[Theodore L]

I wrote to ZiwiPeaks about their food since we have a dog with IBD. The following is their email to me: Hi Theodore:
Thank you for your inquiry. We are thrilled that you are looking into feeding ZiwiPeak. We are passionate about pets, and strive to produce the best foods available for our furry friends! Many pet parents with dogs (and cats) suffering from IBS / IBD have found ZiwiPeak to be the perfect diet for their fur babies, due to the lack of fillers, preservatives, grains and other ingredients completely unsuitable to a carnivore’s digestive system. One of the ingredients that is included in ALL ZiwiPeak recipes is cold-washed green tripe. Green tripe is a powerhouse of nutrients, is extremely digestible and palatable and contains probiotics/prebiotics and digestive enzymes which help establish a healthy gut. I will be asking our Office Assistant to mail you a sample packet, and I’ve attached a guide for transitioning your dog. Please refer to the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage for the recommended daily serving. http://www.ziwipeak.com

Here’s some basic information about ZiwiPeak:

All ZiwiPeak recipes and formulas are complete and balanced as a daily diet for ALL breeds, and for ALL life stages. To determine your pet’s recommended feeding amount, please use the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage: http://www.ziwipeak.com

ZiwiPeak gives your pet the equivalent of a raw, wild prey diet and is made from over 95% raw meat and organs, including natural fat and bone. Our food contains no rendered meats or meat by-products. We add no artificial colors or flavors, no carrageenan, no chemical preservatives, no grains or potatoes, and no added salts, sugars, gelatin or glycerines or cheap filler ingredients. These ingredients cannot be efficiently utilized by a carnivore’s digestive system and can contribute to various health issues, including skin & coat problems, itchy skin and ears, yeast infections, allergies, obesity, kidney disease, IBD/IBS and diabetes. ZiwiPeak cuisine is over 95% digestible and extremely palatable to even the most finicky dogs and cats.

ZiwiPeak uses free-range, grass-fed meat raised on traceable, approved New Zealand farms, and seafood caught using ecologically-sustainable practices under New Zealand’s stringent, government-controlled, fish-management system. All meat and seafood we use must be free from added hormones, antibiotics, growth promotants and GMOs. Our added vitamins and minerals are sourced from reputable, traceable suppliers in the USA, Europe and New Zealand and Japan. We do not source any ingredients from China.

We add New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel to all ZiwiPeak formulas to provide high levels of natural glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, and cold-washed green tripe, which provides important vitamins & minerals, digestive enzymes and probiotics needed for healthy digestion. We are relentless in our commitment to quality and care, operating under the most stringent health and safety standards. Every batch of ZiwiPeak must meet both our own in-house specifications and the highest international benchmarks. All ZiwiPeak products meet or exceed industry standards.

Please let me know if I can be of additional assistance,
Regards,
I did not write her name since I don’t have her permission. I have been transitioning one healthy guy to this food. I am not ready to do the IBD guy yet since he just had a setback and the Vet (Internist does not want any changes). I received a very fast response – I liked it!

[T-dub]

I had a husky and a golden retriever who were vegan for many years. I cooked their food on the stove each week- rice, garbanzo beans, lentils, carrots, potatoes, olive oil and several other healthy ingredients and I would sprinkle vegepet vitamins on top- the web site has many recipes. The dogs were strong, energetic, happy and very healthy. When my life got too complicated and it was difficult to cool for them each week I bought top of the line dog food. They wouldn’t touch it. It was so sad. They ate it when they realized I was not going to make the food they had eaten for years. Commercial dog foods for the most part are garbage, it’s the slaughterhouse leftovers that are not fit for human consumption. A dog that is cooked a healthy vegan diet is a lot luckier than one who gets kibble. Just because it is what most people tend to do doesn’t mean it is the best for the dog. My golden lived to be 8.5 when his spleen burst and husky to 13 when she has diabetes and a tumor behind her eye.

[Marika M]

I have an 8 year old female husky/heeler. She urinates multiple times & frequently ONLY when outside. She can be inside for long periods of time during the day and/or overnight and never ‘has’ to go outside to urinate. She does not urinate in the house. Is that normal for any of the issues for frequent urination – UTI, diabetes etc?

[Kellye P]

Linda,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I held the little paw print that came with Duffy’s ashes and cried a bit. 😢

The one thing I did that made the biggest positive impact was finding the Chi Institute herbalist. It’s a real shame that Duffy was so allergic to cinnamon because the formula for diabetics gets rave reviews but it’s full of various forms of cinnamon. However, the Chi Institute vet had other herbal formulas that helped a lot with keeping him content in other ways. Duffy was drug free except for insulin and he never had any problems with stiffness or liver or bladder or anything except the dad-blasted glucose!!!
I highly recommend finding a local Chi Institute herbalist because Kismet can probably handle cinnamon just fine and the formula will help.

http://www.tcvm.com/Resources/FindaTCVMPractitioner.aspx

The Solid Gold food isn’t necessarily for diabetics but since Duffy would eat it, he got it every day and he thrived on it. My vet wanted him to get at least 300 calories a day, which meant over half a can. With any other food, that would have been impossible, but I could get 1/3 cup in Duffy twice a day and then little bonus bits as baked treats. The food is very thick so I could slice it and bake it as crunchy treats as well as feed it straight from the can.
Also, a trick I thought of that seemed to work —
I took Acana duck kibble (“cool” for diabetes), put it in the food processor, and chopped it to a fine powder. I added 1/8 cup of the powder to the canned food for added calories.
It didn’t add much bulk and Duffy didn’t notice the extra food.

He was so hard to keep alive. Even as a puppy, he refused to eat. He never saw food as a reward. He never begged for treats. I always had to force him to eat but it wasn’t a big deal until he became diabetic. That when he HAD to eat twice a day, and had to eat the same amount of food.

What breed is Kismet? Do you use the super short needle syringes? I had my pharmacy special order them. Duffy was like a baby bird so he needed everything very small. I ordered the glucose/ketone test strips from Amazon. They had the two test pads on each strip. I used an electrolyte supplement in his water. It was an unsweetened brand made for dogs. It’s also sold on Amazon.
Let me know how things go for Kismet. Best wishes!!

