions about the appropriateness of its application.

Vanadium Is an element that is present everywhere. It probably has insulin-like properties, and is also practically devoid of side effects, but, nevertheless, is ineffective by itself. Vanadium was studied in the form of dipicolinate. This form is not available for purchase. Vanadium sulfate is marketed as a vitamin supplement, but its effectiveness is unknown.

Chromium- in the form of picolinate, enhances the effect of insulin in healthy dogs. However, this effect was not seen in diabetic dogs.

Acarbose- inhibits digestive enzymes responsible for the breakdown of starches (the main sources of glucose in the intestine). As a result, glucose is more gradually released into the intestines and a more even blood glucose level is maintained. The drug is expensive, has side effects(diarrhea, weight loss), so in dogs it is only used if insulin alone is not enough to control hyperglycemia.

Troglitazone- increases tissue sensitivity to insulin

The pancreas is beautiful and calm, like a sleeping panther. She lay imposingly, resting her head on the solar plexus, abdominal aorta, and vena cava. The horseshoe of the duodenum was carefully wrapped around the head ...

The panther put its tail into the gate of the spleen, and covered itself with a stomach and a large omentum. But wake her up - and she will not behave calmly.

Academician A.I. Aprikosov.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus, endocrine disorder, pancreas, insulin-dependent, insulin-dependent, insulin-independent, hypoglycemia, Somoji syndrome.

Abbreviations: DM - diabetes mellitus, IDDM - insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disruption of the pancreas, comparable to the state of an awakened panther (if you follow the poetic statement of the famous Russian pathologist Academician Abrikosov), which leads to discord in many organs and systems of the body.

Diabetes mellitus in dogs is considered a fairly common pathology. The disease is not a sentence, but it makes significant adjustments to the pet's lifestyle.

What dog owners need to know about diabetes

• Veterinary medicine still cannot name the unambiguous reasons for the development of diabetes, but at the same time it identifies a number of concomitant factors:
  • genetic predisposition;
  • autoimmune diseases, in which the body "attacks" its own pancreas, preventing it from fully functioning;
  • overweight dog (obesity);
  • long-term or improper treatment with hormonal agents;
  • improper feeding diet;
  • the age of the dog is over 6-7 years old;
  • individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy or estrus;
  • against the background of any internal or infectious diseases affecting the work of the pancreas;
  • pancreatitis of any nature.

There are 4 types of diabetes mellitus

• insulin dependent (type 1). It is explained by a partial or complete lack of insulin, which is no longer produced by special cells in the pancreas. This type of pathology is characteristic of more than 90% of all cases of the disease in dogs. Disorders in the pancreas are observed against the background of heredity or autoimmune lesions.
• insulin-independent (type 2). It is characterized by a sufficient or low content of the hormone in the blood, but at the same time it is not perceived by the body in any way, and the normalization of the level of glucose in the blood is not observed. If this type of diabetes is not treated or treated incorrectly, then it eventually becomes the first type, because cells due to excess production of insulin in the end simply wear out and cease to perform their secretory functions.
• transitory (secondary, rolling). It occurs against the background of any other primary disease (for example, pancreatitis or against the background of long-term treatment with progestogens or glucocorticoids). If the primary disease is detected at the initial stage and eliminated, then diabetes is completely cured, and the level of glucose in the blood is normalized.
• gestational (4th type). Occurs only in pregnant bitches during diestrus (after estrus ends) or late in pregnancy when progesterone and growth hormone levels jump, which can affect glucose insulin sensitivity. The condition is also perfectly corrected to the normal level or bounces back on its own after childbirth.

The manifestation of the disease

With diabetes mellitus in dogs, there are 4 most important clinical signs that will attract the attention of even a non-specialist.

1. Increased thirst (polydipsia) - the dog drinks almost constantly, but the saliva in the mouth remains sticky and viscous.
2. Frequent and profuse urination (polyuria) - the dog often asks to go outside, the puddles become noticeably large.
3. Increased appetite bordering on gluttony (polyphagia) - the usual portion of food is absorbed at great speed and frankly asks for more.
4. Weight loss up to palpable visual exhaustion - the stomach falls in, the costal arches begin to appear.

