Diet For Diabetic Dogs
July 28, 2009
When you have a diabetic dog, there are certain foods that he can and can’t eat. Take note that digestion is not functioning completely when diabetes is present, because insulin production is lowered, if at all. Glucose level is high therefore and when you feed your dog, your aim is to provide food that helps put it down to normal level.
Giving your dog a well-balanced meal every time is very important. It is also recommended that you do away with regular pet food and simply concoct a home-made healthy meal for him or buy specialized meals if this is what the vet suggests.
However, bear in mind that as with our diet plans, their diet plans are not uniform for all, and what may work for one dog will not be as effective for another. To ascertain you get your dog’s diet plan right, you should consult with the vet. Here are the basic things you need to remember when feeding your diabetic dog.
1. Avoid foods with high fat content.
If your dog’s pancreas does not function properly, you should not feed him anything that will cause him to gain weight. Obesity will only worsen canine diabetes so scrap this off the menu.
2. Avoid sugars.
Whether it is natural or commercial sugars, it should not be given to your dog. Remember that our goal here is to lower glucose level, and if you feed him food that contains sugar, regardless of how insignificant the amount is, it will simply take us much farther from our goal, and ultimately, it is our dog that will suffer. So, even if it is just a treat, cross it out.
3. Increase fiber intake.
In our meals, we always make sure we eat fiber-enriched foods to aid in proper digestion. This is exactly the way it is for your dog. Since his digestive system is unable to function properly, fiber would certainly help. Though you have been giving him foods containing fiber ever since, increasing the amount would be beneficial as it will help in digesting carbohydrates which help in lowering down glucose level.
There are home-made and commercial diabetic meals available for your dog. Both are recommended because these are especially made to help your dog maintain low glucose level. Your next step now is to have a talk with the vet and discuss your dog’s meal plan. He knows what type of meals will be most helpful to your dog.