[Linda P]

Hi Kellye!
Thanks so much for your reply. I was sorry to hear about Duffy. It’s all about “quality of life” – not ours, but our baby. Duffy couldn’t have had a more loving mommy, who did everything in her power & beyond, to give him that quality. When we have pets with medical issues, we end up becoming almost experts about the illness….we become a sponge of information. Yet, even with all that information, things don’t go right. It doesn’t make sense, it becomes frustrating & we hit that wall. Diabetes is an UGLY disease that doesn’t play by the rules, even when you follow the rules completely. So, we just do our best & rejoice with our successful attempts & feel defeated with our failures. What a conundrum!

Kizzy is 13.5 yrs old. Same problems as Duffy. Diabetic 2.5 yrs & now hard to regulate. Treating Cushings with Melatonin & Flax Lignan. Seems ok. Thyroid meds. Feeding Royal Canin Glycobalance. I know how you feel about this food. =) Loss of hearing & nearly blind but he sure can find me in the house. Ordered Ketone test strips – learned a lot from your blog! Takes walks with his housemates & is happy. Dislocated his hip 2 wks ago & had FHO surgery 1 wk ago. Still recovering but made it through the surgery ok. Just getting back to normal after having high temp for several days. Lots of Nurse Mommy care BUT I would do it all again to help him. We all learn to avoid the term “Gads! What else could go wrong?” Baring a brain transplant, I’ll do just about anything to help him. Face it, we’re goners but it can’t compare to the love & joy they give us. I know Kizzy probably isn’t going to be with me too much longer but I’ll do what I have to do in the meantime. As long as there’s a twinkle in his little eyes, he’s ok. It’s all about quality.

It was a pleasure to meet another passionate & dedicated mommy. You’re amazing! Enjoy all your babies, present & who are yet to come. Take care.

PS Tell me more about the Solid Gold food. Sounds good for weight gain but is it for diabetics?

[anonymously]

I recently came upon a post in another forum promoting a natural flea/tick repellent by this businessman. They think it works….makes me cringe.

Below is an excerpt from: http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/four-biggest-quacks-plaguing-america-their-bad-claims-about-science

Mercola has been the subject of a number of Food and Drug Administration warning letters about his activities, including marketing products as providing “exceptional countermeasures” against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other illnesses. He also has marketed coconut oil to treat heart disease, Crohn’s disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Mercola.com also sold an infrared camera to be used as a cancer screening tool.

[Andrea B]

We were feeding him Science Diet ID for a few years and then switched to Kirkland’s Signature – Mature (looking for something with less grain & higher base quality).
I’ve read pre-soaking the food with apple cider vinegar could be beneficial, and also read you could pre-soak with water but some sources say soaking with water makes acid reflux worse. Have you had experience with either?
He is on a Banfield wellness plan and gets the 6 month check-up & standard labs there. ~3 years ago they tested him for a suite of things including diabetes due to the excessive water drinking. We did a full workup of labs, a water deprivation test and an ultrasound and found nothing… they ruled that he’s just an obsessive water drinker.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Andrea B.

[Sherry A]

We learned from a researcher that Goats milk was good for dogs with diabetes, ibs, and other type of diseases. We started using it, and found remarkable difference. Our dog had allergies, and his hair was falling out. The goat’s milk helped with the yeast infection type in the colon and skin. it worked.

[crazy4cats]

Here is an article written by a vet that was included in my Petcurean newsletter:

CATS | DOGS | HEALTH & NUTRITION | APRIL 8, 2016
The Great Grain Debate: Should pet foods avoid grains?
Dr. Jennifer Adolphe
BY: DR. JENNIFER ADOLPHE
Dog in the woods
Grain-free diets are becoming much more commonplace in the pet food aisle. There are a number of reasons for this growing trend, such as the belief that grains are harmful for pets or that grain-free diets are more appropriate for dogs and cats from an evolutionary perspective.

Also, gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — has been touted as a substance to be feared in many popular human nutrition diets, and pet and human nutrition trends usually go hand-in-hand. With so many grain and grain-free options available, what do you need to know about the great grain debate?

Grains are an important source of complex carbohydrates, which have three or more sugar molecules joined together so they are more slowly digested than simple sugars that only have one or two molecules. Although carbohydrates are not considered essential nutrients in the diets of dogs and cats, and are often considered “fillers,” they do play a critical role in your pet’s body.

In particular, carbohydrates provide a highly digestible, readily available energy source. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates are also an important source of essential nutrients. The shape, texture and density of kibble depends on the carbohydrate (starch) content of the food. This is important, as mouth feel and the structure of the kibble help to determine palatability.

Recent genetic research suggests that one of the important steps in the domestication of dogs was their adaptation to a diet high in carbohydrates relative to the diet of carnivorous wolves. Carbohydrates are often considered to be detrimental to cats, but research suggests that moderate amounts may actually be beneficial in promoting insulin sensitivity.

Some of the grains commonly found in pet foods include barley, corn, rice, oats and wheat. Whole grains include all parts of the grain, while refined grains have the nutrient-rich germ and bran layers removed.

Whole grains promote digestive health since they are not only an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, but are also rich in fiber. Dietary fiber is a unique type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by your pet’s digestive enzymes, but nonetheless provides many benefits.

For example, oats and barley contain a special type of fiber called beta-glucan, which has been shown in numerous human studies to fight heart disease and diabetes. Beta-glucan may also be beneficial in pet foods to control blood glucose and prevent obesity.

Grain-free does not mean carbohydrate-free, as complex carbohydrates can be sourced from nongrain ingredients such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, tapioca, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Some pets may have allergies to one or more specific grains, but it might not be necessary to eliminate all grains.

Gluten-free diets are necessary for humans diagnosed with celiac disease or nonceliac gluten sensitivity, but this is not a common problem in pets and most tolerate gluten without any difficulty. The exception is some Irish Setters with inherited gluten sensitivity.