If all four signs are noticed, this is a clear reason to visit the veterinarian. But the diagnosis of diabetes in dogs is not only about symptoms, it is confirmed with additional blood and urine tests. They show the presence and increased content of glucose.

For all other signs, the condition of the dog can be perceived as a general malaise, which can be characteristic of any disease:

• "Sad", painful, sluggish overall appearance;
• dry, tousled coat, which also begins to fall out;
• dry mucous mouth and viscous saliva;
• heart palpitations (more than 150 beats / min);
• with a large appetite, a clear weight loss;
• a fruity-sour smell appears from the mouth;
• diabetic cataract may develop (the lens becomes cloudy);
• the liver increases in size (protrudes from under the ribs so much that it can be felt);
• the skin becomes dry, begins to peel off, skin diseases can be noted - dermatitis, eczema;
• I do not heal wounds well (a high level of glucose in the blood disrupts blood clotting);
• in rare cases, diarrhea or vomiting may occur.

If the dog is street and is not constantly in sight, the signs of the disease may not be noticed, except as exhaustion.

Diabetes care

Treatment of diabetes in dogs is usually aimed at normalizing the general condition (eliminating manifestations) and bringing glucose to a stable state (no higher than 8-10 mmol / L). Normalization of glycemic metabolism is achieved by administering insulin (with type 1, 2 and 4 diabetes) or by eliminating the primary disease (with secondary pathology).

It is impossible to completely cure type 1 and 2 diabetes. The essence of insulin treatment is pathology management, i.e. consistently lowering blood sugar levels to normal and maintaining this state throughout the dog's life.

Insulin therapy

• Insulin, depending on the time of action, is divided into: "short", "medium" and "long". In type 1 diabetes "short" is used, with type 2 - "medium" and "long".

Important: when using insulin, blood glucose is brought to a level slightly higher than the upper normo-limit (8-10 mmol / l) - this reduces the risk of hypoglycemia (a sharp drop in sugar levels, which can cause the death of a dog).

• The introduction of the drug is carried out with special pens-injectors or insulin syringes, depending on the concentration of U (for example, the composition of 40 U / ml is injected with U40 syringes, 100 U / ml - U100, etc.).
• The bottle must be warmed in the palms to body temperature before administration.
• The dosage is selected gradually empirically, starting with the minimum dose, while observing the condition of the dog. The time to select the final dose takes from several days to several months.

The minimum insulin dose for dogs is 0.5 U / kg body weight.

• The drug is always injected subcutaneously into the abdomen, chest or withers. For convenience, a fold of skin is formed in the form of a pyramid with three fingers of the hand, the needle is inserted into the base of the formed pyramid (the place under the thumb).
• After the first dose of insulin, the glucose is monitored. In dogs, three methods are used: they monitor the sugar in the urine 1-2 times / day, in the urine and blood 3 times / day. and only in the blood every 2-4 hours. Most often, the latter method is used - this gives a more complete picture of the dynamics of changes in glucose levels.
• If, after administration of the drug, the blood glucose level remains above 15 mmol / l, the dosage is increased by 20% of the original. If the level fluctuates between 10-15 mmol / l - increase by 0.1 U / kg. Thus, the dose is selected so that the level does not exceed 8-10 mmol / l.
• In addition to regular blood tests, it is necessary to monitor the general condition of the dog - if correct selection dosage, the main signs of diabetes are eliminated: the animal eats and drinks normally, goes to the toilet and begins to gain weight.
• With the correct selection of the dosage, there should be no sugar in the urine at all!
• It is always safer to inject less insulin than excess insulin.

If you do not remember whether you injected the drug or not, it is better to skip one injection than to re-inject and overdose. An incorrectly selected dose and scheme of insulin administration can provoke the effect (syndrome) of Somoji in a dog!

It is not worth re-injecting if the animal jerked and an incomplete dose was injected, or you do not know if someone else in the household gave the injection. Below normal blood sugar levels are much more dangerous than high ones!

