To date, there is not cure for diabetes in dogs, but it can be managed well if caught at an early stage. There  are a few common symptoms to look for when dealing with dog diabetes. Dog diabetes usually surfaces between the ages of 7 and 9. About one out of every ten dogs will suffer from diabetes.

Diabetes is when the pancreas cannot produce enough natural insulin to prevent glucose levels from rising in your dog’s system. If the levels of glucose get too high, they will leak into the kidneys and cause infections and eventually lead to other internal problems.

Symptoms

There are a number of symptoms to keep an eye out for when dealing with diabetes. The most obvious symptoms include:

- Frequent urination

- Excessive water consumption

- Lethargy and lack of energy

- Cataract formation

- Weight loss or gain

The most common symptoms are frequent urination and excessive water consumption. This is because excess glucose in the body cannot process normally in the bloodstream. Your dog’s body will then try to rid the glucose through urination. This in turn causes extreme thirst, which starts the vicious process all over again.

Treatment of Dog Diabetes

Spaying Females.

Female dogs are more susceptible to diabetes than males. Lots of owners choose to spay their dogs to help balance hormone levels.

Insulin shots.

When your dog has diabetes, his natural production of insulin from the pancreas is low. Insulin shots are given and need to be monitored properly to avoid a low blood sugar crisis.

Diet.

Diet is extremely important for diabetic dogs. A good diet is beneficial because it decreases your dog’s dependency on insulin, controls sugar and carbohydrate levels, and helps your dog to lose weight.

 
Exercise.

It is important to keep your dog active during diabetes. This will help maintain weight and keep diabetes under control.

Always take your dog to the veterinarian if you suspect he may have diabetes. Diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis and organ failure if left untreated. Once diabetes has been diagnosed in your dog, it’s time to begin treatment. It is important to follow a strict treatment plan to best suit your dog’s case of diabetes. Treatments are different for each dog. Talk to your veterinarian about the best options for your dog’s specific case of diabetes.

Separation anxiety is very common when a dog has rarely been left alone, or after a long period when the dog and owner have been together, on a vacation for instance. How do you know when your dog has this problem?

* He follows you from room to room when you are at home.
* He reacts to you when you are about to leave the house. This may be in the form of excitement, depression or anxiety.
* He does not like to spend time outdoors by himself.
* He greets you with a lot of frantic enthusiasm when you come home.

Dogs usually get over this separation anxiety, but in some cases it takes longer than normal and the symptoms are severe. In these cases use the following tips to improve the situation:

* Leave your dog with an article of clothing that smells like you.
* Keep your arrivals and departures “low-key”. When you come home, deliberately ignore your dog for a couple of minutes then pat him calmly without showing much excitement.
* Establish a “safety cue” – a word or action that you will use every time you leave that tells the dog you will be back.

Sometimes the problem can be solved by getting another dog. Never punish your dog for his actions – this may actually increase the separation anxiety. There is no real training for this – just love and patience.

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, make sure you give its coat a thorough check at least once a week for ticks. Make sure that you cut your grass regularly, and treat your yard and the surrounding areas with pesticide.

It is important to learn how to properly remove ticks form your dog. Part the hair and hold it out of the way. Once you see the tick, pull it out firmly with a pair of tweezers. There will be some bleeding. Clean the area with a mild detergent and water. If you don’t remove the tick completely, the head will remain embedded. This will drop out eventually.

It is important to remove ticks from your dog. If they are left unchecked, the result can be disastrous for both yo and your family.

Zoonoses are diseases or infections transmitted from animals to humans. The risk for transmission of zoonotic agents by close contact between pets and their owners through bed sharing, kissing or licking is real and has even been documented for life-threatening infections such as plague, internal parasites and other serious diseases.

This is not only limited to dogs. Cats are also dangerous. In fact, studies show that diseases from cats are far more prevalent and much more serious. The number of cats snuggling up with their owner is far greater, which may explain the larger number of people acquiring feline-spawned diseases.

