Exercising A Diabetic Dog

Exercise plays an important part in the health and well being of every dog, even more so for a diabetic dog. Exercise relies on the energy levels in the body. Your dog's exercise routine should be regular and consistent, preferably at the same time and covering the same distance each day, avoiding insulin peak time (usually 4 - 8 hours after the injection). Exercise can cause both a rapid drop or rise in blood glucose levels for diabetic dogs. Even a brief ten minute walk can have a dramatic effect in one way or another. The best way to discover how exercise effects your dog is to perform a glucose blood test before and after any activity.

A diabetic dog shouldn't exercise if their glucose level is low and should avoid sudden high energy activities that can dramatically change their blood sugar levels. As you become familiar with your dog's diabetes, you will learn which activities are safe for your dog. If he will be more active on certain days, you will need to learn how to use food to fuel the energy levels that will be burned up during activities.

Carrying a safety pack each time you take your dog out is a great habit to get into. Your safety pack should contain a bottle or sachet of honey or syrup or a tube of glucogel to rub on the gums, a fast acting carbohydrate such as a xylitol free peanut butter or jam sandwich, or few digestive or figroll biscuits and your glucose test kit. This way, if ever your dog shows signs of being too low when out of the house, you can deal with it easily where ever you are. Untreated low glucose levels can result in collapse, unconsciousness and seizures, the very last thing you would want to happen in the street or in the park!