Diabetic Dog Food

The following items represent some of The Dog Food Advisor’s most frequently asked questions about diabetic dog food.

Where can I get suggestions for specific dog foods for my diabetic dog?

Diabetes is a serious condition and can be life threatening. The food you select can play a crucial role in your dog’s treatment. Consult your dog’s veterinarian first for specific product recommendations.

What kinds of foods make the best candidates for my diabetic dog?

Public information regarding canine diabetes and diet appears to be somewhat limited.

To help keep blood sugar stable, one should look for foods that contain moderate dietary fiber and a low-glycemic index.

How much fiber should a diabetic dog consume?

Although higher dietary fiber was initially believed to be beneficial, recent studies have suggested there may be no real advantage to high fiber diets compared to the moderate type associated with most commercial foods.¹

What is the glycemic index?

The glycemic index is a scientific measure of how easily a particular food can be converted to blood glucose (sugar).

Dog foods with a low-glycemic index exhibit less of a tendency to raise a dog’s blood glucose (sugar) level than others.

Where can I get more information about low glycemic dog foods?

The Glycemic Research Institute in Washington, DC maintains a website that posts a list of dog foods certified to be low-glycemic.

What type of dog foods have a lower glycemic index?

In general, dog foods with the lowest carbohydrate content exhibit a lower glycemic index.

Since most kibbles are carbohydrate based, low-carb canned foods should be given serious consideration when selecting candidates for diabetic pets.

Footnotes

Rand JS et al, Centre for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, “Diet in the prevention of diabetes and obesity in companion animals”, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003;12 Suppl:S6 ↩

Katherine

I would try Omega 3…Here is the one I like..http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=9A-1007#.Ub6EeD3D-00
..
Mary

My 7 year old, Old English Sheepdog is given 21 units of insulin twice daily, as a result his skin is very dry. How can I help alleviate his itching and dry skin. I feed him Nutricia dog food, can I add olive oil to his food?
austin

if you get a pescription for insulin, it goes from 27 bucks without, to 30 something with, you dont need a pescription for insulin or syringes…i buy mine from shoppers drug mart, but any giant like walmart has them.
Laurie

Hello Goldilooks, How is your dog doing with his diabetes and the raw diet? Have you seen any pos/neg changes in his symptoms since going natural? My neighbors dog was just diagnosed and is not doing well. I feed Raw and I am trying to help her go raw as well.
Yoyo

I buy my syringes at walmart $12 for 100. Never had to sign anything. Your vet should be ashamed! $50????
1234

Does anyone know if I can I feed my diabetic dog Pure Balance? Its a new dog food put out by Ol Roy supposedly with good ingredients. He’s been on Hills Prescription Diet, but at almost $100 every 2 weeks, its gets expensive (we buy the largest bag of dried food for $69 and 12 cans of the same for $25). I don’t plan to cook my dog regular food or veggies…I want to stick w/store bought food and I do buy him boneless chicken that I cook for a snack.
goldilooks

I had the same experience with Hill’s Science Diet. I had hoped that it would actually do what they claim, but you are right, not worth even trying. My dog immediately began showing symptoms, increased thirst, urination, etc. Part of the problem with canine diabetes is that the vets themselves are not terribly well versed in the treatment beyond getting the amount of insulin regulated. So, I am going to put my dog on a raw meat diet and supplement with raw veggies for additional fiber and nutrition. Fortunately, mine likes chopped cabbage, etc. It’s less expensive than broccoli and stores longer in the fridge. From the standpoint of the cost per pound, a raw chicken or turkey neck diet is actually cheaper then Hill’s Diet is anyway, and more nutritionally sound in treating diabetes. I am, however, concerned about the hormones that I know chickens and turkeys are given by the producers. The only alternative to that might be to go hunting for small game such as rabbits and squirrels myself. I’m not likely to do that though.
Woody7

@Debra Dean-Can you please give me the specific recipe and quantity you are feeding your poodle? I too have a toy poodle that was just diagnosed and want to get her off the science diet crap. Thanks!
Anakin The Dog

You can buy up to 20 syringes OTC at Walmart at a time without an Rx but you must ask for them at the pharmacy.
Katherine

After a few months I wasn’t impressed with anything my “old” vet said….she showed me how to administer insulin but felt that here was no need to change his food….a-duh!!! that should’ve been the first thing to change……Sonny has been going to a holistic vet since September
jlk6288

I’ve never need a Rx for the insulin or the syringes they did make me sign my name to a list for the syringes I guess they keep track of who’s buying them and how many…
Charlene

Your vet didn’t tell you much on how to take care of your dog? My vet is meeting with us tomorrow night to tell us exactly how to administer her insulin, the type of food, all kinds of information. If I were you I would get a different vet or insist your vet sit down with you and go over things in detail.
venkio

at walmart, no script is needed for insulin or syringes.
Shannon Unwin

How much do you feed your dog? We only had our dianosis 2 weeks ago, and I made something similar to what you’re feeding your dog for mine but I worry that I’m not feeding him enough. He weighs about 20lbs now, he lost quite a bit of weight after a bad bout of pancreatitis.
DiabeticGermanPinscher

My German Pinscher was DX over 1.5 years ago. I learned quickly about buying my needles/insulin from Walmart (most states do not require a prescription for either). You just ask for it as it kept cold and is behind the counter. Relion Novilin N is now what they have for just under $25 (it replaces the Relion Humilin N) – I also learned quickly that Prescription Science Diet W/D (wet or dry) is basically the same food as the “Non-Prescription” Science Diet LIGHT (wet or dry). I get 17.5 lbs of Science Diet LIGHT (Dry) for $24.50 (without a coupon). The Science Diet Light (Wet) is about $1.80 a can. So those who are buying the prescription W/D know buying the non-prescription LIGHT versions saves a lot of money. – The best way to feed your diabetic dog is to get your dog down to a proper weight for activity/breed of dog. (most overweight diabetic dogs lose weight fast before they are DX or just after DX. that fat weight loss is a good thing unless they get underweight) Find out how may calories your dog should be getting a day based on activity/breed of dog. Then check for the calorie amount for each cup of dry or wet can of dog food and give your dog exactly the correct calorie amount at each meal. (divide daily calorie amount by 2 and feed 1/2 the daily calories at each 12 hour meal). You may have to add a little more or little less food over time if see your diabetic dog losing weight or gaining weight that is beyond the dog breeds ideal weight. My dog gets a 50/50 mix of homemade dog food and Science Diet LIGHT (in small bite version) at each meal. NEVER once has he refused to eat his food or vomit up his food. Which is very important that a diabetic dog eats and keeps each and every meal down due to the insulin and the food working together to regulate his insulin.
Katherine

I have gone round and round about what kind of dog food to feed my diabetice dog…..Sonny has been diabetic for 1 year and I have tried MANY different kinds of dog food…He is a cockapoo/yorkiepoo mix…..he is about 21 lbs………before telling you what I have tried I have to first tell you that Sonny has gone from 14 units of insulin twice a day to 3 1/2 units twice a day because of the food I am feeding him…………Sonny has been on Nutrisca, Amicus,Nature’s Variety-LID kibble, Answers raw, and Nature’s Variety raw……I have found the for Sonny the best combination for him is 3 ounces of barley(this is to keep his blood sugar stable throughout the day-so it doesn’t go too low during the day), 1/2 cup of either celery, green beans, or broccoli(just as a filler so he doesn’t get hungry, and 2 ounces of raw dog food(Dogs Gone Wild and/or K-9 Kravings)….I hope this info helps you……….and by the way Science Diet is crap!!!!…Sonny did also try it, it was horroble, it raised his blood sugar……

.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

There’s some info here: http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetesdiets.html
Nutrisca is actually a certified low glycemic food and there are other foods similar to it.
Nala’s mom

My senior dog finally became regulated by switching to Nutrisca, a dry food that uses low glycemic fibers. Also add in some canned 100% pumpkin to boost fiber. She hated DCO. Liked SD, but didn’t change her numbers. Only started seeing improvement with grain-free food that had low glycemic fibers – chickpeas, etc. Unfortunately, those numbers didn’t come fast enough (over 6 months) and she developed cataracts and is now blind.
Pattyvaughn