Many grain-free pet foods are higher in protein than conventional diets and, while extra protein is typically not a problem for most healthy pets, it can be problematic in certain medical conditions such as kidney disease. Since all foods contain a balance of carbohydrates, fat and protein, decreasing the amount of carbohydrate in a food will increase the fat and/or protein content.

What are some of the benefits of grain-free carbohydrate sources? Peas are an excellent source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and provide most of the essential amino acids required by dogs and cats. Peas also provide an added environmental benefit in that they are used as a tool in sustainable agriculture to add nitrogen back into the soil.

Tapioca does not contain protein, so it is not considered a potential allergen or source of food sensitivity. This is especially important in limited ingredient diets that are designed for food hypersensitive pets.

Potatoes are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C and potassium. Sweet potatoes are a major source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, which act as antioxidants, as well as manganese and potassium.

One of the primary benefits of grain-free diets is the increased variety of new and unique pet food recipes available. This allows pet parents to choose a diet with or without grains that works best for their dog or cat.

This article originally appeared on Multibriefs.com

Hope this article helps!

[Shawna]

laconrad,

I spent an hour creating a post last night only to have it disappear. I’m guessing it was all the links include so in this post I’m only going to include a few links but I most certainly can provide them if wanted.

I definitely agree that dogs shouldn’t eat nothing but meat, or even meat and bone exclusively but it is an absolute fact that they have no physiological requirement for carbohydrates. Waltham is a reliable source of info on this —
“Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids.
Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However,
if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and
they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet
pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, the AAFCO (as of 2008 at least) doesn’t have any requirement for carbohydrates in the canine diet. There’s a minimum for fat and a minimum for protein but no required carbs. Many complete and balanced canned foods have no added carbs at all.

For the record, I do think certain vegetables and fruits are beneficial in the canine diet but protein and fat should not be displaced with any carbs. I personally have no use for most grains but I do utilize foods with millet or quinoa sometimes (to mix things up).

Dogs have been eating kibble for less than 200 years. Evolution doesn’t happen in 200 years. Yes, I would agree that my dogs ancestors probably got some carbs as table scraps however carbs in kibble is not the same as carbs in fresh, albeit possibly cooked, carbs. From my understanding grains weren’t processed in the manner we process them today either. Not to mention GMOs, glyphosate / etc and hybridization to increase the protein content wan’t a thing back then.

Ammonia is not toxic unless the liver is damaged and I’ve never read any research (even in humans) suggesting excess protein caused cirrhosis. Yes in cases where the liver is excessively damaged, or a shunt, limiting protein and feeding certain kinds, like dairy, helps alleviate ammonia from building up but it doesn’t damage the liver. I would agree that 78% of the amino acids in certain meat proteins is all that is used but the bioavailability of commonly used plant proteins aren’t any better and often worse.

Excess fiber in the diet can actually bind up minerals and prevent their absorption. Grains and legumes have anti-nutrients like phytates and enzyme inhibitors as well as lectin proteins which in susceptible persons and pets can lead to illness including some pretty nasty disease (even autoimmune disease). Although possibly not “nasty” I recently read research suggesting gluten as a cause for “Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome” in Border Terriers. In humans these lectin proteins from certain carbohydrates is also considered a factor in IgA nephropathy (a form of kidney disease) as well as type 1 diabetes (the kind dogs get).

Protein absolutely does not “cause” damage to the kidneys and some reports suggest dogs with kidney disease actually have an increased need for protein. They now know that “senior” dogs actually have an increased need as well – “as much as 50% more protein” and minimums for seniors is suggested at 25% — “minimum”. My favorite source of info on protein as a cause / contributing factor to kidney disease is “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

There are two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition suggesting that overweight dogs, even “obese” dogs, lose just as much weight (albeit slightly slower) on a high protein diet, 56% protein, as those fed higher fiber diets without the “muscle wasting” that is often seen in lower protein fed dogs. The body will break down muscle when it’s amino acid requirements aren’t being met through diet.

[Shawna]

laconrad,

Although I do feel small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables are quite healthy for dogs, carbohydrates aren’t a necessary requirement – even in the modern dog. Yes, when properly processed, they can utilize them but they still aren’t a necessary macronutrient. Waltham is a reliable source of information on this – they state “Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids. Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However, if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, carbohydrates aren’t even required in complete and balanced foods. There is a minimum protein requirement, a minimum fat requirement but no minimum on carbs. AAFCO guidelines as of 2008 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=662

They now know that the MINIMUM protein requirement for senior dogs is actually 25%. ” Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease. When insufficient protein is provided, it can aggravate the age-associated loss of lean body mass and may contribute to earlier mortality. Older dogs should receive at least 25% of their calories from protein, typically provided by diets containing at least 7 g protein/100 Kcal ME.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

It’s also a myth that higher protein amounts have a negative impact on a dog’s kidneys. In fact, dogs WITH kidney disease can safely eat a higher protein diet as long as phosphorus is watched. Here’s my favorite source of info on this “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

The bioavailability of the protein is every bit as important as the overall amount. The more bioavailable the protein the less blood urea nitrogen is created. So the better the quality of the protein the more that can be fed. An ounce of protein from beef, as an example, will be better utilized, leaving less waste, than an ounce of soy protein. Additionally raw protein will be better utilized then it’s cooked counterpart due to amino acid loss lowering bioavailability.

I have never read any literature suggesting protein as a cause of cirrhosis however I would agree that lowering protein would be advised if the liver is already severely damaged. NOT because the protein is further “damaging” the liver however the ammonia not being converted is quite toxic. Even in this article relating to humans they don’t suggest excess dietary protein as a cause https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000302.htm

Excess fiber in the diet has been shown to act as an anti-nutrient. I just this week read a research paper on this but I bookmarked it at work and don’t have access right now.

