Dog > Diabetes
Information
Your vet tells you there aren't many other options and your torn between watching your dog's health further diminish or putting it out of its misery through the most peaceful means possible. 
It's a scenario that a lot of dog owners face at some point or another. There's just no getting around it. It's the hardest part of owning any pet and for many, it's their first experience with letting go.
In my years of experience, the biggest disappointment is seeing this cycle play out for a family pet when the original sickness could have been avoided or quickly treated in the first place.
I think there's no other dog health problem that illustrates the importance of prevention like dog diabetes.
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Diabetes in dogs is a serious endocrine disease that causes too much glucose in the blood. The most common type is acquired, insulin-dependent Type II diabetes mellitus, also known as IDDM. This type of diabetes is similar to adult-onset diabetes in humans. The other kind is diabetes insipidus.
The earlier diabetes in dogs is detected, the better the chances of successful treatment.
Diabetes insipidus is caused by a lack of vasopressin, the antidiuretic hormone that controls water resorption by the kidneys. In dogs, the more common diabetes mellitus is a deficiency of insulin, the hormone that plays a critical role in sugar metabolism. The highest occurrences are in obese canines between 5 and 7 years, and female dogs are more susceptible. Spaying eliminates the interaction of the female hormones with blood sugar levels, and thus helps stabilize insulin levels. Untreated diabetes in dogs can lead to urinary tract infections and cataracts. A simple blood test will indicate if glucose counts look suspicious. A full physical exam should be done annually on your dog, even if it seems perfectly healthy.