• Somoji syndrome occurs in cases when high doses of the drug are used immediately and for a long time, the level of glucose drops sharply in the blood, and then rises sharply due to the release of diabetogenic hormones into the blood (cortisol, glucagon, epinephrine). As a result, the body actually experiences hypoglycemia, and the owner thinks that the sugar is off scale and continues to increase the dose, exacerbating the situation. Most often, the effect is overlooked in cases where the glucose level is controlled by urine or blood, but once a day. Only a specialist can get the dog out of this state!
• Insulin after opening is stored for no more than 1.5-2 months under appropriate conditions. Then - throw it away, not sparing it, even if it is not all used up!
• Always have a spare ampoule of medicine - just in case of fire (did not have time to buy, crashed, expired, etc.).
• When administering insulin, punctuality is very important - all injections must be carried out strictly at the same time and according to the scheme developed by the veterinarian.

Correction of the diet

How and what to feed your dog? It is desirable in fractional portions and often up to 5 times a day. It is necessary to observe approximately the same feeding times, including the times when insulin is injected (usually first the injection is given and then the feeding follows).

If diabetes is still accompanied by overweight, the pet will have to be put on a rigid diet to normalize it, and then transferred to a diet for diabetics. It is necessary to ensure that the weight of the animal does not rise back after the diet.

The basic requirement for a dog's natural diet is a minimum amount of carbohydrates and a maximum amount of protein and fiber.

Eliminate categorically from the diet

• wheat and corn flour;
• wheat gluten;
• White rice;
• onion garlic;
• flour / sweet;
• canned food;
• oatmeal;
• bones;
• human sweet food;
• food / food with artificial sweeteners;
• excessively fatty meat.

Up to 60% of all food should be meat and fish products:

• raw beef;
• bird;
• lean pork;
• offal (it is good to give a rumen for digestion);
• low-fat varieties of fish.

Milk products:

• low-fat cottage cheese.

Vegetables:

• various vegetable soups without frying;
• greens.

Permitted food additives in feed:

• eggs;
• vitamins for diabetic dogs;
• cinnamon (finely ground, lightly sprinkle food twice a day);
• fenugreek seeds (up to 1 tsp without top, mix with food in the morning feeding).

Water:

• it is better if it is slightly alkaline, i.e. with a slight addition baking soda(1/3 tsp without top for 250 ml of water).

Special food for diabetic dogs of industrial production

It is very convenient to feed your pet with ready-made food specially formulated for diabetics. These are complete, balanced feeds, in which the amount of carbohydrates does not exceed 4% and a lot of proteins. This is usually a premium selection.

• Royal Canin Diabetic DS37 (dry; more than 5500 rubles / 12 kg);
• Royal Canin Diabetic Special Low Carbohydrate (wet; about 250-270 rubles / can of 410 g);
• Royal Canin Weight Control Canine (dry; about 600 rubles / 1.5 kg);
• Hills Prescription Diet Canine W / D Low Fat / Diabet (dry; about 1200 RUB / 1.5 kg);
• Hills Prescription Diet Canine W / D Low Fat / Diabet (wet; about 250 rubles / can of 370 g);
• Farmina Vet Life Canine Diabetic (dry; about 5000 rubles / 12 kg, 1300 rubles / 2 kg);
• Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets DM Diabetes Management (dry; about $ 12/3 kg).

Question answer

What is the dog's blood sugar rate?

Normally, in a healthy dog, the glucose level should be in the range of 4.2-7.3 mmol / L. In any case, the long-term observed upper level of the norm should attract the attention of the owner of the animal.

To determine the level of glucose in the blood, it is enough to use a regular glucometer used for a person - they are ideal for the procedure. In dogs, blood is drawn from the blood vessels of the ears or the crumbs of the fingers.

Is insulin used in dogs?

Yes, it does. It is insulin therapy that is indicated to stabilize the diabetic state of the dog. The drug can be long, medium and short acting - selected according to the type of diabetes. Pork, bovine and human insulin is used in dogs. Pork is considered to be as similar as possible to its own. Human and bovine are also used, but can cause the formation of antibodies, because have differences in amino acid residues (in other words, it can cause an allergic reaction).

How long do dogs with diabetes live?