You’ve mentioned the liver and kidneys several times so I thought I’d add a little more research on the kidneys. “Long-term renal responses to high dietary protein in dogs with 75% nephrectomy. These results do not support the hypothesis that high protein feeding had a significant adverse effect on either renal function of morphology in dogs with 75% nephrectomy.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3702209

Purina Veterinary Diets
“A University of Minnesota study revealed renal aging does not occur in geriatric dogs, at least to the extent that it has been reported in people. When fed a diet of 39% protein and 15% fat (dry matter basis), geriatric dogs maintained relatively stable glomerular filtration rates and had no greater incidence of glomerulosclerosis than those dogs in the protein-restricted (19% dry matter basis) diet group. These and other studies indicate no need for restricted dietary protein, fat, sodium or phosphorus to help minimize renal disease progression in healthy geriatric dogs. Still other studies have shown high dietary protein alone will not cause the development of kidney disease. In addition, research has shown that older dogs may actually require more protein than younger adult dogs, just to maintain normal protein turnover, and to support lean body mass and normal immunocompetence.

Obesity has been associated with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neoplasia and decreased survival. Therefore, efforts to maintain ideal body weight and body condition are far more important and appropriate than protein or phosphorus reduction for maintaining health in geriatric dogs.” https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/research/senior-dogs-do-old-kidneys-need-new-diets/

Interestingly, at least two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition have shown higher protein diets to be beneficial for weight loss in dogs.

“High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/8/2087S.full

“Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/6/1685S.full

[Pitlove]

Elaine-

Please discuss ANY changes to diet with your vet before switching off the prescription food. Diabetes is a case by case situation and not all diabetic dogs need the same things. In fact a customer of ours was interested in Primal for her diabetic dog, however the vet had told her that her particular dog needed low fat to manage the diabetes. Primal ended up being way too high in fat and thankfully the customer dodged a huge bullet by not buying it.

None of us here have examined your dog and we were not the ones who diganosed her diabetes, therefore we are not the best people to make recommendations for foods.

[Pitlove]

Emily-

Pro Plan DCO is specifically formulated by nutritionists for canine patients with diabetes. It is a fine choice. If you do not want to use this food, I would suggest working with a nutritionist to formulate a homecooked diet for a diabetic dog.

[Michael C]

I have never had a dog with diabetes, and am not a nutritional expert, but I suggest something low in carbs; such as: Solid gold Barking at the Moon, or Evo Turkey and Chicken; or Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken.

[Emily A]

My dog has Diabetes & Cushings, and the nutritionist recommended Purina Pro Plan DCO. I am not happy w/ this as it’s 1st ing. is corn, beet pulp ,poultry by-products, corn gluten meal, beef tallow.etc.
Everything I have read says the ist. ing. should be real meat, no non-specific by products, and whole veg. & fruits. What would be a good brand and what have other people used.

[Becky A]

Hey Crazy4Cats,

I feed him about 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at night now. He’s been cleared for cushings, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism. He’s just a very hungry pup, lol! I was feeding him orijen and switched him to Acana hoping it would help. He’s always hungry since i don’t give him a full cup like I used to back in the day ): My vet keeps recommending I feed him Hill’s Rx but I absolutely HATE that brand and its fillers esp since it contains corn/corn meal. I never had any problems feeding him orijen last year and his weight was kept in control and he even lost weight! ):

[El]

Hi sherrie l, welcome to DFA

Your instincts are correct! Your lab would benefit from a proper diet for his condition, and in my opinion that would be a LOW CARB wet food, preferably homemade, or commercial raw, cooked, or canned.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin to correctly breakdown carbohydrates, or the body becomes resistant to the insulin it does make. Since diabetes always affects carbohydrate breakdown, it makes sense to limit carbs as much as possible. At least that’s the way I see it, and limiting carbs as much as possible is the best way to normalize blood sugars and avoid diabetic complications.

So, if you agree with me so far then I would like to offer you a few diet options;

1) Homemade, properly balanced, low carb, moderate fat. high protein, lightly cooked. I feel this is the best option. ANY change in diet should be done slowly, over a minimum of 2 weeks. If you want to try raw, I would first do a 2 week transition to lightly cooked, and then an additional 2 week transition from lightly cooked to raw. A good book to start you off is;

Any recipe for raw food that does NOT contain ground bones can be safely cooked. ANY changes in diet will also require an adjustment in insulin. Less carbs = less insulin, more carbs = more insulin. I would NOT change his diet without monitoring his blood sugars at home, at least 4 times a day during transitions. I would also consult a Vet who is willing to support you on a change to a low carb diet.

2) Any 5 star raw, cooked, or canned food that meets these guidelines;
Low carb = less than 15% of calories from carbohydrates
Moderate fat = less than 50% of calories from fat.
High protein = minimum, 35% of calories from protein
These are MY definitions and others may have different opinions on what constitutes low, moderate, or high.

5 star wet – /dog-food-reviews/wet/5-star/

5 star raw – /dog-food-reviews/raw/5-star/

Editors choice (a fee applies) – /editors-choice-landing/

I wish you and your pup the best 😉

PS – “My 11 year old lab was recently diagnosed with diabetes and is taking *15 mls.* of insulin twice a day.”

You mean 15 units. U-100 insulin has 100 units per mL, and U-40 insulin has 40 units per mL. Each line on an insulin syringe equals 1 unit, not 1 mL 😉

[sherrie l]

My 11 year old lab was recently diagnosed with diabetes and is taking 15 mls. of insulin twice a day. Also has been taking an antibiotic recently for an infection, which has caused his readings to flucuate more. I would very much appreciate any suggestions for a dog food or diet that would help him with his diabetes. The vet said any good dog food is ok since he is on insulin to address the diabetes, however, I think he would benefit from a proper diet for his condition. Any input from others who have experience with diabetic dogs would be so welcome. Thank you

[Susan]

Hi Kim, when I rescued my boy 3 years ago he was weeing blood, he needed to be desexed within 1-5 days of receiving him, so when the rescue vet desexed him they did an ultra scan & the vet seen crystals, he was put on antibiotics & Royal Canine Vet Diet S/O Urinary wet tin food & dry Kibble for 6 weeks, he had to only eat the Royal Canine S/O wet & kibble for 6 weeks, so his crystal would dissolve, he had an ultra scan after 6 weeks & all the crystals had dissolved, then the vet said put him back on his normal diet, cause I had just rescued him I didn’t know what to feed him so I ended up contacting an Animal Naturopath cause he had other health problems…. Here’s her diets, it’s raw but I cooked the diet, minus any bones, if you scroll down click on the health diets he needs…. Diabetes diet & a weight reduction diet, work out the common foods between both diets & try feeding some cook meals for him, he will lose weight when he starts eating either a raw or cooked diet & the weight loss will help with his arthritis…Kibble isn’t good for bladder problems, wet foods are the better…… http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

