Diabetes is a chronic disease that not only affects humans, but also pets as well. Diabetes is an untreatable disease, but it is one that can be managed with the right medication and diet. Pets usually get diabetes mellitus, which is also referred to as sugar diabetes. When pets are diagnosed with diabetes, the first step is ensuring they maintain a healthy weight. Pet owners often need to change the dog’s diet so that it can lose weight, if the animal is overweight, which will increase the lifespan of the pet.

Determining diabetes early in your cat or dog is important so the disease can be controlled and managed safely. The telltale signs that pet owners should watch out for are as follows:

• Increased thirst
• Urination is more frequent than usual
• Drastic weight loss despite eating their normal diet
• Increased hunger

Once diabetes is determined, your veterinarian may recommend the following medications and lifestyle habits to help manage your pet’s disease:

1. Insulin shots for pets
Just like humans, pets also need insulin shots to control the sugar level in their bodies. Insulin shots for pets are effective and need to be injected daily. It may be tough at first, but pet owners will learn to administer insulin shots safely and effectively, with guidance from their veterinary team. Giving insulin shots to a pet with diabetes ensures the animal can turn food to fuel.

2. Diet
Once a pet has diabetes some changes need to be made to their diet. This is essential to ensure that the pet is receiving the required amount of calories needed for the day. Too many calories may cause weight gain while too little may cause weight loss. This is why a low fat, high-fiber diet often recommended for diabetic pets. One can also purchase glucose weight management cat food for their cats through their vet. Glucose weight management cat food is appropriate for providing cats with the food fuel that they need for the day.

3. Exercise
Exercising pets is important when they have diabetes to lower their blood sugar levels. Often regular, daily exercise for the same amount of time and intensity is recommended to keep blood sugars and body weight level.

Ultimately, pets with diabetes can live long, healthy lives with the right medication and lifestyle changes.