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Diabetes and pets

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Annemarie

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Is this just coincidence? Last year my neighbour’s dog developed diabetes, this year 3 friends have been given a diagnosis of diabetes in their cats.
Have pet food suppliers increased the carbs in pet food?
 
Much more likely that the veterinarians have discovered a new, lucrative, source of income.

Apologies to all you pet lovers out there but it is hard at times to forget I was once a businessman.
 
I heard a Vet talking on a radio station yesterday in relation to insurance, he stressed that pets are living longer too!
 
grovesy said:
I heard a Vet talking on a radio station yesterday in relation to insurance, he stressed that pets are living longer too!
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Vets also charge more for pet health care if they know the animal is insured. Obviously the ins coughs up and the owners premium goes up.

My first dog who was a working collie (lean and fit) developed diabetes at about 14 years of age. Yes he still worked at the age because he wanted to.
 
So that's why Rosy tries to get at my test meter, I thought she wanted to destroy it, but I expect she wants to check her sugars.. 🙄 :D
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Vets also charge more for pet health care if they know the animal is insured. Obviously the ins coughs up and the owners premium goes up.

My first dog who was a working collie (lean and fit) developed diabetes at about 14 years of age. Yes he still worked at the age because he wanted to.
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I am aware of that when our Lab/Cross need a tracheal tie back, because he had done conservative management or vet would not book in to do until the Insurance agreed to cover , this was despite us saying the money was not an issue we would pay regardless, as we had to pay then claim back any way.
 
My friend’s dog died recently aged 15 which does sound old for a dog. We haven’t insured ours in the belief that insurance companies are profit making institutions. They wanted £54 a month so we bank it ourselves, fingers crossed she remains healthy
 
Say better at diagnosing condition now, neighbour told cat is diabetic & needs daily injections. he's 15.

Go back to 70's, dog food was full of c**p, hardly any meat just fillers, plus you mixed food with dog biscuits then, food is of better quality now.
 
I think it's the same as for a lot of us, the pets are eating far too much. You should see the size of one of my brothers' cats, looks like a seal when lying down. Mum's cat that I feed never stops eating but is thin as I think she has some digestion problem, plus she only eats mainly the jelly. Costs us a fortune in Whiskas. I feed all the leftovers to the fox. Back in the day when cats were just background creatures they were lucky to get half a tin of horrid pink KitEKat (imho). Cats have taken over the world!
 
Ok as a veterinary professional , I'm going to gingerly raise my head here, diabetes is on the increase in cats and dogs mostly because they are just being over fed, obesity in pets Is sadly on the increase as people humanise pets more and more so they give more human food scraps from the table etc , also diagnostics and treatment have come a long way in recent years and vets are better at spotting clinical signs much earlier , routine blood tests etc I'm not going to get into costs and insurance, but can tell you that many vets are indeed hard up , there are overheads to pay , equipment to replace, staff training etc and there is unfortunately no NHS for pets so a profit does need to be made to keep the business open .
 
The food for cats and dogs is very high carb.
Having a B.Sc degree, I fed my cat and dog on a low carb diet and they looked superb - I was often asked how I fed my dog, a black labrador, as he shone white and had a massive frame and a tiny 'waist' - few followed my advice, though, as he got butcher's scraps and sheep lights from a 'real' butcher who killed his own beasts at his brother's farm.
It was quite funny to see how my little cat would go and sample a tablespoonful of his food before letting him eat - whilst he cried with anxiety that she might eat it all....
He was big, his food bowl was large, but logic was not his strong suite.
 
Elliebdays said:
Ok as a veterinary professional , I'm going to gingerly raise my head here, diabetes is on the increase in cats and dogs mostly because they are just being over fed, obesity in pets Is sadly on the increase as people humanise pets more and more so they give more human food scraps from the table etc , also diagnostics and treatment have come a long way in recent years and vets are better at spotting clinical signs much earlier , routine blood tests etc I'm not going to get into costs and insurance, but can tell you that many vets are indeed hard up , there are overheads to pay , equipment to replace, staff training etc and there is unfortunately no NHS for pets so a profit does need to be made to keep the business open .
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I'll go and stand in the corner or take 100 lines. Whatever you prefer. 🙄
 
Hello @Elliebdays welcome, I do hope you’re not feeling ’got at’. Perhaps I owe you an apology for saying I’ve never known a hard up Vet. I’m sure like the rest of us things fluctuate for you too.
21 years ago I had to have my Airedale put to sleep. Our Vet said it was kinder for him to come to us rather than upset her going to the surgery. We both agreed it was the only thing to do but as she lay on my lap I was struggling not to cry only to look up and see he had tears running down his face. I’ll always love him for his compassion
 
Annemarie said:
Hello @Elliebdays welcome, I do hope you’re not feeling ’got at’. Perhaps I owe you an apology for saying I’ve never known a hard up Vet. I’m sure like the rest of us things fluctuate for you too.
21 years ago I had to have my Airedale put to sleep. Our Vet said it was kinder for him to come to us rather than upset her going to the surgery. We both agreed it was the only thing to do but as she lay on my lap I was struggling not to cry only to look up and see he had tears running down his face. I’ll always love him for his compassion
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No apology needed I was just offering a perspective from the other side of the fence , cost is the one thing that puts clients and us at odds but most of the vets, nurses and team have no real control over prices we are just in it for the love of animals, obviously we need to make a living but I can see client point of view.
 
Elliebdays said:
but can tell you that many vets are indeed hard up , there are overheads to pay , equipment to replace, staff training etc and there is unfortunately no NHS for pets so a profit does need to be made to keep the business open .
Click to expand...

Figures, our vet works 6 day week being only vet in practice, drives old car premises could do with updating, imagine insurance costs will be sky high in this compensation culture we live in.
 
We recently changed our Vets, the one we used treated our much loved dog without care or consideration - almost unbelievable. We nervously booked an appointment with an absolute angel, very professional but very, very caring. Like all of us there’s a range of personalities. All I need to do is be a bit stricter when she asks for a scrap of whatever we’re eating!
 
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