Diabetes mellitus in dogs requires lifelong twice-daily insulin injection and dietary management, with welfare shaped by glycemic control quality, hypoglycemia risk, and the impact of concurrent conditions.
Diabetic dog welfare has two primary dimensions: the quality of glycemic control achieved and the impact of daily management on dog and owner. Poorly controlled diabetes causes chronic hyperglycemia leading to cataracts, urinary tract infections, neuropathy, and ketoacidosis - each a source of suffering. Hypoglycemia episodes cause acute distress and risk of death. Daily injections, while typically well tolerated with proper technique and positive conditioning, represent repeated medical interventions. Cataract surgery, required for the majority of diabetic dogs within a year of diagnosis, is an added welfare and economic challenge. Welfare-centered management combines excellent glycemic control, cataract monitoring, complication screening, and honest quality-of-life assessment.