It is not only the human kind that can develop diabetes. Even our beloved pets, no matter how well we care for them, can develop diabetes. This is often a scary situation for the pet owner and the first question that is usually asked of the veterinarian is “will my pet need to be put to sleep”? Of course this is a difficult issue and the answer may vary on the overall age and health of your pet.
Many older pets that are diagnosed with diabetes go on to live many more happy years, but this takes commitment and close care of your pet. Diabetic cats and dogs can live just as long as perfectly healthy pet if the diabetes is diagnosed and treated properly by both the veterinarian and the owner.
This takes great commitment from the owner. Pets must be cared for and watched daily with a high level of care and patience. There can be no feeding the cat and forgetting until the next day. There is no leaving the pet along to go on a trip. Every day your pet will need medication, fed a proper diet and his behavior will need to be monitored closely. This doesn’t mean you will have to give up your job and stay home full time with your pet, but it does mean you will have to pay more attention to what his behavior is and know what to do if the situation should change. It is also more of a financial obligation to have a sick pet. So it is something that should be discussed in length with your vet.
