Diabetic Dog Food

Canine Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus affects thousands of dogs every year. This disease causes the endocrine system to fail to produce enough insulin for the body. Insulin serves three very important functions in the body. It creates pathways for glucose to reach the blood, prevents the liver from overproducing glucose, and aids in storing energy for future use. The disruption of these functions can make a dog very ill.

Symptoms of Diabetes in Dogs

There are several stages of diabetes, and failure to recognize the condition will cause more severe symptoms as the disease progresses.

• Early Onset:
  • Extreme thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Excessive hunger
  • Weight loss

• Diabetes as It Progresses:
  • Depression
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Reduced immunity
  • Bladder and liver malfunction

Diagnosis and Treatment

Canine diabetes is diagnosed by a veterinarian. He will assess the symptoms, do a physical examination and run tests to determine the amount of glucose in the dog's urine and blood.

Once diagnosed, the vet will prescribe the proper insulin dosage and recommend an appropriate diabetic dog food and exercise plan for the individual dog.

Diabetic Dog Food Options

If your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes, discuss what to feed her with your vet. There are many good dog foods on the market and many vets believe that a good commercial dog food is an adequate diet for the diabetic dog.

Your vet will most likely suggest a dog food that is fiber enhanced. Extra fiber slows the digestion of carbohydrates. This keeps the glucose level within a tolerable range.

Some veterinarians recommend and sell dog food that is specially formulated for canine diabetics. Most of them will stress the importance of the dog actually eating the dog food. Since eating food is critical to utilizing the injected insulin in her body, notify your vet right away if your dog does not seem to like the food.

Homemade Diabetic Dog Food

Many owners of diabetic dogs have prepared their own dog food. Be sure to consult a vet about this type of diet to be sure it contains adequate nutrition. If your vet is against this type of diet, and you wish to try it, you may want to find a holistic veterinarian to assist you. There is also a wealth of information about nutrition and treatment on the Canine Diabetes website.

Nutrition and Exercise for Diabetic Dogs

Once you have settled on a good food and treatment plan for your dog, there are some other things you can do to insure her health. A few recommendations are:

• Feed the same kind of dog food at the same time of day, every day to insure correct insulin dosage.

• Feed your dog twice a day, just before you administer her insulin.

• Check that your dog actually ate all of her food before you give her the insulin injection. This way, you will know if she needs a whole dose or not.

• Do not give table scraps and other treats between meals.

• Be observant about water intake. If your dog seems unusually thirsty, contact your vet immediately.

• Establish a consistent routine of moderate exercise for your dog.

• If your dog is going to perform an activity that will exert more energy than she is used to, cut her insulin dosage in half.

Maintaining a healthy weight, following a proper diet, and getting regular exercise is important for the health of your dog; this is true whether or not she is diabetic. Following a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise can actually reduce the possibility of your dog ever becoming diabetic.