Subject to the recommendations of the veterinarian-endocrinologist, insulin correction schemes and diet, the dog will live a full and long life. With diabetes mellitus, you can easily bring the dog to the state of a healthy animal according to its well-being, but only strictly following the insulin correction scheme prescribed by the veterinarian. From now on, the vetendocrinologist should become a family friend for regular consultations.

What if suddenly your blood glucose level drops? How to determine? First aid

If a domestic dog has diabetes, you need to be prepared for the fact that during the course of treatment, blood sugar can drop sharply - a phenomenon of hypoklycemia. The animal suddenly becomes lethargic, does not respond to the nickname, its paws begin to tremble or give way, the gait becomes shaky, convulsions or loss of consciousness may occur. If you do not provide timely assistance, the animal may die. Before the pet is delivered to the veterinarian (or the specialist arrives himself), you need to drink or feed him (if the animal is conscious) or pour 1-2 ampoules of glucose into the mouth (if available in the first-aid kit), pour sugar on the tongue or smear his honey (if unconscious). Be sure to mark the time when this condition was recorded.

What are the main symptoms of diabetes?

In a dog, diabetes attracts attention with four main symptoms: thirst, frequent and increased urination, greediness and weight loss. If all the signs are present, you need to rush for a veterinarian's consultation.

Can Diabetes Be Treated in Dogs? folk remedies?

None of the existing diabetes in dogs can be cured by any folk remedies. Moreover, dogs have an increased sensitivity to many herbs, so it is not recommended to engage in "herbalism", so as not to aggravate the already unhealthy state of the body.

Are there any ready-made special foods for dogs with high blood glucose?

Yes, and their assortment is wide enough. It is not necessary to remember their names or manufacturers, it is enough to pay attention to the constituent components. Quality foods for dogs with diabetes include meat flour (assorted), cellulose powder (ground fiber), fats, and acceptable flavors and flavors. It is important that the amount of carbohydrates (for example, cereal flour) in the composition does not exceed 4% of the total mass.

Why did my dog ​​get diabetes?

It can be assumed that the animal has problems in the functioning of the pancreas, has a bad heredity, or is at risk for diabetes: it is obese, has autoimmune diseases, has been treated with hormones for a long time, has not been fed correctly, has a disrupted pregnancy or is older than 7 years.

Diabetic diet

The most important thing to know is that in the diet, you need to reduce fats and carbohydrates and increase protein and fiber. You need to feed a dog with diabetes in small fractional portions, but often (up to 5 times a day). Several feedings should coincide with the intake of insulin - usually immediately after the injection. Allowed: up to 60% low-fat meat and fish products, vegetable soups with herbs, eggs, cottage cheese, alkaline drinking water.

What happens if diabetes is left untreated?

If it becomes known that a dog has an elevated blood sugar level, but at the same time not take any measures, you need to understand that the disease will hit absolutely all organ systems, eventually leading to the death of the animal. With prolonged pathology, ketoacidosis develops - special ketone bodies accumulate in the blood. In the future, this will complicate insulin therapy (ketone bodies are removed first, and then only insulin therapy will give results).
If the disease continues to be ignored: against the background of high blood glucose levels, blindness (cataract), renal and heart failure, fatty degeneration of the liver (up to cirrhosis), exhaustion, physical weakness develop. The animal will die.

Can I give my dog ​​a sugar-reducing tablet?

There is no need to use pills that lower blood sugar levels. it is impossible to correct diabetes mellitus in a dog!

Even 25-30 years ago, the word "hypoglycemia" was familiar, perhaps, to doctors and patients with diabetes. After a stream of "mini" and "super-mini" dogs poured into Russia, this word became familiar to a fairly wide layer of dog breeders and dog lovers ...

Hypoglycemia is a deadly condition that requires urgent help!

The word "hypoglycemia" is increasingly heard from dog handlers and ordinary dog ​​owners, especially mini and toy groups. But it happens that puppies and young dogs are more large sizes may show fairly pronounced symptoms of hypoglycemia.

In this article, we will look at the causes of hypoglycemia in puppies and adult dogs, prevention and first aid measures for hypoglycemia in puppies and small breed dogs.

Hypoglycemia is a decrease in blood glucose levels below the physiological norm.