There is a lot of empirical evidence that shows that contact with pets can help the physically disabled and mentally challenged. But there is a price to be paid for this. The risk of getting sick from being close with your pets is real, but most of the diseases they pass on to humans can be identified and eliminated by regular veterinary care.

This regular de-worming including puppies and pregnant bitches will minimize infestation of your dog and prevent infection to humans.

Make sure that you maintain a hygienic environment by regularly removing faeces and disposing them properly in sealed bags off your property. Most important is to remember to wash your hands after handling your pet and before eating. make sure you teach this important tip to your children as they tend to forget and are very vulnerable.

Your dog is a healthy normal one If you run your hands along the dog or puppies’ ribs and can easily feel them with the gentlest of pressure, it feels like a t shirt is covering the ribs and you can see a faint outline of the last rib or two.

Your dog is probably overweight if you need to apply firm pressure with your fingers to feel the ribs, and it feels like your dog is wearing a thick fleece and you cannot see their ribs. Your dog may be obese if he runs away from you because you are digging your fingers into their rib cage so hard to find their ribs that you are tickling them.

How do you solve this problem? Simple – just cut back on the calories, carbs and sugar, and increase the amount of exercise. Chubby puppies lead to chubby dogs and an unhealthy, overwiehg dog will lead to an increase in vet bills and an early death.

If you clean your dog’s ears every week with a Q-tip, you will be doing your dog and yourself a favor. The ears produce wax for protection,, and the same wax accumulates dirt on the surface of the year. If this is left untreated the accumulated dirt can build up and become infected. An infected ear is painful for the dog, and ironically the more the dog scratches the ear to clear the dirt, the more infected it becomes.

The easiest way to clean your dog’s ears is by taking a q-tip soaked with a non-toxic or alcohol free ear clearner, and gently swabbing the dog’s inner ear. Once you do this frequently, your dog will get used to it and not resist you “poking around” in his ear.

By keeping your dog’s ears clean, you are ensuring that the dog’s discomfort is reduced and you are saving on your vet bills.

The first priority should be training it to do its “business” outside the house. This means taking the puppy every hour outside for a few minutes. If it does its business, then shower it with praise. When you take it outside, try not to play with it until it learns what it is supposed to do. Remember, accidents will happen and you have to be patient.

Start walking with the puppy around the neighborhood using a leash. This will get it used to its surroundings and it will learn to walk beside you while on a leash.

Also make the rules on whether it is allowed to sit on the furniture or lie on a bed, from the beginning. If you do not want it on the bed or furniture, then you should allow them to run freely around the home. When the puppy jumps on the furniture or bed, then firmly push it off with a verbal “NO” command. Keep doing this until they understand that they are not supposed to be doing certain things.

Positive reinforcement is a great way to teach the puppy to behave in the way you want it to. By giving treats to them when they behave properly or do something that you want them to, you will be encouraging the proper behavior.

Always be consistent in the way you handle them. If you allow them to sit on the sofa, and then refuse them later, you will confuse the puppy, making the task of training much harder and longer. Always use a firm voice and never raise your voice too loud as you will scare it and the animal will loose its confidence.

1) Keep chocolates and baked goods containing nuts and raisins out of your dog’s reach. Chocolate contains theobromine which if ingested may cause vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, hyperactivity or even death.
2) If your dog eats holly or mistletoe, it may experience severe bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal upset.
3) Xmas tree lights, decorations and electrical chords are very tempting playthings for dogs, which may lead to a blocked airway if the objects are ingested. Electrocution may occur if the chords are chewed. Keep all the decorations high on the tree and tape down all dangling electrical chords.

These are very simple tips which will keep your dog safe and ensure that you have a hassle free holiday season!

- Injuries caused by accidents
- Surgeries – major and minor
- Dental problems and skin allergies
- Bites or injuries to a third party
- Routine check ups
- Death and mercy killing
- Long term illnesses

Make sure you compare various insurance covers offered by the large pet insurance companies. If you do your homework properly, you will not run into any surprises should you require the insurance to pay for an injury or treatment.