What size dog is it? For diabetis, you want to go low carb. Science Diet is not a low carb food. Canned food is better than kibble, as far as carb levels are concerned. Five star foods are also lower carb.
http://www.facebook.com/sheila.waggonergoodman Sheila Waggoner-Goodman

I just wanted to know a good dog food to feed my diabetic dog, i’ve been reading comments ppl talk about science diet , can you get that at walmart? Just found out shes diabetic and the vet didnt tell us much on how to take care of her.
Deb

Hi, do you do this twice a day? Do you give in between meal snacks?
Hound Dog Mom

Love to see people making homemade food for their dogs. Do you add calcium and a multi/vitamin mineral (whole food or synthetic)?
http://www.facebook.com/debra.doan.39 Debra Doan

Make your own. I have a toy poodle and cook for her Once a mo. and bag and freeze in daily size packets.Grnd. beef(rinse fat off in strainer) grnd. turkey, broccoli, eggs, quinoa , cottage cheese,apple(baked)brewers yeast, sea salt, turmeric (inflammation)spinach or kale,Sometimes I skip grnd. meat and use chickens (remove skin) depending on what’s on SALE !
Pattyvaughn

Darwin’s should good for that too.
http://usajerkytreats.com/ James Bailey, USA Jerky Treats

Hi BirdieBazaarJudy

I would look at the 5 star rated raw foods here on DFA and pick anyone with a moderate fat content (around 20%) and a low carbohydrate content (below 15%).

As for the low glycemic list I would look for the same criteria (medium fat & low carb) on a dry matter basis. You will have to do some conversions for the canned foods. The dry foods listed there are Orijen and Nutrisca. Orijen’s carbohydrate levels are listed on their website as 25% Max. Nutrisca doesn’t list carbohydrate content on their website but here on DFA it is estimated at 36% on a dry matter basis.

Orijen’s 25% max is about as high as I would ever go with any food for a diabetic dog even if it is “Low Glycemic”. If you can stay below 15% carbohydrates that would be Soooo much better.

Diabetes is an inability to process any type of carbs due to little or no insulin production. So if carbohydrates are the enemy so to speak of the diabetic dog it would make sense to limit them as much as possible.

Good luck!
LabsRawesome

Here is a list of canned/dry http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/tag/low-glycemic/
http://www.facebook.com/BirdieBazaarJudy BirdieBazaarJudy

can anyone recommend a wet or raw food to convert to from Hills (Science Diet D/D recommended by (ill informed?) vet?
BravoJunkie

You can purchase the insulin over the counter at Wal-Mart. Syringes are usually by prescription only. If they were over the counter, intravenous drug users wouldn’t have to share their needles.

The needles I purchase from my vet are about $50.00 for 100.I use my dog’s needles 3 or 4 times before I dispose of them. I always clean the needle with alcohol after each use.
http://www.facebook.com/KimRoupeReed.83 Kim Roupe Reed

I was told you don’t need a prescription for the insulin not sure for the syringes?? I wouldn’t think so.. Just be careful because you have to know what kind of acting (long-fast-mixed-etc.) insulin you need and what brand…
Lillmiss

Don’t u need a prescription for syringes and insulin if you buy at Walmart? My vet isn’t going to prescription probably.
Lillmiss

How
LuvMyBoxers

Check out the Acana and Orijen dry foods. My aunt’s dog is diabetic and that works WELL for him. His blood sugar was fluctuating a lot on the Science Diet foods. Also keep in mind that the Science Diet company doesn’t only pay the vets a lot of money (much like drug reps do dr’s) they also pay to take a lot of the food sales reps (like Petco and Hollywood Feed) on mini-vacations to help promote sales. (and this is from personal experience, not hearsay…)
Shawna

Hi Kelley,

No, I didn’t dig deep enough to see how the ingredients in the GoodGuide are categorized.. What I mean is the acutal list of ingredients that are put in to the food (listed on the bag). Here’s an example (I don’t remember the specific Ol Roy food that rated high so using the one listed here on Dog Food Adviosr.

Here’s a partial ingredient list for Ol Roy Skin and Coat

“Lamb meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, ground yellow corn, ground wheat, wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of vitamin E), corn germ meal, corn gluten meal, animal digest, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, l-lysine monohydrochloride, calcium phosphate, choline chloride, added color (yellow 5, red 40, blue 2),”

Notice all the ingredients in red (if they show). Mike discusses each ingredient in his reviews but here’s my take.

Brewers rice is a waste product that can ONLY be used in animal feed. You will never find it in human foods because it is also void of any nutritional value.

Soybean meal is ground up dried soybeans. Soybeans are a controversial ingredient as they are known to cause intolerance issues are one of the most gentetically modified crops in the US and are a low quality source of protein for dogs.

Ground yellow corn may add nutrients to the diet but many have issues with corn because it is a food that is known to cause intolerances, is also highly genetically modified.

Two types of wheat come next. Wheat is another food that is known to cause intolerances and pretty severe ones to those that are suseptible — can cause malnutrition, autoimmune diseases etc.

Animal fat and animal digest are LOW quality ingredients that are made from rendered products. Road kill, euthanized animals, diseased animals, restaurant grease and other nasties can be included in rendered products. Animal digest is also a source of MSG.

Then comes two kinds of corn. Corn gluten meal is added to increase the protein content of the food. However corn gluten meal is a poor quality protein.

Lower down the list is “added color”. Many of these “colors” are cancer causing and add no value to the nutrition of the food.

There’s MUCH more to it but it can get pretty complex.

Additionally, there’s only 26% protein in the food and much of that is coming from plant sources that are not well utilized by our pups…

If you want to understand ingredients feel free to ask.. There are many on here that are quite knowledgable on individual ingredients (MANY). You can also randomly pick some foods and read Mike’s reviews of each..
Pattyvaughn

While I’m not Shawna, I can tell you that I had the same reaction. Their standards for what qualifies as a desirable ingredient are quite low. JMO
Kelley

Yes, I personally feel the same way as you when it comes to dog food! Ingredients are all that matters for us.

Also, I apologize that this is not obvious to me, but what did you mean by “the ingredient lists are quite pathetic”? Do mean the way the GoodGuide categorizes the ingredients? I am not very knowledgeable in this area (at least not yet!), so I would love to hear any thoughts/opinions you and others might have about it. I am a dog food nutrition novice!
Shawna

Although I really do care about the environment and social obligations, when it comes to feeding my own dogs —- ingredients are ALL I care about. What I put in their bodies makes the difference between health and illness. The social conciousness of a company and their positive environmental impact will not change that—–unfortunately..

I would have to strongly disagree with a statement such as “Ol Roy has a high ratio of desirable ingredients vs. undesirable ingredients”. The ingredient lists are quite pathetic actually.
Kelley

Wow, so glad you shared this. Yes, this is exactly why we can’t just look at the overall scores! We have to dig deeper in order to get to the score we personally care about… e.g. ratio of desired ingredients to undesired ingredients.
Kelley

I looked it up – they show exactly why Orijen got a low “Overall” score while Cesar got a higher “Overall” score: it’s due to things that you might not even care about (categories underneath “Environment” and “Society” such as their child labor policies and practices, whether they use recycled materials, etc.). However, if you look at Orijen’s “Health” score — you’ll see that they gave it a very high one!

Lucky Cesar – they just happen to do pretty well in all 3 of the Good Guide’s general categories… but if you don’t care about those other categories, then the overall score is not helpful for you.

It’s a good scoring system if you care about ALL of those individual things, but many people do not — especially when it comes to something like dog food. Most people just care about the nutritional value of the food, and not the company’s labor rights practices, etc. That’s why those overall health scores are completely misleading for most people. Annoyingly, we need to keep clicking at the scores in order to uncover the information/score that we care about… and then write it on a piece of paper to compare it to another product!