Here the question of what is considered a physiological norm and how to determine deviations from it is very important.

The fact is that, depending on the method of testing the level of glucose in the blood, these norms can differ significantly in different laboratories and when measuring glucose levels by different methods. Hence, there are discrepancies and problems in understanding true hypoglycemia.

If we take venous blood, leave it in a test tube and centrifuge it after a while, then the glucose content will largely depend on how long and under what conditions the tube with whole blood has been standing. Erythrocytes of blood, like living cells, will "use" the glucose of the blood serum for their vital functions, and the level of glucose in the serum may drop significantly.

Although, practice shows that if the conditions for taking and storing the analysis below 3 mmol / L, the glucose level does not fall. And if in such an analysis the glucose level is below 3 mmol / l, then this is a reason to sound the alarm and look for the causes of hypoglycemia.

If the meter shows 3 mmol / L and below, then the situation is simply critical.

Clinical (external) signs of hypoglycemia

The body of a dog, which is called "not a fool" and itself can determine exactly whether its blood glucose is normal or not.

First of all, the dog's brain suffers, it stops working as it should, and the dog's reactions to external stimuli become inadequate.

The most common signs of hypoglycemia are:

• Lethargy and apathy
• Absence or weakening of reaction to external stimuli
• Refusal of food and water, even from a favorite treat
• Pallor of mucous membranes
• Tremors (tremors) of the muscles
• Vomiting for no apparent reason (no stomach irritant)
• Diarrhea for no apparent reason

In more severe cases, add:

• Cramps and spasms
• Pressure drop (collapse)
• Loss of consciousness (stupor, coma)
• Urinary incontinence
• Breathing disorders

When does hypoglycemia occur?

In small puppies, especially miniature breeds, hypoglycemia can occur even when they are simply not fed on time or when they are cold. The combination of these two circumstances is even worse.

In apparently healthy dogs, hypoglycemia can be caused by the following:

1. Nervous excitement and excessive "intellectual load":

• Fear
• Excess joy
• The novelty of the situation
• Temporary or permanent abrupt change of owners and place of residence

One of my patients, a Chihuahua male, showed signs of hypoglycemia whenever I came to vaccinate him. At the same time, in addition to a full clinical examination, the guy "received" cleaning of the paranal glands, the current removal of dental calculus and clipping. It was extremely difficult for the little "sufferer" to endure such a thing, although he endured in silence and almost did not resist. And this provoked hypoglycemia. And hypoglycemia became obvious a few hours after the procedures, since the guy continued to experience what had happened to him. First aid in the form of sweet water quickly helped the sneeze to recover. Now, knowing its features, we keep ready "sweet water" and give it before the start of obvious signs of hypoglycemia, immediately after the obligatory veterinary procedures.

Another patient of mine, a French bulldog, on revaccination at 3 months tried so hard to behave better than he really could that he became overexcited and gave out an attack of hypoglycemia immediately after the end of our "vaccination measures" - with a sharp pallor of the mucous membranes, vomiting and weakness. First aid followed immediately, and the puppy's condition returned to normal very quickly.

1. Active exercise stress(especially with nervous overexcitation)

• Long active walk "out of habit" (for example, going to the country house or "out into nature")
• Visit veterinary clinic and an active "fight for life" with doctors
• Engaging in a dog fight or unusually active game
• Participation in the exhibition, especially for the first time

One of my patients, a Chinese crested (puff), reacted so emotionally even to the most joyful events in her life that when she went to the dacha, where she happily and for a long time ran around the site, she was overtaken by an attack of hypoglycemia. The same attacks happened to her when many guests came to the house, and she "entertained the audience" without rest. At the same time, the dog did not even have time to experience the feeling of hunger, so other feelings “captured” it. Therefore, the owners began to carry glucose tablets with them and give them to the dog when it is excessively active.

