Learn About DKA
WHAT IS DKA?
Diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA, is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes. It happens when the body does not have enough insulin and begins breaking down fat for energy, causing dangerous acids called ketones to build up in the blood. DKA can develop quickly and requires immediate veterinary treatment.
SIGNS OF DIABETES
Common signs of diabetes in dogs can include increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite, weight loss, weakness, and lethargy.
SIGNS OF DKA
DKA may cause vomiting, loss of appetite, severe weakness or lethargy, extreme and rapid weight loss, dehydration, increased thirst and urination, and rapid or unusual breathing.
Why Early Recognition Matters
A dog can have diabetes before their family realizes anything is seriously wrong. Recognizing changes in drinking, urination, appetite, weight, or energy level can help lead to earlier testing and treatment.
If your pet is showing concerning symptoms, contact a veterinarian. If your pet is vomiting, extremely weak, unable to eat, severely dehydrated, or appears seriously ill, seek emergency veterinary care.
Additional Signs
These aren’t clinical signs on their own, but they’re things I only understood after the fact may have been connected to Raffa’s diabetes.
In November, Raffa started whining a lot after eating. I brought him in to see his vet but it was dismissed. Soon after, he became obsessed with eating snow. The Wolfman had always loved snow, but in the month leading up to his death, all he wanted to do was eat more and more of it. I brought him into the vet again in January and reported the same symptoms of whining after eating, and more frequent urination and dehydration and it was dismissed again. Diabetes commonly causes excessive thirst and dehydration because high blood sugar causes the body to lose more water through increased urination. Raffa was himself right up until he wasn’t. Three days before he died, he was running around the yard like normal. Please take your dogs in for regular checkups, even when they seem fine. Do secondary research on what is happening with your friend.
IF SOMETHING FEELS DIFFERENT, DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO BECOME OBVIOUS.
Sometimes they can still look completely normal while something serious is already happening. If you suspect your friend has diabetes or is in DKA, insist on the vet running a urinalysis.
This page is included in memory of Raffa, who died from complications of DKA in February 2026. I hope sharing the signs helps another family recognize them sooner.
In November, Raffa started whining a lot after eating. I brought him in to see his vet but it was dismissed. Soon after, he became obsessed with eating snow. The Wolfman had always loved snow, but in the month leading up to his death, all he wanted to do was eat more and more of it. I brought him into the vet again in January and reported the same symptoms of whining after eating, and more frequent urination and dehydration and it was dismissed again. Diabetes commonly causes excessive thirst and dehydration because high blood sugar causes the body to lose more water through increased urination. Raffa was himself right up until he wasn’t. Three days before he died, he was running around the yard like normal. Please take your dogs in for regular checkups, even when they seem fine. Do secondary research on what is happening with your friend.
IF SOMETHING FEELS DIFFERENT, DON'T WAIT FOR IT TO BECOME OBVIOUS.
Sometimes they can still look completely normal while something serious is already happening. If you suspect your friend has diabetes or is in DKA, insist on the vet running a urinalysis.
This page is included in memory of Raffa, who died from complications of DKA in February 2026. I hope sharing the signs helps another family recognize them sooner.