I hope they come up with an easier way to compare products like this soon!
Kelley

That surprised me about Cesar too! I wonder why they scored so high on there… (I admit, I was too lazy to look at why)
Kelley

Yeah, that’s interesting! And for sure confusing. That’s why it’s imperative to click on the scores in order to tease out how exactly they came to that score/rating.

It seems like Ol Roy got a pretty good health score mostly due to it’s methods of food testing, high ratio of desirable ingredients vs. undesirable ingredients, and to a lesser degree – that they disclose the “life stage” intended for use of that pet food. However, they got a really low score on their disclosure of caloric information. If you only care about one of these things, like desireable vs undesireable ingredients, then just pay attention to that. And if someone, for some reason, only cared about how Ol Roy disclosed their caloric information, then Ol Roy’s overall Health score would completely mislead them… they would need to dig deeper to uncover that Ol Roy scores low here.

Still, I honestly do not understand how they score each and every thing… and I definitely get confused when I try to compare the overall scores of two different products. I’ve found it more helpful to basically ignore those overall scores, to not bother comparing one product’s 6.4 vs. another’s 4.8 — and to just dig into the factors that I actually care about – to see what they say. I mostly just care about ingredients, so I’ll just click click click until I get to that information – and then just compare based on that. (That’s my strategy for now!)
I also feel that some of their explanations are just too vague for me. Maybe they will start including even more information as their website/project continues to grow. They are still urging people to submit/notify them of products that they are missing and to vote on those suggested products – to push them toward the front of the line to be assessed by researchers.
Kelley

I’m so glad people read and responded to my comment! Thank you!

I have been intrigued by UC Berkeley’s Good Guide mission… I think it’s a great idea, but I definitely find it confusing and overwhelming much of the time. I was extremely curious to hear what others have felt, so thank you for responding here. I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around how the Good Guide ranks everything…and the degree of ranking. It took me FOREVER to finally realize that there are different levels of ranking/rating.

I.e. The overall rating/ranking of the product or brand is dependent upon its rating of 3 things: Health, Environment, and Society. Each of those ratings are dependent upon their own subset of things/categories. And ratings of each of those categories are dependent upon the ones that come before that. etc, etc. (This explanation of mine is very confusing, so an easier way to see how this is done or, for instance, why “Health” is rated as 6.8 for a certain product and what that means: just click on the arrow next to “Health” in order to see the different rated categories that created the overall “Health” score. Then, to understand what each of those categories entail/how they are scored, scroll over the category name with your mouse, and a box will pop up further explaining them. Some of the explanations make sense to me…and some of them don’t! But overall, I think it’s been largely helpful for me to understand why THEY rate a certain product a certain way.

Let’s say I cared solely about the nutritional quality of a dog food product and didn’t care about the brand’s human labor rights practices, if the product was tested on animals, if they use recycled materials, if they give any proceeds back to the Humane Society,etc. It would be imperative for me to disregard the overall score/ranking of the product and to just click on the “Health” score — and keep going further and further until I find their rating specifically on the nutritional quality of the product.

To make things easier, you can pre-select what types of rating categories you want them to use to calculate your personalized overall score of the product. Even here, I still think it’s helpful to click on the rating to uncover what factors led to their specific score. (Perhaps you don’t care about a few of those factors, then you can largely ignore the numerical score they give for that category.)

Yikes, I apologize for writing the longest and probably most confusing comment here. I commend those of you who made it this far! I am excited to see if anyone finds anything interesting or peculiar on the GoodGuide website, especially in regards to dog food. I feel like there is just so much information on there, I am undoubtedly missing things and/or do not have a full grasp of what they are talking about within each category.
aimee

Yes I noted that. It seems a lot of nutritionists don’t put a lot of stock in an ingredient list as a measure of the foods quality. “GoodGuide’s Science Team worked closely with a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN)
to ensure that our ratings criteria were science-based, and feedback
from these experts consistently indicated that reliance on pet food
ingredient categorization alone would be a poor indicator of a product’s
overall health impact for a pet.”
losul

actually they put the least emphasis on ingredients. Their own words
aimee

Hi Kelly,

The Good Guide list rates foods differently than most other lists. They put less emphasis on ingredients than other ratings. I don’t think there is any one perfect way to rate foods and there are limitations to any system. I don’t really understand the environmental and social ratings.
Shawna

Oh My Gosh!!! That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Who on earth came up with this nonsense?

One of the Ol Roy products got a 7.6 (WHAT?) for health and a 6.4 for overall score.

While Orijen Adult got a 7.5 for health and a 4.8 overall.

And Science Diet Healthy Mobility got a 9.9 for healthy (HUH?) and a 7.5 overall score.
The authors criteria for “healthy” and my criteria for healthy are vastly different…
Hound Dog Mom

That list looks like a joke to me. The only foods on the “best” are foods made by big corporations – P&G, Colgate Palmolive, Nestle, Mars, etc. A lot of the foods on their “worst” list are great foods made by great companies. I mean they have Cesar on their “best” list and Orijen on their “worst” list. Really? I can’t take that seriously.
Kelley

I’m curious of what people think of the GoodGuide’s list: http://www.goodguide.com/categories/334089-dog-food##products
sandy

I have a 11 yr old Bichon/shitzu mix and he was diagnosed diabetic 2 yrs ago. He has been on Science Diet WD 3/4 C and I give him 1/8 C of Nutrisca along with it twice a day and he has been doing great. I also add in a tablespoon of WD wet in and he loves his meals..He has been getting about 6 1/2 units of insulin tiwice a day but seems quite active and would never know he had a problem. I think whatever food you choose to put you pet on you need to be consistant and just monitor their behavior
Dog lover

No Corn can’t be digested well by dogs …..go back to your cats lady
mydogisme

HI! I am going to copy your list for my dog as well. She is a 16 lb wire hair terrier who has died on me 3 times but she has a very strong will to live. She too is on 5units humilin 2 times in 24 hours. I bought the powder formula of Vital Vites also last month,also have the pumpkin already that i use to make her cookies with. Thanks for posting this. Funny thing, I have payed my vet almost 4200 since August and he never said anything to me about how important her diet is. Maybe he just thought I already knew,but he only sells SD as well.
mydogisme

Kristin, my terrier was also diagnosed with diabetes 2 months ago. She was on SD for several years,try 5 years the id formula or dd. I really truly think that is how the diabetes came about and now my vet will not tell me what food my baby needs to be on because he knows she will not be on SD. For the last 5 years,she is 10 now, she has been on eather blue buff. or newmans organic or the wellness brand but I was reading the labels long before I ever knew about this web sight and would alter Dixies diet even when she was younger and feed her a brand with meat and vegitables and if i bought the sd from my vet because i was too imbarrest to say no i dont want that ,,,,,,I would give it away to neighbors dogs who were out side and got table scrapes.I have always believed in you are what you eat and the same goes for our pets .AND just to add a note, they have found out from NLMC in new york that dogs and people are much more closely related when it comes to health issues then mice or monkeys. It can be looked up at their web sight. New York Lango Medical Center.Let me know what you find out as I will you. Dixie eats Natural Instincts. I also give her the freezed dry raw cookies they have as a treat.
mydogisme

Let me know what you find out.I’m looking also myself since my vet never said anything about how important her food is ,as I just naturally look for the best one but now I’m worried that the Natural Instinct isnt good enough.We need a list of 5 star wet and dry foods for diebetise
mydogisme

Yes, me too. Dixies medicine at walgreens is almost 100.00 and I will have to get a refil next month. Walgreens has a pet type insurance card to help cover the cost of medicine for 20.00 a year. It is also for people even if you have insurance it will still help. watch out when getting the insulyn,as the price will cost between 138.00 and 91.00. I found out the hard way when I was pinching penny’s twice and payed 138.00 the first time and when I had to get more meds filled,I used walgreens and not a independent drug store and asked how much her diabetic med was going to cost me. It was almost 35 dollars cheeper! So far my fur babys bills are upwards to 4000.00. yes, she is part of my family.
beaglemom

LOL. Well said.
D

Blue Buffalo Wilderness is a wonderful food for a diebetic dog..my 13 yr old sheltie tried everything…finally i tried wilderness chicken..gave him another two years of quality life…very pleased…also no luck with diabetic treats…he did wonderful with tomatoes, green beans boiled just to soften….that was his treats and love em…walmart most reasonable for syringes and insulin..good luck..i hope this helps someone …i know back two years ago…i wish i had the info.
LabsRawesome

Mary, when you disagree with someone there is no reason to be so condescending, rude, and just plain ignorant as you always are. The way you so fiercely defend Hills food with it’s crappy low cost ingredients, and high price tag, you are either drinking the kool-aid or you work for Hills. Why would you care so much if you didn’t…..
losul

Mary,

You said;

“I guess, though, that I should throw out the box of corn flakes, corn on the cob we were going to eat tomorrow with dinner, the box of corn meal that I prepare corn bread with, etc., etc. Corn is a nutritious food that we humans feed our children. Wow. Should we be ashamed?”

