How To Avoid Diabetes In Your Dog
There are essentially three ways that you can help prevent your dog from getting diabetes. This disease is one that you want your dog to avoid so that he lives as long and healthy as possible. And although it’s rare, there are many dogs whose diabetes go into remission just by having their diet, supplementation, and exercise all in good order.
1. Feed your dog a diet lower in carbohydrates. Just like for humans, a diet high in carbohydrates is probably the biggest step you can take to help avoid canine diabetes. The difficulty is that a lot of the dog food available contains as much as 98% carbohydrates.
Diet is especially important for dogs that are genetically at risk for diabetes. It is critical that you study up on your dog breed and make sure that he is getting the right nutrients so that you can minimize the chances that your dog will develop diabetes.
For example, one breed that is more susceptible is the golden retriever, one of the most popular breeds in the United States. The problem is many owners either don’t know this or don’t do what is needed to give their golden retriever the best chance of avoiding diabetes.
2. Supplementation could help your dog keep its blood sugar levels under control. It would be good to find a holistic veterinarian in your area who can make recommendations. Often antioxidants and some herbs support the immune system and are sometimes recommended for dogs at risk for diabetes. Be sure to get your veterinarians advice, as you could also do harm to your dog by giving the wrong supplements or too much of recommended supplements.
Some people think that too many vaccines can cause diabetes. The argument is that the vaccines introduce toxins and antigens that can damage the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. This can trigger diabetes. Again ask your veterinarian for the latest research on this.
One example people cite is the over use of flea and tick medications. By assaulting your dog’s immune system, it is conceivable that these chemicals could trigger diabetes, or other health conditions.
3. Exercise! It is sad to see so many dogs out there who develop diabetes that should never have in the first place had they been active and not become overweight. This of course is the direct responsibility of you, the dog owner. If your dog is inactive and gains weight, he can develop diabetes even if he is not a breed that is genetically at risk.
Just 20 minutes of walking two or three times daily is a minimum amount of exercise you and your dog need. Running and swimming are other alternatives to keep your exercise routine interesting.
Just like any habits, the more you do them, the easier they become to do on a regular basis. These 3 steps are easy to implement, so give your dog the best chance possible to avoid not only diabetes, but many other chronic diseases.
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