Can you Recognize the Warning Signs for Diabetes in Your Pet?

 

Our dazzling brand of diabetes advocacy is going to ‘the dogs’ in honor of our upcoming Diabetes Alert Dog Fashion Show event on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at Mosaic Central Farm Markets.

Diabetes is a real health issue for pets, so make sure your pet gets – and stays – on the road to a healthy and happy life by knowing these warning signs for diabetes:

Increased thirst and urination: Blood sugar levels can get so high outside of the body’s cells that it spills into the urine, increasing urine production. You might notice your dog or cat is urinating more frequently or is having accidents in the house. Increased thirst is also a common sign of diabetes in dogs and cats. Animals with diabetes produce large volumes of urine more frequently and so they drink more water to compensate for the fluids lost through urination. An increase in thirst and urination are also signs of other serious health problems, so these symptoms should always trigger a call to the vet.

Increased appetite: Hunger is caused by the lack of amino acids inside the cells. Diabetes might be a cause for concern if your pet is eating more but still losing weight. This is because the brain’s satiety center reads sugar levels: the more sugar that enters the satiety center, the less the brain feels hunger. When insulin does not allow sugar to enter the satiety center, the body’s cells are not fueled, resulting in hunger and weight loss.

Tiredness and lack of energy: Lethargy and sleepiness are typical in animals suffering from diabetes. When the body’s cells lack blood sugar, then running, taking a walk, or playing lose priority for pets. Eventually, animals may develop a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which is caused by the body using fat instead of sugar for energy. This results in the production and buildup of toxic acids, called ketones, in the blood.

The older a pet gets, the more likely it may develop diabetes. Share these signs with a fellow pet owner who may be concerned that their pet may have diabetes.

This weekend the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic raises awareness for diabetes alert dogs with the free outreach event “Dog Fashionistas for Diabetes” at Mosaic Central Fam Markets in Fairfax, VA on Sunday, June 4th from 10:30am-12pm.

This free diabetes outreach event will bring awareness to diabetes, healthy eating and diabetes alert dogs who are often in the news for warning their owners about dangerous glycemic lows.

“Managing Type 1 Diabetes on a daily basis is exhausting, frustrating, and terrifying, especially when managing it in a young child. Through her amazing dogs and training program, Debby Kay has given us hope in the midst of chaos. My daughter has a new best friend, a faithful companion, and a loving guardian,” says Allison Herod.

“The breadth of  Debby Kay’s knowledge and experience make her a tremendous resource for anyone who wants to work with their dogs on scent training.” says Ann R. Howie, LICSW, ACSW, Human-Animal Solutions, LLC.

During our Dog Fashion Show owners will show off their pet’s fashionable designs, and three winners will be presented with prizes. The fashion show is free to enter and is open to the public.

Why this fabulous and free diabetes outreach event and why at a Farm Market? Along with giving you access to great fresh food, Central Farm Markets is also committed to providing information about healthy living. Hosting an event like this brings awareness to an important topic, provides fun nutrition programs for the kids and invites in community minded non-profit organizations. Plus, for the past 12 years Mr. Divabetic has been committed to raising awareness for diabetes  making diabetes education and empowerment more accessible to our local communities.

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