Certainly not. But if you were feeding your children frosted flakes for breakfast, fritos/nachos for lunch, corn on the cob and cornbread for dinner, EVERYDAY, or most days, or even on a regular basis, I think most rational people and doctors alike, would call into question your parenting skills, and your children AND their bodies would likely end up resenting the lack of variety. Do you not agree?
http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/ BryanV21

I’m ill-informed? I’m not the one comparing humans and dogs.

And I never went into specifics about what “by-product” is, just that it’s not the good meat that was taken away for other uses.. So that was another swing and miss on your part.
Shawna

Mary,

Allergies are pretty uncommon. The symptoms we often attribute to allergies (an IgE response in the body) are actually due to food intolerances (an IgA response). Corn is a COMMON reason for IgA food intolerances.

Additionally, science has proven that corn is a food that can cause the tiny hairs that absorb nutrients in the digestive tract to die (this is called villus atrophy). Thus causing malnutrition no matter what the quality of the food.

Corn is a food that can also cause leaky gut. The lectin proteins in corn cause inflammation in susceptible individuals that cause major inflammation in the digestive tract. This inflammation causes gaps that undigested proteins (like beef or chicken or egg) can get through. Once in the blood the immune system reacts and an allergy is born. So no, corn is not common food allergen. But, corn is a food that can increase ones risk of developing a food allergy.

If not organic, it is quite likely that corn used is genetically modified. Jeffery Smith is the author (and considered an expert on the subject of GM foods) of a book titled “Seeds of Deception”. Highly recommended reading. Especially if you are feeding your children non organic corn products.

I’m a raw feeder and as such I feed by-products. However they are a minor part of the diet. Muscle meet makes up the largest portion.
Pattyvaughn

Maybe you should read a bit more. Dogs aren’t human and humans really shouldn’t be eating all the GMO corn that they do, and diabetic humans really shouldn’t eat much of it. Corn is starch, starch is sugar, diabetics are supposed to limit their sugar. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbs. They don’t need it, but so called prescription diets are heavy in starch because it’s cheaper, not because it’s better.
Bryan has bothered to educate himself on a wide variety of dog foods so he can help people help their dogs. It’s his job, not malarky he’s read on the internet.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1002439570 Mary Blumreich

A lot of your post is ill informed nonsense. I won’t argue with you because you won’t change your opinion no matter what. I guess, though, that I should throw out the box of corn flakes, corn on the cob we were going to eat tomorrow with dinner, the box of corn meal that I prepare corn bread with, etc., etc. Corn is a nutritious food that we humans feed our children. Wow. Should we be ashamed? Properly cooked corn as in S.D. recipes is highly digestible and dogs are less prone to allergies with corn than with beef. Cellulose is found in many, many human foods and even in toothpastes…it has its purpose as you would learn if you researched these things. Your story about by product meal is ludicrous…by products are not feather, beaks, and feet ground up…You not only read malarky on the internet, you spread it yourself.
James Bailey, USA Jerky Treats

Hi Paula,

75 to 80% meat by weight. 10 to 15% of that meat portion can be organs. The remaining 20 to 25% should be mostly non starchy vegetables with a little fruit and supplements to balance your recipe. Calcium is needed if you are NOT feeding bones. Digestive enzymes, pre and pro biotics, and omega 3′s are some suggestions.

The complete diet you feed your dog(s) should be tailored to the needs of each particular dog!
http://www.facebook.com/paularyanis Paula Ryan

75% in volume, weight or calories?
http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/ BryanV21

Wouldn’t you rather use a food that not only works, but is better too? Here are the first 5 ingredients -

Whole Grain Corn – really? corn? cheap filler that has little to no nutritional value, not to mention the high glycemic index of corn. Dogs typically don’t digest grains well anyway. Oh, and I’ve never seen a dog eating corn in the wild.

Powdered Cellulose – more filler with little to no nutritional value

Corn Gluten Meal – more corn? Yippee!

Chicken Liver Flavor – “Flavor”? Not actual chicken liver, but some substance that simply tastes like chicken liver

Chicken By-Product Meal – they take all the meat off the carcass, then grind up the rest into by-product. Mmmm… tasty and healthy.

Yeah, talk about a bunch of malarky I read on the internet.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1002439570 Mary Blumreich

Quit reading these beat ‘em ups about S.D. W/D from people who repeat stuff they have heard and read on the internet. Get in a load of S.D. Rx and put that dog on it strictly, also feed on a strict schedule, and see what happens. Wouldn’t you rather use something that works and helps the dog’s health? W/D has a dry food too. My other dog, who is not a diabetic loves it too.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1002439570 Mary Blumreich

Me too! $24.00 at my Walmart in MI. Walmart has a contract with a pharmaceutical company that allows them to purchase and sell cheaper than other drug stores or the vets. My vet told me about that. I also buy needles at Walmart…box of 100 for 16.00. I use S.D. W/D too. My dog is doing great on S.D. I have researched each ingredient used and the specific purposes for each use. No, they don’t sweep factory floors for plant fibers as cellulose, etc., etc. As long as the dog is doing great, loves the food, etc., that is what she will get. Yes, it is expensive.
James Bailey, USA Jerky Treats

Hi Cindy

I have had diabetes for about 28 years. I have worked as a diabetes educator in a clinical setting and for the past 8 years I have worked with many dogs with diabetes.

Diabetes is basically an inability to process carbohydrates of any kind from simple sugars to complex starches.

The one common denominator in all the dogs I have seen who had a decent quality of life after being diagnosed with diabetes is an ultra low carbohydrate diet!

So if I had a dog with diabetes I would treat carbohydrates like a severe allergy that if my dog was exposed to in anything but minimal amounts would wreak havoc upon the organs, nervous system, limbs and eyes of my dog.

I think that a well balanced lightly cooked home prepared diet with at least 75% meat and no more than 25% low carbohydrate vegetables would be optimal.

I looked at the Glycemic Institute’s recommended dog foods and while the cans would be a decent choice I think that the two kibbles they recommend are way to high in carbohydrates for a dog with diabetes.
LabsRawesome

Hi Cindy, scroll down the page on this link http://www.gripetfoods.com/CertifiedDogFoods.htm There are 3 different manufacturers listed there. I’m sure there are more foods, but these 3 are certified low glycemic. Merrick, Orijen, Nutrisca.
Pattyvaughn

Look at the 5 star foods, they have more meat protein and less carbs, which is one of the things a diabetic dog needs. Pick one that is available where you live and has low carbs. You don’t say what size your dog is. If it’s a small dog or you can afford it, canned, freeze dried, dehydrated, or raw is the way to go. These types usually have much more meat and less carbs than kibble. They also have a better moisture content, which is important for helping to keep a diabetic dogs kidneys healthy.
Cindy

My 6 year old lab was just diagnosed with diabetes she initially was on science diet dry and wet and has now refused to eat either
I have read most of the posts which offer conflicting opinions
What is the best food other than science diet which she hates!
James Bailey, USA Jerky Treats

Hi Conny

It’s great to see that you are feeding your dog a homemade diet!