[Kim J]

my dog is 13 years old and has many lumps and bumps/arthritis and is over weight. I took him to the vet this week because he was peeing all the time. He does drink alot of water but has been tested for diabetes sometime ago and that was negative.
His quick dip test indicated bladder infection and the vet put him on an antibiotic and sent the urine out for a culture. The results indicated very high levels of ph and protein and she mentioned there was blood in the urine. She wants to continue with the antibiotic and to repeat the culture in 12 days. I believe in my heart there is more going on here and I honestly think she does to. Does anyone have any insight on this kind of thing in older dogs?

[Catherine C]

Hope your dog does well – thank you for sharing about pancreatitis.
The problem i am having is trying to manage pancreatitis as well as diabetes, however my little guy is doing brilliantly with insulin.

[anonymously]

Are they giving him sub q fluids? Every day or every other day? It shouldn’t be too expensive, I found it helpful with my dog that had kidney damage related to Lyme disease.
In fact, I gave it myself (prescribed by veterinarian).

Sounds acute (from what you describe), if he gets through this, he should be good to go for a few years. I would not look at the abdominal surgery as a negative thing. I would listen to the specialists and do what they advise.

PS: Sometimes you get a dog that needs nothing but the minimum of routine care. Then there are the ones that have allergies or diabetes or some other condition that costs a few bucks. In the end, it all evens out.
In fact, I wouldn’t wait too long to have the surgery, if he is as bad as you say, maybe they can move the surgery date closer. The weaker he is , the less likely he will be able to tolerate it. What you describe, sounds like an emergency situation.

[j316]

Crock Pot Recipe Weight Loss and
Diabetes

30 percent whole young
fryer and 70 percent veggies
(green beans, peas, carrots squash, potatoes, or
pumpkin).

The average fryer is about 4 pounds. I cut it in half and use 2 pounds
(1920 calories).

I add 8 oz. of chicken livers
(280 calories), 6 pounds of veggies—a combination of 64 oz. frozen green beans
(660 calories) and 32 oz. frozen peas and carrots
(550 calories). This adds up to 3140 calories per 8.5- pound batch or 23 calories per ounce.
If you skim the fat off the top, the calories are reduced to 15-20 calories per ounce.
You could feed our hypothetical, obese 20-pound dog about 6 oz. twice daily. An
average dog would get 8oz. twice daily. And an active dog would get 12 oz. twice daily. A batch
(8.5 pounds) of chicken and veggies would last an average 20-pound
dog about a week.

You can add 16 oz. of pumpkin for extra fiber.

[C4D]

Hi Kristin C,

I’m in complete agreement with you on dogs being fed a more natural, balanced diet and that is the building block to fending off diseases. It often helps dogs that already are diagnosed with various conditions such as diabetes and seizures, etc. It sounds like your doing all the right things for your dog with the heart murmur too.

I also believe that way too many chemicals are being put on our dogs and personally use minimal, if any topicals. I actually just pull the ticks off my dogs, identify them (we have deer and brown dog ticks in abundance in my area as well as Lyme Disease) and try to keep them out of areas of known infestations. My guy that got the ticks got no less than 6 in less than a week’s time. I’ve also used some natural repellants on my dogs after getting ticks with great success.

I’m not disagreeing with you. I’m just saying it would be interesting to hear what happens if you decide to try omitting the Advantix. Here’s an interesting link on fleas from Dr. Peter Dobias:

http://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/34542021-can-feeding-a-raw-diet-prevent-fleas

Good luck with your pups!

[crazy4cats]

JM-
I actually asked my vet about it. I remembered reading about it on Dr. Pierson’s website. You have to get it from a special compounding pharmacy. Luckily we have one about 18 miles away. But, they do offer to ship it as well if you don’t have one close by.

I can think of diabetes, kidney disease and hyper thyroidism. What is the fourth?

And I think you are right. The hyper-t is probably the least worrisome of the diseases. I sure hope my others don’t get it though. The oldest of the rest of the crew is around seven years supposedly.

[losul]

Weezerweeks, please use much caution about giving a dog human antacids/PPI’s/ acid , especially for any prolonged length of time, beyond occasional usage, without carefully regulated dosage, without guidance from a good vet, and without knowing the actual cause of acid reflux symptoms, if that’s even what it is (acid reflux). As said above, hypochlorhydria can cause the exact same symptoms. I cringe every time I hear of someone self medicating., and it could be creating worse problems, especially in the longer term, if the cause is low stomach acid, or even if the problem does not originate from excessive acid production.. Even, if the underlying cause were to be excessive acid production, if you cut a pill that was designed for a 160lb human in quarters and give to a 10 lb dog, that dosage seems way too much anyway. It’s too easy to intuitively assume these sort of symptoms (reflux or indigestion) stems from excessive stomach acid. It could be excess stomach acid production or refluxing for numerous reasons, but I feel that way too often it may be caused by just the opposite, probably both in dogs as in humans. If antacids are given to a dog in wrong dosage or if the dog really suffers from low stomach acid and antacids are given, it could lead to achlorydria (no stomach acid)…

I spent a great deal of time studying on this over the last year and a half or so, the “acid” reflux, GERD, hypochlorydria, achloridia, hyperchlorydria, digestion problems, etc. and how it relates to overall health/disease. It’s a complicated issue, and I’m absolutely no medical pro at all, but I think I’ve learned some good info on the subject. Good health really begins in the first part of digestion, the stomach, IMO. Most of the info available pertains to humans, but should apply to dogs as well. I’ve been wanting to write about this again for awhile now….It’s been high on my to do list… I really sympathize and feel with the folks and their dogs, the helplessness feeling and distressed feelings such as on forum threads like “dog gulping and swallowing”, and of course with Sue and her dog Patch, and anyone else’s also.

