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Canine Diabetes Symptoms

Canine diabetes symptoms usually go unnoticed until the diabetes is in an advanced stage. Diabetes in dogs can be controlled with treatment, and knowing dog diabetes signs can help you catch it early.

Canine diabetes is relatively common in dogs and is seen most often in older female dogs. Diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas gland, a gland that produces insulin.

Insulin is used in the body to control the use of sugar or glucose. When a dog is diabetic, there is not enough insulin, and sugar builds up in the blood. When there is too much glucose or sugar in the blood, the sugar spills over into the urine, and the dog has to pee frequently.

Photo of lethargic dog with canine diabetes.

Lack of energy is a sign of canine diabetes.
Photo courtesy of Nick.

Early Dog Diabetes Symptoms

While it is not common, it is possible to discover that your dog is diabetic, when she is in the early stages. This gives you a huge advantage for treatment, and if you can start treatment early, your dog will do much better.

Here are canine diabetes symptoms that appear early:

Urination more frequently than normal for your dog
Drinking excessive amounts of water
Increased appetite
Weight loss – even if she eats more food
Increased susceptibility to infections – she gets sick easily
Lack of energy, tired, not as peppy as before
Poor wound healing

Advanced Dog Diabetes Signs

If you don't realize that your dog has canine diabetes right away, other signs and symptoms may develop. If untreated, diabetes in dogs does get worse. Eventually, you might see the following dog diabetes signs:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Weakness
Cataracts
Coma

So, if you notice that your dog becomes more hungry, drinks more and has to urinate more frequently, make sure you consult with a veterinarian.

Diabetes kind of sneaks up on you because dog diabetes symptoms appear gradually, instead of suddenly. With a disease that can be quite serious, it's best to err on the side of caution.