What is the expected lifespan for a diabetic dog?
It is only recently that dogs were treated aggressively for diabetes. It was not that many years ago that these animals would have automatically been euthanized. The lifespan often quoted in textbooks (2−5 years) includes all diabetic dogs, including those whose owners do not aggressively manage their diabetic control. Also, keep in mind that many are diagnosed later in life so a 2−5 year life expectancy may not be that different from their average lifespan anyway. Recent data suggests that, if an animal is kept well regulated and does not have any other health problems, it should be able to have a normal life expectancy.