Sue, I think you’re finally probably on the right track now with your thinking, and on the right path with consulting with the Naturopath vet, I hope you continue with that. I hope you are also up front with her/him about Patch’s extensive past antacid usage, also the extensive antibiotics usage. H. Pylori thrives in lower stomach acid and will in fact even help create a less acidic atmosphere for itself via it’s large production of urease, which metabolizes in the stomach to ammonia and neutralizes stomach acid. The H pylori can also damage the mucous and the parietal cells in the stomach, which produce the hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach. It does become necessary to use the antacids along with the antibiotic therapy to eradicate the h pylori. I thought this odd at first, but it turns out, I found that H. Pylori does needs hydrochloric acid in it’s metabolism, so to limit stomach acid during eradication makes sense. And of course antacids become necessary to allow time for ulcers or damaged esophagus, etc. to heal. I think you already said that Patch didn’t have ulcers or damage to his esophagus? Actually H. Pylori is very rare in the stomachs of dogs as I understand it, but other helicobacter species are more common and may be a normal inhabitant of a canine stomach.

I don’t believe there are any good tests on a dog to find out about stomach acid production. There’s a good test for humans, the Heidelburg PH capsule test, minimally invasive, although it’s not a mainstream or well known diagnostic tool, (nope most doctors will just prescribe an antacid) and it can also even measure PH in the small and large intestine.. I called them sometime back and asked if there was any in use for dogs, which I already doubted, I was told no, but that she would bring it up at the next company meeting. Humans can do some limited self testing to a certain extent, which I won’t get into, but can’t really do that with dogs, as they can’t tell exactly what they are feeling at the moment.

I’ve got whole lots of links bookmarked on this subject, when I can get to them and when I get time. For now, there’s a pretty good summary of digestion/disease issues just from the Heidelberg Medical site. I would read ALL the “learn more” topics (on the right side), including hypochlorhydria, allergies, diabetes, gastritis, asthma, dumping syndrome, hyperchlorydria, achlorydria, the medications, PPI’s, H2’s GERD, antibiotics, pyloric insufficiency, etc. Please read them all.

http://phcapsule.com/digestion/gerd-reflux/

[Pitlove]

Hi Carlos- Congrats on your move! I just moved out of New England to the south myself last year and it has been a nice change. Hope you and your family are enjoying your new home!

To answer your question, since your boy is getting up there in age you are definitely going to want to provide him with a high protein diet if you have not being doing so already. Contemporary research (even Purina’s website says this!) shows that senior dogs have an increased need for protein, unlike what was previously thought.

Variety is the spice of life for humans and dogs alike. I’m sure you would not want to eat the same old food day in day out your whole life and your dog probably wouldn’t want to either! So yes, changing brands or even just proteins can keep your dog healthy and provide him with a nice variety in his diet. Most of us on here have a few brands that we keep in a rotational diet that we change to every bag. I’m limiting my dogs brands for the moment because he has skin problems I need to address, but I’m still trying to find 2-3 foods that have wide ranges of proteins to rotate with. Both cats and dogs also benefit from a moisture rich diet, which kibble lacks.

If your cats were free fed and ate a food high in carbs that could have contributed or even caused the diabetes. I’ve always had overweight cats, however my current cat and my dog are both very healthy weights.However, I know your cats are a moot point.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[Diane J]

My dog has diabetes insipidus. I would like to find a dog food low in sodium or a dog food that will be best for maintaining a healthy level of electrolytes. Recently my dog underwent dental surgery. Following the surgery, his DI symptoms (increased water intake and high volumes of urination) cleared up completely for a week and a half. Also his fur coat and energy level was the best we had seen in years. We are not sure what triggered the temporary cure. I had hoped that the required wet diet following oral surgery was a factor. However, as his DI symptoms have returned, I have also added his kibbles to his wet food diet. He is back on his medication (desmopressin as needed) and the need for careful monitoring of his water in-take. His dull fur coat, slight increase in weight and low energy level is back. We feed him Wilderness dog food which is very good but I would like to get him on the best diet possible for his medical condition.

[Pitlove]

I feel that a change in food to something with less fillers and ingredients that are biologically inappropriate for a dog would help in other facets of your dogs life as well as some of the allergy symptoms, for example preventing weight gain and diabetes.

heres a video you might be interested in:

heres another discussing allergies:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v9gKgs_NDQ

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.

[Bobby dog]

Drew:
I second DF’s suggestion to avoid Evanger’s food or any food they manufacture for other companies.

Did you check out the links I posted on my May 12, 2015 at 8:48 pm post on page three? There are food suggestions on those sites. Also, look into joining the Facebook group I posted for support from other owners that have dogs with diabetes and are faced with budget constraints.

As far as feeding your other dogs the same diet, I would research that further. Your diabetic dog has his own specific needs that are different from the needs of your other dogs depending on the diet you choose.

[triggersmom]

Hi Drew

Sorry to hear she has pancreatitis and diabetes.

Evangers hunk of beef canned has approximately 84% protein, 13% fat and 1 or 2% carbohydrates. I think it’s worth a try.

http://www.evangersdogfood.com/?p=20109

I’ll look for my lists and see what else we can find.

[triggersmom]

Hi Drew

I’ve been taking care of diabetic dogs for 20 years now and my husband is an endocrinologist for people with type 2 diabetes. I’ve tried just about every type of diet and the only diet that has worked is low carb. I know you are looking for a kibble but I have to tell you that kibbles are the one type of diet I would never feed a diabetic dog.

Kibbles are low in moisture and high in carbs. Dry foods can make the kidneys work harder and you want to protect the kidneys of a diabetic dog. High carb diets make it very difficult to impossible to control your dog’s blood sugar.

I strongly suggest you look for a canned food that is low carb. Most low carb canned foods are high in fat which could be a problem if your dog has pancreatitis, otherwise it’s not the fat that will harm your dog it’s the carbs.

Low carb also enables you to use less insulin which is good. High doses of insulin along with high amounts of carbs cause wide swings in blood sugars. Sugars can go from very high to very low on high carb diets.