If I were you I would make the meat portion of his diet 75 to 80%. I would also increase the amount of non starchy vegetables and decrease the amount or rice and beans in the remaining 20 to 25% or your dog’s diet.

Carbohydrates and especially starches make it very difficult to control the blood sugar of a dog with diabetes.
http://profile.yahoo.com/LIL5B42KM4LP5SGRD4YJLMU5UM Conny

I cook my little one homemade food. Chicken, celery, some carrots and brown rice, anad beans. He loves it, and my vet says, its ok. I take most of the fat off befor I start coking the chicken. for his treats I give him homemade liver treats, 1 lb fresh liver ground up, 2/3 cup cornmeal, some carrots, apples or pears what ever you have and 4 eggs slightly beaten. mix it all and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
rescuekim

Try Natural Balance. It has lots of formulas including Grain Free and Limited Ingredient
James Bailey

Hi Jin

Hills w/d analysis reads;
Protein 18.7%
Fat 8.7%
Carbs 51.1%
Fiber 16.5%

This food is high carbohydrate, high fiber, low fat and low protein. As far as her diet is concerned If she were my dog I would feed her a high protein, moderate fat, low carbohydrate and moderate fiber diet.

Diabetes is all about an inability to process carbohydrates of all kinds and I don’t know why hills has chosen to promote a food for diabetic dogs which in my opinion is junk food.

As for her insulin that is a whole other conversation. These are two separate areas of diabetes control. Please tell us which Novolin you use. There are 5 different types of insulin all called Novolin.
Hound Dog Mom

Hi Kristine –

There’s a discussion on diabetes currently taking place on the forum section. I’d read what’s posted there and ask any questions you have.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/forums/topic/diet-and-diabetes/
http://www.facebook.com/kristine.tyrrell.7 Kristine Tyrrell

My boarder collie has diabetes and is on the royal canin dry food and the w/d wet food her levels were at 30 and after 10 units of caninsulin it dropped to 10 she is not desexed and it on 2 feeds a day she is currently on heat and her insulin has been increased to help her now high levels but I’m now having trouble getting her to eat the wet and dry foods she refuses to eat she’s on w/d wet food and the royal canin dry food from the vets what else would you recommend we live in Australia
Jln

My little dog (doxi-poo) was just diagnosed with diabetes. I always fed her what I thought was a ‘high-quality’ dog food. Something that always ranked at least 5 stars according to the dog food advisor site. When she was diagnosed my vet suggested Hills wd. I knew that was considered a ‘crap’ dog food and didn’t really want to feed it, but by the time I had read everything I could on diabetes I was so confused I just fed it. My dog’s glucose was 354, after the first week of being on 4 units of insulin 2x day, and being fed the Hill wd, her glucose tested 73. We are now trying 3 units of insulin 2x day and I will be taking her in Friday to be tested again. I’m almost wondering if by feeding her some of the foods that are considered so ‘high-quality’ did I contribute to her diabetes. I’ve also read that high-protein can be dangerous. I would like to feed her something else, but am afraid to switch for fear that her glucose levels will go up. How long has your dog had diabetes? Have you always had her on the Hills? Thanks
Jln

My little dog was just diagnosed with diabetes. Hopefully we caught it at the early stage because her glucose (at it’s highest) was 354. The vet put her on Hills wd and first had her on 4 units of Novolin 2x day, checked her a week later and her glucose was at 73. He dropped her insulin to 3 units 2x day and I am taking her in this week to have her checked again. 300 just seems so high still. What are you feeding him?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1002439570 Mary Blumreich

Science Diet W/D has an explanation for the ingredients used in their canned and dry formulas. I used to have the info but have lost it. Each item has a reason behind its use and it all makes sense to me. Cooked corn is not junk but is a great source of protein…etc. I feed these foods to my diabetic Schnauzer and her numbers are consistently excellent. Yes, I would love to feed her steak and eggs every day but she likes this food very much and has no problem eating it. Her stools are good and she at one time had a tendency toward pancreatitis but has had no problems since going on W/D.
Sonny’s Mom

I tried W/D at the beginning an it caused my dog to drink way too much…..it has corn as its first ingredient which is a filler that pet food companies use(it majorly spikes the sugar)….also it has chicken by-products which is any and all of those nasty parts of a chicken that they grind up to use as a filler…………..here are the ingredients:”Whole grain corn, powdered cellulose, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, chicken liver flavor, soybean mill run, soybean oil, dried beet pulp, soybean meal, caramel color, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, flaxseed, l-lysine, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, vitamins (l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), vitamin E supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), calcium carbonate, taurine, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), iodized salt, l-tryptophan, l-carnitine, l-threonine, preserved with mixed tocopherols & citric acid, phosphoric acid, beta-carotene, rosemary extract”…..I would never feed my dogs this stuff!!!…….all dogs are different and respond differently…Orijen is ok….my Sonny was on it for a while….it doesn’t have grains but it does have potato which can spike blood sugar………
Juliem55

Thank you very much! I will speak to them after the holidays. Merry Christmas!
Hound Dog Mom

Juliem55 –

The main selling points of w/d is that it is low fat to promote weight loss and that it stabalizes blood sugar. Orijen is certified low glycemic by the glycemic research institute (http://www.gripetfoods.com/PetFoodoftheYear.htm) so I imagine as far as keeping blood sugar levels stable Orijen would be a good choice. Orijen is not low fat, however, but as long as you monitor portions and make sure your dog isn’t gaining weight this shouldn’t be an issue. The ingredients are definitely much better quality than w/d. Talk to your vet if you feel you need to.
Juliem55

My yr old Rottie has just been diagnosed with diabetes and is on 26 units of insulin twice a day. He is also taking 2000mg of Novamoxin for a kidney infection for 12 days. I was to get him WD from the vet but they closed before I could pick it up & so I got him the Orijen, which I`ve been told is even better. My boy seems to like it so my question is, is it as good as the wd brand or am I damaging my dog more?
Sonny’s Mom

….my dog, Sonny, is a cockapoo/yorkiepoo mix(26 lbs.)….he has been a diabeic since March…I have gone stir-crazy trying to find the best dog food for my baby…..well, after trying sooooo many different kinds of kibble(Amicus, Orijen, Nutrisca, Epigen, Nature’s Variety, Merrick), can, and raw…………I have found that the best kind of food for my dog is raw(2 oz.-Dogs Gone Wild), vegetable(1/2 cup-broccoli and green beans) and barley(2 oz) twice a day……….SONNY’S INSULIN LEVEL WENT FROM 14 UNITS TWICE A DAY TO 6 UNITS TWICE A DAY!!!!
Amydunn19

I have had my diabetic dog on Nutrisca for two years. Outstanding food – no nasty gas or bloating and she loves it. Her blood sugar is well regulated.
James Bailey

I would stay away from dry foods like kibble. Most kibbles are very high in carbohydrates 35-75%.

Wet foods that contain NO grain, potato, tapioca, and other starches would be most appropriate for a diabetic dog.

If you choose to prepare your own food a diet consisting of at least 75% meat with some non starchy vegetables and vitamins, minerals and beneficial oils would also be good.

