What Foods Are Best for a Diabetic Dog?
Dogs with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin, or the insulin their bodies do produce does not work efficiently. In both cases, your dog will not produce all the fuel he needs to run, jump and live a long, healthy life. While diabetes in dogs always requires a veterinarian's care, there are foods you can give him to help keep his condition under control.
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Fiber From Store-Bought Foods
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High-fiber foods can help stabilize the rate at which fuels enter your dog's body. This keeps blood sugar levels more consistent. Dog food brands such as Purina's Fit and Trim, Science Diet Maintenance Light, the canned version of Cycle 3 Light, and Hill's Prescription Diet W/D contain ingredients to nutritionally manage diabetes by helping the carbohydrates in foods be absorbed at a slower rate. Iams and Purina Dog Chow/Low Calorie also have formulas for underweight diabetic dogs.
Fiber From Table Food
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In addition to store-bought foods, other sources of fiber include oat bran, rice, rice bran, wheat, and soybean hulls. Additionally, Metamucil or pumpkin pie filling can be added to your dog's normal dog food. Too much fiber, however, especially fiber that cannot be fermented, can result in poor skin and flatulence, among other problems.
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Vitamin-Rich Foods
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Foods rich in vitamin C, E and B-6 can help slow diabetes from worsening and delay your pet's need for insulin shots. Beneficial vitamins and minerals can come from a natural diet including fresh-cooked and raw foods, including parsley, carrots, winter squash, potatoes, and apples and bananas in moderation.
Foods to Avoid
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Soft, moist processed dog foods that do not need refrigeration are unhealthy for your diabetic dog as they are high in carbohydrates and sugars and low in canine vitamins. Artificial coloring indicates excessive sugar in the food which is used to extend shelf life.
Being overweight can make it more difficult to control diabetes, so it is important to keep your dog trim. Refined sugars, carbohydrates and fat can potentially disrupt your pet's insulin levels.
Smaller Meals
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Several small meals a day rather than one big meal daily may benefit dogs with diabetes by evening out the rate at which sugars are absorbed by the bloodstream. Veterinarians often recommend two meals per day for dogs, making sure the meals are given on a set schedule and in a measured amount.
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- Photo Credit Tambako the Jaguar: creativecommons.org