With low carb diets you’re able to keep blood sugars in a much tighter range. I’m able to keep my dogs blood sugars between 125 and 150 mg/dl. I was never able to do this on a high carb diet.

High blood sugars are responsible for all diabetic complications.

Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by triggersmom.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Drew:
Here are some sites with info about canine diabetes:
http://www.animalendocrine.info/
http://www.k9diabetes.com/

Here is a canine diabetes support group you can join:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/

Here’s some diet info:
http://www.dogaware.com/articles/wdjdiabetesdiets.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_5/features/Canine-Diabetes-Diagnosis-and-Treatment_20521-1.html

[Drew D]

Hello, Im new and need some advice. I have a Yorkie-mix that just got diagnosed with diabetes. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the symptoms quick enough and the disease robbed her of her site. She literally lost it in what seemed like over night! She is adjusting to her vision loss pretty well though. I give her 3 units of Novolin in the am and 3 units at her p.m. feeding. Naturally the vet suggested Hills W/D. I have been feeding her this for about 3 months, since her diagnosis. I have researched this brand and I believe there must be a better dog food for her other than this. I know everyone has their opinion , but is there a brand or two that consistently has been suggested for diabetics? Im so totally confused about protein/fat ratios, etc. I gather the part about low carb being better, but still get confused about everything else on the label. I mentioned S.G. Barking at the moon and my vet flipped out and said the protein % was too high. I prefer a kibble. And also have two other small dogs that are over weight so was hoping I could feed them the same food as I will for my diabetic dog. Any help would be appreciated.

[Amber C]

I’m a vet tech and I have a 11 year old poodle named Molly who has Diabetes. Her vet prescribed Purina’s Prescription DCO (Diabetes/Colitis) Dry Formula food for her, and it works great. She loves it. I allow her to free feed and then she gets her insulin twice a day. She is recovering from an exploratory laparotomy to remove an obstruction and her 3rd case of pancreatitis in her life. (The first case damaged her pancreas so severely that it caused the diabetes) The 2nd and 3rd cases of pancreatitis were secondary to an obstruction. The DCO is very high in fiber and low in carbs that would convert to glucose. She is able to maintain a fairly low dose of insulin. She is about 9lbs and normally gets 6.5 units BID. I would definitely recommend it!

[Jan E]

Age has a way of creeping up on us all…I have 3 seniors now – 11 y/o Rotti/malamuteX w/ diabetes and low thyroid, 14 y/o Australian Kelpie X w/ arthritis issues, & 10 y/o lab/Rotti X. I have seen the “same poop balls” from my 10 y/o this past winter, I assumed it was from drinking less water as the consistency seemed dry in these “chunks”. He is fed a 5 star kibble w/ a 5 star canned topper. I started soaking his kibble prior to feeding and the incontinence cleared!
Best to you!

[Cheryl H]

I am planning on trying out some other foods from time to time, but right now I’m looking for a good food to switch him to following some bad experiences and a recent illness. The dog I had before Winston had a number of health problems including urinary crystals (not struvite) and diabetes. She was on a special diet for the crystals but had to switch to one for her diabetes. Unfortunately her crystals came back resulting in a blockage sending us to an emergency vet in the middle of the night. I’m obsessive about making sure Winston doesn’t have to go through what Chloe did. I know a whole lot more today than I did then, thanks to this site and people like you!

[AJ A]

I personally don’t think it is diabetes or anything wrong with the dog. The excessive urination since it is clear and not dark yellow and concentration is always a good sign. I still think their is excessive salt in the meats, we really don’t know where the meat we buy comes from and what they do to keep it tender and juicy. If I eat salty I pee like crazy.
Mine is a puppy and a 14yrs old Shih Tzu. My pups still pees more, but its getting less often, also I did not change diet. My Shih Tzu pees bigger but not more often, he is on the same diet.
I am not concerned since I see my dogs energetic and active, no abnormal behavior . I don’t run to the Vet unless emergency situation, I try to make common sense. Most Vets are only into your money and getting you into their dietary kibbles where they earn commission on selling it.
Haven’t found yet a Vet promoting raw feeding.

[Alan I]

I changed my 8yo Jack Russell onto a raw food diet about four months ago. A few weeks later she started having little urine accidents in the house which she’d never done before. Concerned I took her to the vets.

A few hours later I received a panic call to say her ketones were very high and her glucose curve none existent – at the time this meant nothing to me – and that she had diabetes. Since then I’ve been injecting her with insulin twice a day.

The vet tried to get me to change her food to diabetic kibble but I refused. So they have accommodated my determination to keep her on raw food, checked the diet I use (it’s fine and balanced but without carbs) and I monitor her ketones and glucose everyday.

Here’s my problem. I’ve done lots of research online and feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place. Whilst there is very little about dogs there’s lots about humans and ketogenic diets. What that tells me is that ketone levels rise dramatically when you remove carbs from your diet and your glucose curve flattens (as you don’t have glucose spikes because you’re not eating carbs). This seems to suggest high ketone levels in my dog are normal – it’s obvious really, she doesn’t eat carbs so she needs ketones in her blood to process the protein; and that the standard measure of diabetes (glucose curve) might not to relevant either!

So here’s my quandary. I don’t know if my dog actually has diabetes anymore. I wonder if everything is a function of her diet. That leads me to be concerned as, if I’m giving her insulin she doesn’t need I’m poisoning her and she’ll create triglycerides that are very harmful to her.

Does anybody have a view? Any research or papers I can read?

[Alan I]

I moved my 8yo Jack Russell onto a Raw Food Diet about four months ago. She suddenly started urinating a lot and having accidents in the house (something she’d never done before) so I took her to the vets. I then received a panic call to say her ketones were really high and that she had critical diabetes. I was obviously rattled by this and we began (7 weeks ago) to inject her with insulin twice a day. The vet tried to get me onto diabetic kibble but I refused.

There isn’t much online about ketogenic diets in dogs but lots on humans and what it all says is ketone levels are always high which you cut out carbs and rely on protein for your energy – it’s obvious really when you think about it. Having read these threads I’m starting to think that her increased urination was a function of the change and her ketone levels had nothing to do with diabetes but were just natural.