Meat which is mostly protein and fat has little effect on blood sugar.
doggonefedup

Joanie Zupan,
Call 1 877 991 1139 and ask for Dr. Brian Wessel on any friday between 2pm and 4pm eastern standard time. Tell him the problem you are having and see what he suggests. I think they have some foods that will help control sugar levels for diabetic dogs better than WD
Jess

We’ve had our dog on Merrick Turducken for two years and his numbers are good. We’ve haven’t had the same type of luck with the other Merrick canned food though for some reason. We’d love a cheaper alternative!
EvesHumanMom

Hi, Joanie, did you click on the Glycemic Research Institute button up there? Or are you looking for something available in an actual store near you? Ordering online ok? Also, if you scroll down, there are some suggestions, too.
Joanie Zupan

I have a diabetic Husky and need to find food that she can eat
before her shots she gets her insulin twice a day every 12 hrs and we have her on Ivet WD food bought from the vets office right now but when they are out we have no other kinds of food to get her and need something that we can go buy on a regular basis
BryanV21

So you say “stay away from grains” but then try and tout Royal Canin. Take another look at Royal Canin’s ingredients and think think about the grain part again.
Storm’s Mom

Actually, Royal Canin isn’t much better/different than Science Diet. Many of the Royal Canin formulae have corn gluten meal as the 2nd ingredient, and most of the other ingredients (brewers rice, wheat, beet pulp, corn, etc) are not that much better.
http://www.facebook.com/melinda.edwards.589 Melinda Edwards

Science Diet is crappy food. The co. donates to vet schools and provides scholarships, but contains corn as the first ingredient on many varieties. My daughter, the vet, would never feed it. She feeds Royal Canin; I feed that and Fresh Pet. Read ingredients, stay away from grains and byproducts, feed only ingredients that you would eat.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Have you thought about canned food for dinner as you can find some that are very low carb as well.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Amicus is made with low glycemic ingredients and is small for toy breeds. Epigen is very low carb and very tiny kibble (smaller than Amicus). Nutrisca is certified low glycemic with average sized kibble. Have you thought about a commercial raw food? The Natures Variety Instinct comes in 1 ounce and pellet sized which would be quite convenient for a small dog and is grain free and low carb.
Pattyvaughn

Also you want to try to feed meals that are somewhat equal, morning and night. What I mean is you don’t want to give a meal with a lot of carbs one time and a meal with no carb next. Try to keep the amount of carbs and calories even.
BryanV21

One problem is that those foods often contain corn, which is actually a poor food for a diabetic due to it’s high glycemic index (raises blood glucose levels).

Plus you want to use high quality ingredients in the dog’s food, so you can feed less while the dog is able to process just as much nutrients from the food.

Look for foods with made mainly with meat and/or fish. You should see the meat/fish as well as even meat/fish meal in the first 3 ingredients.
choko mom

My plan is in the morning feed Choko (oatmeal, chicken breast and peas or green beans / homemade with vitamin powder) and dryfood for dinner. soi really want to know what is the best diabetic dryfood
Choko Mom

plz recommand What is the best diabetic dry food for dog. I am feeding Hills (Vet recommand) but this one is include by-product. I used to feed my choko(10yrs yorki/ 6.4lb) Royal canin but two weeks ago he got diabetes. Plz help me
Hound Dog Mom

Cindy Sutter –

Have you read the reviews for Science Diet and Pedigree?

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/?s=hill%27s+science+diet

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/?s=hill%27s+science+diet

Both are very low quality and Science Diet is extremely low in protein. There are many high quality, grain-free low glycemic foods that would be great foods dogs with diabetes that you may want to consider looking into: Dogswell Nutrisca, Darford Zero G and Horizon Pulsar are high protein foods that use legumes instead of grains or other starches, legumes are very low glycemic index.
http://www.facebook.com/cynthia.sutter Cindy Sutter

We use Pedigree Chicken and Rice canned dog food plus science diet kibble food high in protein for our diabetic dog and she has been on it for six years and she seems to do very well with it. It is very important for a diabetic dog to eat before you can give the insulin we find that she loves to eat the pedigree and science diet food the best. Our Vet started her on the Pedigree Chicken and Rice and we added the science diet later for the protein. We feed her twice a day and give her a shot of insulin twice a day. Those seem to be the best brands of dog food we have found to keep our dog healthy.
Guest

I refuse to feed my dog canned or kibble…. Canned dog food has CARRAGEENAN in it, known to cause cancer in animals. Merrick is a good food but it has carrageenan in all of its canned food. So do most canned food… I would not feed that to any animal 2x a day… Go raw or make your own food for your fur baby. I make food for my Chihauhau puppy and feed raw to my diabetic 10 yr old large breed min pin… My diabetic dog loves his Bravo diet and my puppy loves his cooked diet… No cancer causing ingredient in my fur baby’s food… Think about it if you feed a cancer causing ingredient 2x a day, the chance of getting cancer is very high and your baby will die of cancer not diabetes… Most diabetic dogs die of cancer… I wonder why!!!! Just thought I would share my thoughts on an ingredient they put in canned food… Beware and read about all ingredients… Save your fur baby’s life… I love my fur baby’s a lot and it just burns my butt about what they put in their food… I also feed my baby’s supplements. Nupro, Vital Vites, Grizzley Salmon Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar and sometimes Organic Coconut Oil…
jane

My hat goes off to you. Adopting a special needs dog is for special people
Katherine_davies

I should add that I refuse to put my dogs on science diet and while we love the food we are currently using the glycemic index is too high so my girl is not as regulated as she could/should be. I don’t think I want to use any of the foods my vet recommended so I am wondering what kind of number I am looking for to give a low enough glycemic index…. any suggestions or ways to calculate?
Katherine_davies

Apparently science diet gives a lot of money to vet colleges…. and also seems to supply many vets offices with treats and samples. I can see why someone would recommend something that has been surrounding them throughout their education. This info came from a former science diet rep who opened his own pet store.
LabsRawesome

Hi Deerdepot, these foods are certified low glycemic. I would go with the canned Merrick, my 2 dogs love it. And canned is better than kibble, because of the moisture. At the bottom of the page is a listing for a bunch of different flavors of Merrick, so he’ll never get bored. http://www.gripetfoods.com/CertifiedDogFoods.htm
Deerdepot

Jamie I have a 13 yr old Lab/Australian Cattle dog mix 82# 5 yr diabetic. He went blind 3 yrs ago and had successful surgery. He is on 37 IU Humalin N but his glucose runs close to 300 every time the vet checks him. What are you feeding your guy.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Look into a raw diet. They are low in carbs. Or for kibble look into Dogswell Nutrisca, Innova Prime, Horizon Legacy/Amicus.
EvesHumanMom

Hi, Sediedri,

It’s hard to say– what kind of reactions and what do you think she is allergic to? Have you ruled out parasites or topical allergy. That said, if you look them up here, the foods you mention don’t rate very high here. Since wheat and corn are common allergens, perhaps you can look at the list of grain-free foods and then check the prices on places like mrchewy.com or wag.com.
Bryndong

I am looking at this site to find something for pets other than w/d. It is crap. Nothing good in there.
Sediedri

My golden retriever has been having alergic reactions and I think it’s her food. she is currently on purina fit and trim…have tried science diet and pro-plan…anyone have a great recommendation that won’t break my wallet?
Dom

Lynn, recently my little dashchund was diagnosed with diabetes. The vet put her on w/d prescription diet. I chose to use the w/d in cans and also dry food and I mix both. She loves it. I feed her 3 times a day., and I give her 2 shots of insulin (Humulin-N) twice a day. Hope this helps.
Tc4u_416

I do not feed this diet to my dog any more. He started to puke from kibble…..:(
Tc4u_416

I put my diabetic dog on Bravo raw patties ( duck and chicken). His diabetic diet is 3/4 8 oz. patty, 1 tblsp. Pumpkin, a couple drops apple cider vinegar, a scoop of Nupro gold all natural vitamins, a 1/2 scoop vital vites ( just started him on this), 2 1/ 2 pills with brewers yeast with garlic, 1 squirt of Grizzley salmon oil. He weighs 27 pounds and gets 5 1/2 units humilin n 2x a day. BG’s between 90 and 200. I tried different diets, he puked on kibble and canned. I could not regulate him on cooked food and he never seemed to stay full long. I have had great success on this diet, his fur is soft, and he is very healthy for having diabetes. Yes, he went blind before I figured out this diet for him….
Jamie Walzel

My ol’ boy Wiley ha had diabetes for nearly 4 yrs. now. I check his glucose myself. The best way to do this is on the lip. It sounds like it is tough, but if you have established good trust, its actually quite easy, and not that painful. My guy is a real pitol for the vet, but I can do just about anything to him. He got used to it pretty quickly, and I do a curve about once a month as well as checking it daily at various times to see where we are. The strips and meter are easily ordered online.
doggonefedup

