Diabetes among pet dogs increasing in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: Jimmy’s owners are bit worried since it wobbles while walking and sits silent. This Labrador’s owners A Dinesh and A Sudhakar took the pet to a veterinary doctor and he found symptoms of hyper thyroid obesity and suspected to have diabetes too. Jimmy (13), now close to its exit, is not the only pet in the city to suffer from diabetes. The number is increasing and according to reports, over 70 per cent of the pet dogs which have crossed eight years have been suffering from the disease.

The city has over 25,000 pet dogs, mostly foreign breeds. People are feeding dogs also with Cola, burger and other junk food which they generally give to their children, said Bunny who owns a pet shop on the beach road.

“It is good that the people are noticing the symptoms and approaching the doctors for cure,’’ said well-known veterinary doctor in the city Dr V Srinivas whose hands are busy treating diabetes-affected pets.

The reasons could be genetic, environmental factors and stress. Generally, the dogs which cross eight years of age show signs of diabetes. The incidence is more among the females, almost twice the males, Dr Srinivas said, adding that foreign breeds are generally prone to diabetes compared to Indian breeds. Studies found that it was more among Poodle, Snoozer, Dachshund and Labradors.

The common symptoms are thirst, weight loss, urinary tract infection and longer duration for healing of wounds.
“We generally advise for exercise and feeding of high protein low carbohydrate diet to keep them fit,’’ Dr Srinivas added.
Two jabs of insulin daily, low carbohydrate diet and daily walks keeps Tommy fit, says Catherine Joyce, who herself take two shots of insulin and takes walk along with her pet.

All dogs crossing seven to eight years have diabetes but the many dog owners show little interest in taking them to the doctors, says founder president of Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Pradeep Nath.

“We found that more than 70 per cent of pet dogs are abandoned on the streets as the owners buy new pets after getting rid of old and diseased. We rescued many and treating them in our shelters. Recently two of them died due to diabetes,’’ Nath told this correspondent.

VSPCA has joined GVMC for Animal Birth Control and it was found that the dogs after the sterilization undergo hormonal changes and become obese leading to diabetes, he added. He said the volunteers of VSPCA found many dogs blind, hungry and suffering from renal failures. These dogs when young were seen in the laps of rich people driving along the beach.

Andhra Pradesh has more than 2.5 lakh pet dogs and less than 20 percent take them to the doctors after noticing symptoms of diabetes, Nath added.

By KMP Patnaik