I have now challenged the vet – no response yet – to find another measure for diabetes. Obviously they also did a glucose curve which was very shallow (it’s supposed to spike after food then drop) but I watched a lecture on ketogenesis online yesterday that said those on a ketogenic diet don’t have spiked glucose curves – again this is obvious as they are not having to produce lots of insulin to process the sugar in carbs.

I’m wondering if anybody has a view. I now fear my dog doesn’t have diabetes, in which case I could be poisoning her with insulin. Over production of insulin causes triglycerides which lead to weight gain and all sorts of other complications! I feel like I’m between a rock and a hard place.

HELP!!

[aimee]

I wouldn’t say Annamaet is better than Wellness core for weight loss just that there is no reason to dismiss it as a choice based on carbohydrate content. Feeding fewer calories than are required is still key to weight loss. If your dog isn’t losing weight at a particular caloric intake than the choice is to increase expenditure or decrease intake.

You can find the Borne study here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.1550-8528.1996.tb00241.x/pdf

and the one about increased body fat when increasing calories fed as fat here: http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/52/10/2453.full

[barbara s]

Thanks everyone. Somehow this went to my spam folder. I did take my dog, Charlie to the vet w a urine sample. As a retired RN, I too thought about urinary tract infection or diabetes. He tests negative on both. Vet says maybe allergy…doesn’t seem to know much about dog food ingredients. Recommends what they sell but not at all familiar with what the ingredients are or what a dog requires in the way of nutrition. (Why am I not suprised, as someone here mentioned dog food manufacturers provide vets with dog for their own pets. Also, I had a vet serving his internship tell me the same. Groomers have told me the major dog food companies finance continuining education seminars for vets. I am slowly introducing him to the wegmans brand mentioned on this website. Charlie is doing well and I am so glad to have found this site. Thanks again to all. Barb

[Martha T]

Could be a lot of different reasons
but excessive thirst is one sign
of diabetes you might want
to have someone else check him
out.

[Elise T]

I didn’t know how to search forum so started this. We have a 7 year old min pin that was diagnosed as diabetic. We are going weekly to see how much insulin she needs. I was wondering if there are any essential oils users out there that have found good results in helping with this.

[jgr789]

When my dog was first diagnosed I used a combination of the prescription food W/D with mostly Wellness Core Reduced Fat and later switched to Royal Canine. After a couple of years she started having appetite and gastro problems caused by pancreatitis and we tried over thirty different high end low fat, low carb foods mostly purchased from Chewy.com because they are so great with customer service but in her final days we used Flint River Senior. They have several different food mixes and you can get samples too. Also very good customer service.

Good luck with the challenges of diabetes and if you aren’t already familiar, you should definitely go to the k9diabetes website and join the forum. Those people are the most amazing group and helped me through a multitude of concerns.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by jgr789. Reason: Added information

[Bobby dog]

Hi Beth M:
Check out this canine diabetes support group on Facebook, maybe you can find some resources to help you and your pup there:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/

[Mieke v]

Our dog is on Honest Kitchen Zeal for pancreatitis and when researching it for that had read of folks who had lots of success on it for diabetes. I think that was maybe on Chewy.com where I read some of those. Maybe do a google search HK Zeal diabetes? I read on one post where one person’s dog was able to go down to half the medication dosage (for diabetes) after going on the HK. I also read that people w/dogs with diabetes will hydrate the food (HK is a dehydrated type) let sit for 10 min., then put it in a blender to break it up even more. Be warned, it is an uber expensive food! Due to its costs, and I am not sure if any food is good to give exclusively, we now have him on a rotation diet between the HK, Wellness Core (can) and Merrick Grain-free Wilderness (can). However, for us it save at least $500 in vet fees. Not to mentioned saved our beloved guy.

[Ronald]

OK thanks for replying Melissa, I also heard a lot about Diamond, so it’s out..

I did go to Wal-Mart and got some dry and wet Pro Balance. Abby loves it..

Retha thanks for the response.. I did use Pedigree for years and even recommend it to others, no more though..At the top of the page check out the Reviews.. on types of foods..

If there is a Wal-Mart close to you go the pet section and give Pro Balance a try, you can buy small bags. Salmon and peas seems like a good start..This food is all grain free.

My first dog Eddie was a Pedigree dog, who got sick and ended up having two shots a day for diabetes, this never stops.. He ended up passing away because he was just too sick. Been three years now and I still see him walking with me..even though he’s not..

Ron..

[RethaCarole]

Ron,

Thanks for starting this post. Again, you are not the only one feeding Pedigree. I have been feeding it to my rescued Lab (Miley) for 8 years now and she was recently diagnosed in November with diabetes (420 glucose level) and immediately started her on insulin (11 units) 2 x per day. While a lot of her symptoms have subsided and she went from 80 pounds to 70 pounds, her glucose level will not drop below 300. I have been researching different dog foods for a few days now and was appalled by what I have read about what is in Pedigree and the low nutritional value. No wonder her glucose level will not drop. I feel like such a horrible doggie mom. Because there are so many dog foods on the market it is so difficult to find one for a diabetic dog that is low carb, low fat, low on the Glycemic index, less than 20% of the calories are from the carbs and costs less than $50 a bag. The brands that have a specific line of diabetic products do not get very good ratings either. Because of all this research, I found this website in the hopes of finding something better to give Miley. So if anyone has any experience or suggestions, I would truly appreciate the assistance. My head is swimming right now.
Thanks in advance,
Retha

[Akari_32]

It’s just under $20 for a case on P4P (and shipping is $4). You should really try applying! You never know if it’ll work.

Did you see the Dietitic Management canned food? That actually looks better than most “premium” foods as far as protein and carbs goes. It’s really high protein and super low carbs. It’s not something I would mind using just to use, provide it didn’t have anything in it that would hurt a cat that didn’t have diabetes (haven’t looked that far into it lol).

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/AB8B8041-2B80-4D54-8E1C-EA319DFAC45E_zpssst3pzit.png

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Akari_32.