Diabetes mellitus in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 2 sources

Based on: PDSA, Science for Animal Welfare (UFAW), Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which a dog cannot produce insulin, causing blood sugar levels to become dangerously high.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet today if you think your dog may have diabetes.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available.
  5. Do not wait if it gets worse.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if your dog gets worse.

What it is

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which dogs cannot produce insulin, causing their blood sugar levels to become dangerously high.[1] Diabetes needs lifelong treatment and a lot of commitment, especially while a dog is being stabilised.[1]

Signs

  • Drinking more
  • Eating more or having a reduced appetite
  • Peeing more
  • Weight loss
  • Low energy
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Not eating
  • Appearing unsteady, as if drunk
  • Collapse

How a vet finds out

  • Urine tests
  • Blood tests
  • Physical examination

How vets treat it

  • Diet change
  • Insulin injections
  • Weight management

What the experts say

“Increased thirst ; Increased hunger ; Peeing more ; Weight loss ; Low energy (lethargy) ; Vomiting ; Diarrhoea ; Not eating ; Low energy ; Appearing unsteady (as if they are drunk) ; Collapse ; Breath that smells sweet (like nail polish remover or pear drops)”

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What signs can diabetes cause in dogs?

Signs can include increased thirst, increased hunger, peeing more, weight loss, low energy, vomiting, diarrhoea, not eating, appearing unsteady and collapse.[1]

How does a vet find out if a dog has diabetes?

Diabetes can be diagnosed with urine and blood tests.[1]

How do vets treat diabetes in dogs?

Treatment involves insulin injections, and diabetes needs lifelong treatment and a lot of commitment.[1]

Sources

  1. PDSA
  2. Science for Animal Welfare (UFAW), Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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