1. Impaired intake of nutrients into the body

• Forced starvation (did not have time to feed)
• Fasting during transportation (did not calculate the waiting time on the road or the duration of the trip)
• Voluntary refusal of the dog from the usual food in the fight for the "best bite"
• Offering unusual food (which is not even perceived by the dog as “food”)

First aid for hypoglycemia

Many articles about hypoglycemia in puppies and mini-dogs write about injections (shots) of 5% glucose. This is extremely inconvenient both for the owner, who often simply does not know how to give injections, and for the animal. After all, a 5% glucose solution carries a very small amount of glucose itself, and a significant amount must be introduced to obtain a result. As a rule, the effect of such an injection is achieved not by the introduction of glucose, but by the production of stress hormones that stimulate the growth of blood glucose levels from the deepest "stashes".

Therefore, doctors inject intravenously much more concentrated glucose solutions - from 10% to 40%, which, as you can see, increases the concentration of glucose in the blood much faster.

But if you and your dog are not in the clinic, what to do?

You just need to remember that sugar, incl. glucose are perfectly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. That is, it is enough to simply give a doggy 40% glucose from an ampoule or give it just sweet water at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons of sugar in half a glass of water. You can pour these solutions into it from a syringe without a needle, especially if the dog simply has no strength to drink.

The main thing is that the dog does not choke at the same time, so do not throw the dog's face up (just keep it in a normal physiological position) and drink sweet water or glucose in small portions.

Carry 1-2 ampoules of 40% glucose with you (fortunately, they are now not glass, but plastic) in order to help your beloved pet in case of danger.

Helpful Hints for Dogs Prone to Hypoglycemia:

• Train your hypoglycemic dog to always have a delicious "cookie" in your pocket, and if it behaves the way you want it, then you will definitely give it this "cookie" periodically (But do not overfeed! If you need a lot of treats, replace them with the usual food so that there are no metabolic disorders)
• If you know for sure under what conditions the dog develops hypoglycemia, and the dog refuses treats, you can carry glucose tablets with you and feed the dog with them. little by little in conditions where hypoglycemia is highly possible. Although it is better to simply avoid such situations.

Prevention of hypoglycemia

To prevent hypoglycemia from overtaking your puppy or beloved dog, it is important to remember a few rules.

For adult dogs of miniature breeds:

• Your dog's lifestyle should be active so that small stressful events are familiar and not "overwhelmed" nervous system pet on the basis of "now empty, now thick."
• Any unpleasant experience should be taught to the dog by regular actions so that troubles are not perceived by the dog too brightly, so that they become the usual "background" of the dog's life.
• Feed your dog a food that is low in sugar and moderate in fat, with adequate levels of quality protein, "medium" carbohydrates, and fiber. Then the amount of glucose coming from digestion will be constant for a long time, without sharp fluctuations.
• Visits to a veterinarian or an exhibition should be planned in advance and not worry too much (the dog feels this and begins to “worry” about you and together with you (!), Spending excess glucose that it may need during stress).
• If you feel that an exercise day can be unnecessarily "long" and hectic, take your dog's favorite treat or even a portion of food with you so that you can feed it in silence (for example, in your car) during a break between exercise.

For puppies:

• Strictly observe the feeding regimen. Remember that skipping even one meal can lead to hypoglycemia.
• Make sure that the puppies are not overcooled. Excessive heat loss requires more internal "fuel", which is glucose. Puppies sleeping "in a heap" warm each other. If they gather closer to each other even while awake and are not active enough, then this is a signal that they may be cold.
• Make sure your puppies don't have latent dehydration. This interferes with normal metabolic processes and can also provoke hypoglycemia.
• If the growing puppies are too naughty, offer them food "off-schedule" or keep the food available at all times.
• If you are showing the puppy to the buyer, it is very good if you feed the puppy in the presence of the buyer. So, "with one blow" you "kill two birds with one stone", show the buyer a good appetite of the puppy and do not let his blood glucose level drop from excessive excitement in the presence of strangers. Just do not overfeed, just give a little feed.
• Do not let buyers "squeeze" puppies unnecessarily, while showing excessive emotionality. As a rule, puppies from such an intrusive unusual activity become more nervous, consuming glucose faster than it comes from the liver, overwork and may even get sick from stress. It is good when the buyer observes the puppies from afar, and only then, after the first emotion has subsided, calmly examines the baby you like close under your strict control.

In the next article on this topic, we will analyze in detail the causes of hypoglycemia.