Sedentary Lifestyle Puts Dogs at Diabetes Risk

Hyderabad: Sedentary lifestyle is considered to be the main cause for the rise in diabetes cases among humans. Now the trend is catching up with pet dogs, with at least up to one of canines reported to be suffering from diabetes in India and globally. The incidence of diabetes is more prevalent in urban settings where pets live indoors, exercise less, and consume calorie-dense diets.

Hyderabad veterinarians say the risk is higher in apartment-raised dogs, larger breeds, and pets fed carbohydrate-heavy human food such as rice and curd.

John Pinto, a Hyderabad-based pet parent, saw the consequences first-hand. His eight-year-old Yorkshire terrier Daisy was diagnosed with diabetes six years ago, after a sudden and alarming drop in weight. “She was around seven to eight kg earlier. Then she suddenly dropped to about three and a half kg. You could see her bones. That is when we knew something was very wrong,” he said. Tests revealed blood sugar levels close to 490, far above the normal range.

Daisy has been on insulin since then. Over time, diabetes took another toll. “She developed cataracts in both eyes because of diabetes. It happened gradually over the years,” Pinto said.

After undergoing cataract surgery earlier this year, her vision returned. “After the surgery, she can see again. They have given her a second chance to see the world back. That is the happiest moment for our family,” he said.

Another pet parent, Lakshman Garud, described a similar struggle with his seven-year-old dog, whose diabetes was detected after excessive urination became impossible to ignore. “The first sign was that she was peeing continuously. When I went to the hospital, the doctors told me it was because of diabetes,” he said. Blood sugar readings in his dog were far higher than expected. “Earlier it used to be above 600. At one point it was 824,” he recalled.

Both eyes developed cataracts, requiring two separate surgeries last year. “The first surgery was done in June, and the second surgery was done in December,” Garud said.

He continues to administer insulin twice a day. Dietary changes brought some control. “Before the diet plan, I used to feed curd rice and Pedigree. I feel diabetes came because of that diet, and then I changed it after the doctor suggested a plan,” he said. The revised diet included boiled chicken, eggs, lentils and vegetables. “After I followed the diet plan, it came down to around 200,” he added.