HDM,
It sounds like you have raw done right! And the dehydrated/freeze dried Also. I would consider cooking the veggies for digestion. I wonder how many people do not realize that most of the dehydrated/freeze dried foods are less than 20% meat protein when you sit down and compare the amount of meat with the amount of non-meat ingredients… much closer to a bears diet than a wolfs diet…….
Hound Dog Mom

Hi buddiesmom,

There are several ways you can do a raw diet. You can buy pre-made frozen raw where all you do is thaw and feed. You can buy what are called “grinds” – they contain muscle meat, organ meat, and bone in the correct proportions and all you do is add fruits, vegetables, and supplements. You can use a premix (like The Honest Kitchen’s Preference or Sojos) in which all you do is add boneless raw meat. You can also make your own raw from scratch and there are several websites and books available with tips on how to make homemade raw. I make homemade raw for my dogs and the general guidelines are: 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, 10% bone (if you don’t do bone up muscle meat to 90% and add 1,000 mg calcium for every pound of meat), pureed fruits and vegetables (meat should account for 75% – 90% of the meal, fruits & vegetables should account for 25% – 10% of the meal), essential fatty acids (1/2 tsp. fish body oil per 25 lbs.), vitamin e (about 100 i.u. per 25 lbs.), wholefood trace nutrient supplements (I rotate between kelp, alfalfa, spirulina, and bee pollen), and extras such as eggs, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Raw diets are a good option for diabetic dogs because most are very low glycemic, most dogs really enjoy eating raw food as well.
buddiesmom

how do you do the raw diet? I have 1 diabetic dog, one with thyroid issues and one healthy girl…trying to please all 3
buddiesmom

so is everyone feeding their diabetic dog soft food? I don’t want the science diet food for my baby…the ingredients are crap…but trying to find a high fiber food that isn’t diet is near impossible. my boy is losing weight he has dropped at least 2 pounds already…any advice?
Beardg

My diabetic dog is doing well on Merricks canned low glycemic/grain free ,especially cowboy cookout AND Turdunken mixed with Canidae Pure Elements grain free.He loves it.
Seems like a good food for reasonable money.Both carb rates are very good.
I do not understand why vets like science diet….seems to be junk, and their diabetic prescription food has 3x the carbs of the Canidae….
Good luck,diabetes is tough.Then your dog goes blind.Which is a whole ‘nother ball of wax….
Julbcampbell

do you have his glucose checked regularly at vet? My dog got very thin, and when I took her in,her levels were 400′s. She went into a state of ketonisis- basically very bad, and had to stay for a week at hospital. I have her glucose checked about once a month or two, and we’ve had to adjust her levels of insulin each time.
Karen

Lynn – I have a diabetic dog and he loves the Merrick canned dog foods (especially the ones with chicken, duck, turkey, anything with wings). He’s doing great on it. I’ve been dealing with it since December 2011.
Norma618

We are adopting a diabetic dog currently on insulin twice a day and just found Honest Kitchen. It isdehydrated, has a low glycemic, low carb and high fiber. It is all human grade ingredients and they have auto ship for free. Some of them are for sensitive stomachs also. It is cheaper than the Blue Wilderness and better for them. Hope this helps. Norma
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Look for a food with low carbs. Being all natural doesn’t mean much to a diabetic dog. You can have an all natural dog food with over 50% carbs which is too much for a diabetic dog. Also there are foods that use ingredients with a lower glycemic index like Dogswell Nutrisca, Horizon Legacy, Innove Prime. Compared to Blue Buffalo Wilderness which has lower carbs but uses potatoes that has a higher GI. If you can afford commercial raw, that would be better as it has very low carbs.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Dogswell Nutrisca is certified low-glycemic.

http://www.gripetfoods.com/CertifiedDogFoods.htm

A raw diet, if you can do this, would be best as it has little carbs/sugar, no binder to form a kibble. Look at some of the guaranteed analysis on some of the raw diets, very low carbs. Just look for one that also doesn’t have too much fat.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/raw/5-star/

There are foods similar to Nutrisca: Amicus, Horizon Legacy, Innova Prime, Canine Caviar.

http://www.horizonpetfood.com/
Hound Dog Mom

Hi Lynn,

I feed my dogs a homemade raw diet. In my opinion it’s the absolute best thing for them, but unfortunately it is a little pricey. It costs me over $500 a month to feed my two bloodhounds (one is 110 lbs. and one is 70 lbs.). The pre-made raw foods are even more pricey (it would probably cost me $600 – $700 a month to feed pre-made raw). Homemade can be done a little more cheaply. I use all organic produce and grass fed/hormone, antibiotic, steroid free meats which is why I spend a little more. If you’re willing to shop for deals though and go with non-organic ingredients it can be done a bit more cheaply. It’s going to be more expensive than kibble no matter how you do it (homemade or pre-made), but in my opinion it’s worth it.
Lynn

I read , with interest, the comments about a raw diet, but I’m not sure how this would compare to a commercial food when it comes to finances. I’m not trying to be cheap, especially when it comes to these babies, but I have to be realistic based on what I can afford. I checked the website from the Washington Institute about low glycemic foods and tried the orijen but they don’t like it, even with the wet mixed it. It was also very pricey. I want to find something that would be good for them but be somewhat more affordable.
Sherry

I’m new with the caring of a diabetic dog too, we were also told we could put our dog on a rx weight management dog food and my dog is not over weight, has anyone tried the blue buffalo dog food? Its all natural supposedly. I know our other dog loved it when she had a protein problem.And non of our dogs have ever liked the rx foods.
Sherry

Has he been checked for thyroidism, with his haor being thin and flaky skin is a red flag plus according to our vet diabetes and hypothyroidism usually goes hand in hand ….we are fixing to get our chihuahua checked she just became diabetic…good luck
Lynn

I am very confused at this point. Caring for a diabetic dog is new to me. Can someone with some experience in this area check something for me? My vet wanted me to use the RX Science Diet but I’ve never been impressed with their products. I am looking for a grain-free combination of wet and dry that would be suitable for the diabetic foster I have, and could also work for my three others. How about Taste of the Wild Dry (Pacific Stream) and Merrick canned? I have been giving them sweet potato with their food regularly for some time now. Suggestions?
Paulmacs4005

theadamos,

I think you’re going the right way by feeding a raw food diet, but you really need to do a bit more research or you’ll have some negative long term effects. I don’t see any mention of organ meat in what you feed, and there are some vital nutrients contained in the organ meat. I’m also concerned that you may be feeding too much bone with just the ground chicken. My butcher also sells ground chicken, it is exclusively chicken backs. I think it’s a great addition to my raw diet rotation, but long term it wouldn’t have enough meat content. At the other end of the spectrum, recommending that others just feed hamburger would create a calcium deficiency due to lack of any bone in the diet. Raw feeding is the absolute best way to go, IF you feed a balanced raw diet. If you do it wrong, you can do some long term damage to your dog. You’re on the right path with your dog, now just dig into researching it further and make sure you’re giving him everything he needs!

good luck!
Theadamos

See my reply above to Judy about the dog food we feed. We actually make our own. It made a big difference
Theadamos

Like I said above, we feed our dog ground up chicken with the bone ground for calcium that we get from the butcher shop. We add green beans, peas and sometimes spinach (fresh) to it. Also add a couple of eggs. Our dog is doing really good on this diet, she lost the weight she needed to and is now keeping her sugar pretty much under control around 100 to 200 usually around the 140 mark. Our vet is amazed and her coat is shiny, her skin is good and no itching. I hope this helps. You can also if you don’t have a butcher shop that sells this (by the way they pack it in 1 lb. bags for $1.25 a lb. here in Oregon) But you can use hamburger or ground chicken just add psyllium (fiber) to the dog food because they need that.
Theadamos

Also forgot to tell you, her coat is so shiny and soft since we put her on this food and she has lost the weight she needed to lose. Our vet is amazed at her. This is called a cybergenic diet. I know most vets want you to put them on Science Diet prescription but our dog hated it and threw up on the dry so we stopped it and I think it is junk food anyway. We tried Blue Buffalo high protein low carb but it didn’t process with her well.
Theadamos

