Diabetic Dog Food

A sick dog can be heartbreaking to her or his owner, but diabetes, especially when detected early, is definitely treatable. Just as with people, the diagnosis of diabetes means there are going to be some lifestyle changes, the major changes being diet and weight management including a good exercise program. If a veterinarian has diagnosed your dog with diabetes, he or she should provide a list of acceptable food and even brands of diabetic dog foods that your are OK for a diabetic dog to eat. The primary way of managing diabetes is through proper diet and good eating habits with a natural diet or with diabetic dog food.

What is Diabetes in Dogs

The trigger for the condition of diabetes (also called Diabetes Mellitus) is insulin  or the production of it. Insulin, produced in the pancreas of a dog or human, is responsible for controlling glucose concentrations in the blood. The right amounts of glucose in the blood are a good thing because this is the body's main fuel. Normally, insulin controls glucose by preventing extra glucose production by the liver and ensuring that excess and unneeded glucose derived from food is put into body stores. In a diabetic animal there is not enough insulin to switch off glucose production  by the liver or to efficiently store excess glucose derived from energy giving foods. The concentration of glucose in the blood then rises. If it got too high, normally it is leaked into the urine and expelled from the body. With diabetes, the level of glucose exceeds the level at which the kidneys let glucose leak into the urine.

Diet Changes for Diabetes

The major change you will have to make is avoid giving the diabetic dog food with sugar and carbohydrates. However, many commercial dog foods contain high amounts of carbohydrates and sugar[2].

Carbohydrates are considered a sugar because the body converts it into glucose. When blood sugar plummets too low, it results in hypoglycemia, which is a serious condition. Hypoglycemia happens when blood glucose or blood sugar falls too low, quickly. A diet of strictly dry food is the biggest culprit, but soft-moist dog food can be high in carbs too.

Good foods for diabetic dogs

There are two main choices when developing a diabetic diet, natural foods prepared for the dog or commercial diabetic dog food.

A Natural Diet

A natural diet of homemade and raw foods does not mean table scraps. A natural diet is planned and on purpose and consists of largely unprocessed foods (raw chicken, rice, carrots, etc) that are prepared for the dog. A raw diet is made up of foods that are not cooked. Cooked or not, a natural diet is a good way to control what the dog is eating.

Some foods included in a homemade diabetic diet would be:

• Low fat meats. Choose high-quality meats with little fat like chicken, turkey, fish and eggs.
• A few fresh vegetables and raw fruits. Fresh veggies and fruits in moderation (but never grapes or raisins) are high in nutrients and vitamins, and have natural sugars, which are not bad for diabetics like processed and refined sugars are.
• Some grains. Certain grains like oats, brown rice and millet are beneficial for diabetic dogs. Used sparingly, these provide fiber which helps control insulin levels.
• Possibly extra vitamins or minerals. Vitamin E, for instance, aids in reducing the requirement for insulin.

Foods that should be avoided include.

• Sugar. Do not feed your dog 'people food' or dog food that has sugar in it. Be sure to check that sugar or its other forms (sucrose, fructose, syrup, etc.) is not on the list of ingredients.
• Baked goods. Eliminate this from your dog diet, including most dog biscuits.
• Most fats or fatty meat. For instance, while turkey and chicken are OK, you should remove any skin and fat before giving it to your dog. Meats with highly saturated fats like beef, ground beef, and pork should not be given. Generally, you should not be giving your dog any foods that have been prepared in fats. A touch of fat is healthy and is already found naturally in meat. Other OK fats are quality fish oils.
• An all meat diet. Over time, this type of diet is harmful because of mineral and other imbalances. Dogs need balance found in grains and vegetables as well.
• Most dry dog foods. Most dry dog foods are mainly made up of simple carbohydrates--not what a diabetic dog needs. However, dry diabetic dog foods are generally safe, but you still want make sure it is high in protein and vegetables. You still want to be sure to supplement dry food with quality wet food.

A natural diet doesn't have to be expensive or hard work and there are many Websites with recipes that make it easy.

Diabetic Dog Food

While there are some brands of dog food specifically for diabetic dogs, there are not many. Typically veterinarians advice dog owners to look at 'natural' commercial dog foods (made with natural ingredients) or low-calorie, low-fat food designed to promote weight loss (however, this is not recommended for underweight diabetic dogs).

Some more popular brands include

• Purina Veterinary Diets DCO (Diabetes) Dog Food 
• Solid Gold Natur-Bone (Diabetic Dogs)
• Newman's Own Advanced Dog Food (natural)
• Hills Science Diet (natural)
• Organix Dog Food (natural)

A commercial diabetic or natural dog food should follow the same guidelines as making a natural homemade diet. Many brands, these and others, are often found more readily online.

Just as with people, a dog with diabetes can have a high quality of life with a balanced lifestyle that includes a good diet, medication if necessary and regular exercise.