Our question this week was:

I have a 6-month-old chocolate Labrador. He drinks a lot and wees a lot, I am concerned about diabetes. He does not have any other symptoms do you think I should have concern?

Natalie M.

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Common symptoms of diabetes mellitus in dogs are increased thirst, increased urinations, and weight loss despite a good appetite. Some pets are also lethargic and can be weak.

I think that you should be concerned and I recommend that you have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian. Diabetes can generally be easily diagnosed with a simple blood test and urine sample. You can probably even pick up urine glucose strips and follow instructions on the container to determine if there is glucose in the urine. If the test strip is positive, that would be a positive indication suggesting diabetes. It is preferable that you see your vet for a blood test and they can also evaluate for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. For example, other condition that can also cause increased thirst and urination is kidney disease.

An article that might be helpful to you is on our Petplace.com is "Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs" Also, an article on causes for increased thirst and increased urinations may be helpful – it is called "Polyuria and Polydipsia in Dogs"


Best of luck!


Dr. Jon





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