Does Diabetes Cause Dogs to Urinate a Lot?

A pooch who has diabetes doesn't produce enough insulin, a hormone that helps to control his blood sugar levels. The condition can cause excess blood sugar, which must be released from the body through frequent urination. If you've noticed that your pup has begun urinating more often than usual and is lapping up his water at a record pace, he may have diabetes. He needs a veterinary checkup.

Insulin is an important part of your pup's metabolism. It signals Fido's organs and muscles to convert the glucose from the food that he eats into energy. Pups with diabetes don't have the insulin in their bodies available to provide this signal and therefore end up with excess glucose in their bodies. The reason that a pup with diabetes urinates more frequently is because his body is trying to rid itself of this excess glucose by sending it out from the body through the urine. This increases the amount of urine produced by the body to expel the glucose that is constantly building up in the bloodstream. Thus, Fido will urinate more frequently than usual.

A diabetic pooch will drink large amounts of water to replace the fluids that he's losing because of his excessive urination. Pups with diabetes may also eat more than usual because their bodies aren't properly metabolizing the food they ingest. For this reason, Fido will fail to gain weight and possibly lose weight even though he appears to have a normal or voracious appetite. As the disease progresses, your pooch will become lethargic because he's not getting the energy his body needs from his food. Over time, diabetes can damage your pup's eyes, kidneys and liver, leading to further health problems if he doesn't receive veterinary treatment.

If you notice that Fido is urinating more frequently than usual or starting to have accidents in your home, get him to the vet for a checkup. Frequent urination is a symptom of many diseases in our canine companions, including diabetes, kidney issues and bladder issues. Your vet can determine what could be going on with your pooch by testing his blood and urine. The vet may also check his vital organs for problems through the use of X-rays and ultrasounds of the kidneys, liver and pancreas. It's likely that if Fido has excess glucose in his blood or urine, he has diabetes. The veterinary tests will show any other problems, as well.

If your pup is diagnosed by your veterinarian with diabetes, she will give you instructions for his care. Treatment usually involves dietary changes and insulin injections to replace the insulin that your pup's body isn't correctly producing. Your vet may recommend a food for your pup that's high in fiber, which won't cause spikes in your pup's glucose levels and will also help control his weight. With proper treatment, your pup should no longer urinate or drink excessively because his blood sugar levels will be correctly controlled. If these types of symptoms return, you need to visit your vet. A change to his insulin dosage may be necessary.