Diabetes in dogs: My dog is drinking more than usual

What do you do if you've noticed your dog drinking more water than usual? Signs of diabetes and when to see a vet

If your dog has started drinking more water than usual, you should book an appointment with your veterinarian for an examination.

There are various reasons why a dog loses weight and drinks a lot, including diabetes.

What are the symptoms of diabetes in dogs?

Increased thirst and urination
Increased appetite but still losing weight
Gets tired and lethargic
Cloudy eyes (cataracts)

These symptoms can also be warning signs for diseases other than diabetes so check with your vet.

What causes diabetes in dogs?

Diabetes means that the pancreas does not produce enough of the hormone insulin or that the body's cells do not respond to insulin, so-called insulin resistance. Insulin causes the body's cells to take up sugar from the blood and thereby the insulin controls the blood sugar level.

Diabetes is more common in middle-aged and older dogs. Female dogs and overweight dogs have a slightly greater risk of being affected.

How is the diagnosis made?

By measuring the amount of sugar in the blood and urine and sometimes also fructosamine, which shows the blood sugar level after a few weeks.

The vet also investigates whether there is an underlying reason why the dog suffered from diabetes. The causes may be infection, a hormonal disorder such as Cushing's or drug treatment such as cortisone.

If the dog is not diagnosed with diabetes in time, it gets worse and worse - and can suffer from ketoacidosis, which is life-threatening. As the cells cannot absorb the blood sugar, fat is burned instead for energy. Then ketones are formed, which are a type of acid.

How will diabetes affect my dog?

Diabetes requires a lot from a dog owner. Medicine (insulin) and food should be given regularly at fixed times. You will also need to take blood samples from your dog to test the blood sugar level. It is good to give food in smaller portions several times a day to reduce blood sugar fluctuations. A female dog with diabetes should be spayed because rennet reduces the effect of insulin.

How to treat a dog with diabetes

Treatment of diabetes in dogs includes daily insulin injections, adapted diet and regular exercise. The treatment is individual and requires commitment from the dog owner.

Daily injections and blood tests

Once the diagnosis is made, daily insulin injections begin. The dog receives one or two insulin injections a day to control the clinical symptoms such as increased thirst but also to ensure that the blood sugar values do not become too high or low. The dog owner must keep track of the values through regular blood tests.

Feeding at fixed times

A dog with diabetes requires good food on a regular basis. It is important that the dog gets its food at set times every day because the insulin dose is set accordingly. One should avoid too many carbohydrates and sweets.

Exercise for even blood sugar

Exercise also helps keep blood sugar levels more even. You should always have dextrose with you on the walk in case the dog suffers an insulin sensitivity, which means that the dog's values drop sharply.

When the dog gets an insulin sensation, it becomes weak, anxious, shaky and may convulse and become unconscious. If the dog is unable to swallow the dextrose on its own, you can massage the sugar against the gums.

When do I need to see a vet?

Make an appointment with the vet if your dog shows symptoms of diabetes such as increased thirst, a change in appetite, or urination. Diagnosis is made using blood and urine samples.

See our alternate guides about common dog health issues, including heart disease in dogs, and how to manage living with an older dog.

Written by Anna Jönsson Bergstedt and Amanda Andersson. Approved by Catarina Eliasson, Specialist Vet.