5 Most Common Risk Factors Attributed to The Onset of Diabetes in Pet Dogs

Have you ever wondered why some dogs develop diabetes while others don’t? For instance, consider two pups from the same litter; both of them don’t necessarily develop this medical condition as they grow. Nutrition, diet, weight, exercise, medical conditions, breed, desexing and more may have a role to play before your pet doggo contracts diabetes.

While some factors may be controlled, others may not be. Whatever the cause is, your pet doggo has insufficient insulin production in his body. Lack of insulin leads to high blood sugar levels, which in turn cause several other serious health issues. Meet your vet to know the risk factors and help your pet doggo change his lifestyle to make growing old smoother for him.

In this article, we list the common factors attributed to the onset of diabetes. We advise pet parents to pay attention to these risks to either prevent the occurrence of this medical condition or delay its onset. Having cheap dog insurance already in place is reassuring if your pet is diagnosed with such a health condition or otherwise. With dog insurance, you don’t need to worry about the financials involved in providing your pet doggo quality medical care, as your insurer takes care of much of it.

Breed!

Dog breeds have unique characteristics and for some, this means they are more at risk for diabetes. For instance, a dachshund has a long torso and tiny legs. This is because it inherits the sausage-like features along with the risk factors associated with diabetes. A few other dog breeds that are more likely to contract diabetes are – Poodle, Pug, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Samoyed, Cairn Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, etc.

Gender!

Female dogs in heat may produce immense surges of reproductive hormones. These hormones, by nature, block insulin activity. Can you see how the blocking action may raise the chances of your pet dog developing diabetes? If it has been freshly diagnosed, the vet may suggest spaying your dog to manage the medical condition.

Overweight!

Obesity is one of the major contributing factors to doggy developing diabetes. This is because many chemicals and hormones like adiponectin, proinflammatory cytokines, acute phase proteins, etc., are produced by the body due to excess weight. These components inhibit insulin action and make it less efficient.

Medications!

If your doggo is suffering from any medical issues, then the medications used for treating these conditions may interfere with insulin functioning. Some medicines may aggravate the existing diabetes condition too. Talk to your vet to know which meds adversely affect your pet’s health and wellbeing.

Other health issues!

Your pet’s body may find it difficult to manage certain health troubles. For example, any imbalance in the body might affect blood sugar levels, too. In such cases, the best thing to do is to treat the underlying medical condition, which may indirectly help stabilize the diabetic condition or prevent it altogether.

Health conditions like Hypothyroidism, Pancreatitis, Infections, Acromegaly, Cushing’s disease, etc., may affect insulin production in your pet’s body. So, keep all these factors in mind and stay updated about your pet’s health by paying regular vet visits.

With cheap dog insurance, you can save money on your pet’s health expenses like vet visit costs, medicines, diagnosis, and treatment bills and give your doggo timely and quality medical care. Purchase dog insurance to protect your pet’s health at all times.