Our border collie/lab has diabetes. We buy ground up chicken from the butcher which he also grinds the bones for calcium. We add green beans and peas and sometimes spinach. Our dogs sugar readings have come way down and average around 140 to 150 sometimes a little lower. You can also just cook hamburger and add veggies to it. The green veggies seem to work. Add psyllium to the food for fiber and possibly a good multi vitamin will help. I hope this helps.
http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

Have you tried a raw food diet? And has your pug had thyroid testing?
guest

I buy Humulin N from Walmart 25.00 exact same thing from the vet. The dog food is expensive I buy the Rx Science Diet.
Kl0426

Now over a year and 7 units later my pug(Max) still we are having sugar issues, can’t get it under control. Poor little guy still very hungry
Allie

I feed my large breed min pin Darford Turkey and Chicken Zero/G.Today is day 9 on this food. He has had diabetes for 3 and a half months now. I have got his sugar under control. He is 26 pounds and gets fed 3/4 cup of food in the am and 7 units of Humulin N. Same in the pm. Same time everyday “very important”. I have a BG meter and check his blood 3 to 5 times a day (mainly out of fear of overdose, have not done that, heard of alot of people doing that). His BG’s today between 117 and 142. I do soak his food in water before feeding it to him. Darford is pricey but his BG’s, skin, and ears are the best they’ve ever been. His fur is soft and shines. The Darford food has been a life safer for me. Green beans and chicken breast chips made in the USA for treats. He has not really even begged for anything today. I did notice when his BG’s went above 180, he chewed his paws, and itched his ears. He doesn’t do that any more, thank God.
WhatKindOfDogShouldiget

I think you can view lablador if you have a large house, but if you live in a flat, then you can have a Chihuahua.
Woofers1375

Has his thyroid levels been checked? Our dog was diagnosed with diabetes in December 2012. Her blood sugar levels would not come down, despite raising her insulin doseages. We found out last week that she was hypothyroid, and once we got her on meds for that, her sugar levels are coming down. Flakey skin and thin hair are signs of low thyroid.
Kristin Evans

Hi Judy~

SORRY THIS IS SO LENGTHY!!!
I got carried away trying to help by sharing my experience (in detail in
turns out, but hopefully not in vain). Canine
diabetes is a treatable disease and
once under control, your companion can lead a happy, healthy life!

I’m new to the diabetes thing (my 9 y/o male Jack Russell Terrier was diagnosed
about 6 weeks ago) but have done a lot of reading/studying/researching on the
subject in the last month.

If your boy is still drinking/urinating a lot, his blood
sugar & diabetes is most likely still NOT
UNDER CONTROL and his insulin probably needs to be increased.

His excessive water consumption and weight loss indicate hyperglycemia (high
blood sugar). His body is trying to excrete excess blood sugar [BS] thru
the kidneys (a losing proposition). If he hasn’t put weight back on or
has perhaps lost even more, his body is burning lean muscle tissue for energy
since it can’t convert food he eats to glucose (usable energy) due to the
diabetes (he’s essentially starving to death despite eating – probably
ravenously if he’s like my guy was before being diagnosed).

Our Experience:
Vet advised/warned us that the 1st month of insulin treatment may be
labor-intensive & daunting since it would require daily monitoring and
adjustments every 3 days to increase insulin until BS reached healthy levels.
Thereafter, it gets easier since the day-to-day testing isn’t required once the
right insulin amount is determined.

We test our dog’s 1st morning urine w/ Glucose Urinalysis Strips: goal per vet
is 250mg/dL (different dogs/ages/starting blood sugar reading may be
different-I’d consult w/vet for specifics for your situation). We started him
at 5 units of insulin, 2xday and are up to 12 units, 2xday (4 weeks into
treatment so far). We’ll continue to increase by 1 unit increments every
3 days until morning glucose strip indicates we’ve attained goal BS levels.

Our poor guy was drinking soooo much water he’d make himself sick/throw-up
(again, body’s attempt to rid itself of excess blood sugar…dogs can actually
end up dehydrated despite drinking & drinking…our boy had to be
hospitalized 3 days for intravenous fluids). Upon discharge, vet told us
to regulate/restrict his H2O to 1 cup/hour until we got his diabetes under
control w/ insulin. An easy barometer to know if treatment is working: THIRST…when consumption begins to decrease or
returns to “normal”, you’re moving in the right direction.

The GOOD NEWS:

When blood sugar levels had begun dropping after about 2.5
weeks of insulin (gradually increased from initial 5 units, 2xday up to 11 units,
2xday, based on glucose readings and close vet supervision), his water
consumption decreased to near NORMAL!! He’s also finally starting to
regain weight, not eating as though he’s starving, dry/scaly skin is almost
gone, his temperament isn’t as irritable/unpredictable with rest of pack mates
(we have 5 other dogs & diabetic boy had gotten quite aggressive & we
didn’t know why), and his old puppy-energy and personality are finally back!
All these improvements despite not yet reaching “Goal” blood sugar levels 4
weeks into the process (we’re really close though…I’m thinking 13 units twice/day
is gonna be the lucky number!).

Also, SPECIAL DIET should consist of high-quality/premium
kibble that is heaviest in protein, high in fiber, and derives its
carbohydrates from a low-glycemic source (NOT potatoes). We just switched to Dogswell Nutrisca,
Grain-Free, Potato-Free…“5-Star” rated dog food, ideal for diabetics, per this
website…too early to see any changes in BS readings but other pet parents
report positive effect on diabetes.

The very best of luck to you and your sick puppy. I truly believe you can find additional relief
for him through increased insulin therapy with the help of a patient,
encouraging vet who will closely monitor your dog’s progress with you. Perhaps also changing his diet as indicated above
may also be necessary.

Hope some of this info is helpful to you Judy!!
Judydeaton

my diabetic dog has been on low dose insulin and special diet since December. he has lost a great deal of weight and is very very thin. His skin is flakey and his hair is thin. I add vitamine e drops to his food. Still drinks and urinates a great deal. Is there anything else I can do to make him comfortable.
Ngdixie

http://www.gripetfoods.com/CertifiedDogFoods.htm
This is the list of appropriate dog food who has diabetes. I personally will suggest Orijen Senior. But up to you.

Ultimately, the best food to give your dog is a raw diet.
Sbbuttons

Ihave an american beagle and he is 8years old and has diabetes , and our vet put him on a food that he can’t eat, because it has meal product and whaet and other stuff,can someone recomend a food that we can try.
Sbbuttons

What brand of food shuold I feed my dog that has diabetes/
Toxed2loss

Hi kt,
Dogs on high grain carb diets are more prone to diabetes, so a food that has high animal protein and fat is going to keep the blood sugar balanced better. Many times if the food contains MSG, hidden or otherwise it will make your dog seem always hungry. It stimulates appetite. I only have 2 kibbles that I’d recommend. Great life grain and potato free and Brother’s. As the eyeball is predominantly glutathione, supplement with that. It may help recover your dogs vision, and may help with the diabetes. MAY, I’ve read quite abut about glutathione in humans, so it’s worth a shot! Food sources of glutathione or precursors are grass fed liver, or free range raw eggs. Just my 2¢.

Hop over to the wysong thread for the current dscussion on MSG.
kt

I have a pug who is a diabetic, and blind .What is a good over the counter dry dog food I need a break somewhere. I pay for insultin wet W/D dog food from the vet and have to take him to the vet every 2 weeks for blood tests.He is constantly hungry he seems never satisfied even after he eats.
http://www.petfooddirect.co.nz/ Liam @ Buy Dogfood online

Diabetes is a complex issue in dogs and I am disappointed at the quality of some so-called diabetic foods. They seem to contain a lot of plant-based ingredients which have questionable nutritional value. I know you are not a vet but do you have any more specific guidelines on selecting a reasonable food for a diabetic dog?

Diabetic Dog Food

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