Life Expectancy of a Dog with Diabetes
When an owner finds out her dog has diabetes, the first reaction is wondering how long her dog will live. Treatment of canine diabetes has had many advances in recent years, and most dogs will live a normal life expectancy.
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Features
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Diabetes in dogs occurs when a dog is given a diet too high in carbohydrates, or it can have a genetic cause. Many grocery store dog-food brands are not only loaded with carbohydrates, some have added sugar, which is something a dog never needs.
Prognosis
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The life expectancy of a diabetic dog depends on the age of the dog when diagnosed, the severity of the disease and if the owner sees to the dog getting the required insulin and proper nutrition. When given the needed insulin along with dietary changes, a dog can have a full life expectancy.
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Table Scraps
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For a dog with diabetes, table scraps can be a death sentence, since a high carbohydrate bite of a person's food can send the dog's sugar levels out of control.
Significance
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Canine diabetes is on the rise, namely due to what dogs eat. A dog that is fed a meat-based, low carbohydrate diet is less likely to develop the disease than one that is fed a low-meat and high-carbohydrate diet.
Warning
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Dogs love to get into garbage bags with old food, which can be detrimental if the dog is diabetic. A trip to the veterinarian is warranted in this case.
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