Many owners don’t realize diabetes can affect pets too, and often have many questions when they learn their dog or cat is diabetic.
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to seizures
, a coma, or death. The disease can also lead to other health problems over time.
What are the symptoms of a diabetic seizure dog?
Reduced or complete loss of appetite. Weakness, seizures, or severe mental depression. Behavioral change, muscle twitching, or anxiety. Constipation, vomiting, or diarrhea
.
Can high sugar in dogs cause seizures?
Insulin-induced hyperglycemia was diagnosed in 8 dogs with diabetes mellitus.
Owners sought veterinary care because of polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia, persistent morning glycosuria, or seizures in their dogs
. These abnormalities had persisted despite increasing the dosage of insulin.
What are the symptoms of a diabetic seizure?
- Sweating.
- Confusion.
- Drowsiness.
- Rapid and unexpected emotional changes.
- Weakness in the muscles.
- Anxiety.
- Changes in vision.
- Loss of ability to speak clearly.
What are the warning signs of diabetic ketoacidosis?
You have many signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis —
excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, weakness or fatigue, shortness of breath, fruity-scented breath, and confusion
.
Can a drop in blood sugar cause seizures in dogs?
Clinical signs of hypoglycemia
The clinical signs may vary, are often non-specific, and can wax and wane.
Clinical signs may include altered mentation and behavior, seizures, syncope, muscle twitching/fasciculations, somnolence, exercise intolerance, muscle tremors, collapse, ataxia, weakness, and impaired vision
.
Did my dog have a seizure?
What Are the Symptoms of Seizures? Symptoms can include
collapsing, jerking, stiffening, muscle twitching, loss of consciousness, drooling, chomping, tongue chewing, or foaming at the mouth
. Dogs can fall to the side and make paddling motions with their legs. They sometimes poop or pee during the seizure.
What can trigger a seizure in a dog?
Causes of Seizures in Dogs
Heat Exhaustion
. Nutritional imbalances such as thiamine deficiency. Low blood sugar levels. Liver disease.
What are the symptoms of too much insulin in dogs?
- Very quiet and inappetent.
- Hunger.
- Restlessness.
- Shivering.
- Ataxia.
- Disorientation.
- Convulsions and coma.
Can high blood sugar cause seizures?
Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar. Although it’s a common complication of diabetes, hyperglycemia can happen to anyone.
If left untreated, high blood sugar can lead to hyperglycemia-related seizures
.
Are diabetic seizures common?
Research seems to suggest that there is a link between diabetes and epilepsy: Type 1 Diabetes: various studies have shown that
people with Type 1 Diabetes appear to be more likely to have epilepsy than the general population
.
What happens after a diabetic seizure?
People experiencing hypoglycemia often experience headaches, dizziness, sweating, shaking, and a feeling of anxiety. When a person experiences diabetic shock, or severe hypoglycemia, they may
lose consciousness, have trouble speaking, and experience double vision
.
Can insulin cause seizures?
Abstract. Hypoglycaemia, common in diabetic patients treated with insulin, can induce various neurological disturbances. Of these,
seizures are the most common acute symptom, mainly of the generalised tonic-clonic type, with focal events only exceptionally being reported and documented.
Why is my diabetic dog throwing up?
Vomiting can be a sign of
elevated glucose levels
. If your pet has skipped an insulin treatment then this can very well be the reason why she is now sick. It is best to feed her a meal and get her back on her insulin regimen as soon as possible to avoid prolonged high sugar levels that will continue to make her ill.
What is a diabetic coma?
A diabetic coma is
a life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness
. If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma.
At what sugar level is diabetic coma?
A diabetic coma could happen when your blood sugar gets too high —
600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or more
— causing you to become very dehydrated. It usually affects people with type 2 diabetes that isn’t well-controlled.
What is a good number for a diabetic dog?
An example of a stable dog with diabetes is a blood glucose range of
100–250 mg/dL (5.6–13.9 mmol/L)
for most of a 24-hour period. Below is an example of an ideal blood glucose curve for a dog on once-daily dosing where the range remains between 100–250 mg/dL for most of the 24-hour period.
Does sugar help a dog with seizures?
Feeding a small amount of a sugar-rich food such as vanilla ice cream, Karo syrup or honey can rapidly improve the animal’s condition
.
What should a diabetic dog not eat?
Avoid giving
any treats or table scraps that contain sugar or sweeteners such as corn syrup, as well as high glycemic foods that quickly boost blood sugar, such as white rice and bread
.
Should I take my dog to the vet after a seizure?
Any seizure lasting over five minutes needs to be treated immediately by a vet
. If your dog has several seizures in the span of a few minutes and does not wake up between each one, he needs to see a vet immediately.
Should I put my dog down if he has seizures?
If your dog only experiences one seizure and is otherwise healthy, then you don’t need to consider putting it down
. However, if your dog is having multiple seizures and does not respond well to treatment, then euthanasia may be the best decision for both you and your pet.
What dog breeds are more likely to have seizures?
Your dog is most likely to suffer from seizures if he or she is a
Belgian Tervuren, Shetland sheepdog, beagle, Labrador retriever, golden retriever, keeshond, or vizsla
. Other breeds more prone to seizures include the Finnish spitz, Bernese mountain dog, Irish wolfhound, and English springer spaniel.
What does a focal seizure look like in a dog?
Signs of a Simple Focal Seizure
Hallucinations (Your dog may bark, growl or moan at nothing, bite at the air or behave fearfully for no apparent reason)
Signs of vision or hearing changes. Fur standing up. Dilated pupils.
What can I give my dog after a seizure?
After dogs come out of a seizure,
a little all-natural vanilla ice cream, honey, or natural maple syrup
will help to raise their sugar levels back up. Follow with a protein such as little kibble, cheese stick, a spoonful of cottage cheese, chicken, etc. to help stabilize those sugar levels.
What to do when a dog is having a seizure?
Seizing dogs may froth at the mouth or drool excessively, but this does not mean they have rabies. To prevent your dog from hurting himself during a seizure,
keep him away from stairs, cushion his head, and gently hold and comfort him until he begins to regain consciousness
. Some dogs may urinate or defecate.
