Like humans, dogs can become diabetic.
And like humans, diabetes has slowly been on the rise among dogs.
The increase in the number of dogs being diagnosed with diabetes has often been attributed to the quality and type of food the pets are being given.
The illness has often been linked to being an effect of excessive fats, gluten, corn, and foods with refined sugars.
Once diabetic, a dog will need special care, specifically a special kind of diet.
Diabetic dog food is food meant for dogs with diabetes.
It isn’t a special type of food, but rather a more specific type of food.
Simply stated, your pets can’t eat certain things, and should be eating specific things.
So the most important step in feeding diabetic dog food comes in choosing what to feed your dog.
First, you have to watch the amount and type of sugar you feed your pet.
Refined sugar can be found in many of the packaged dry dog food and packaged soft or wet dog food we find in grocery stores.
This type of sugar in these amounts are definitely not ideal for a pet with diabetes.
In relation to this, you have to control the carbohydrate intake of a diabetic dog.
This is because carbohydrates turn into sugar when broken down by the body, which means pet owners have to balance the amount of sugar their pets get from carbohydrates and from their other foods.
Second, dogs with diabetes should be given millet and oats as their sources of grains.
Both these grains make perfect diabetic dog food because they are able to help dogs regulate insulin.
Plus, millets and oats are both high in fiber, which can help clean your pet’s digestive system of any toxins or excess sugar.
Third, look for food that is low in fat and low in sodium.
Dogs with diabetes have decreased liver function, which means they can have difficulty processing sodium.
Similarly, their pancreas could do without fatty foods.
The pancreas are in charge of regulating insulin and blood sugar levels, but it is also the organ that produces the enzymes that break down fat.
If your dog eats fatty foods, their pancreas will be working overtime, and may have difficulty regulating insulin and blood sugar.
Apart from giving your pet diabetic dog food, you will also have to come up with a proper feeding system or schedule for them.
Pet owners need to regulate the food intake of a dog with diabetes.
Eating too much food can cause a spike in their insulin levels.
How often the pet is fed is also another factor.
A diabetic dog needs to eat two to three small meals a day instead of one large meal.
Again, you are trying to make sure insulin levels don’t rise dramatically, which can happen when a diabetic dog is fed one large meal.
Smaller meals help stabilize blood sugar levels and control insulin.
Try to give your pet fresh fruit and vegetables regularly because these can help stabilize blood sugar.
Ideally, fruit is served as a snack or as treats.
Don’t serve it with their main meal as it can upset their stomachs.
You can also give your pet a Vitamin E supplement.
Vitamin E has been known to help reduce insulin levels, but be sure to consult your veterinarian before adding it to your dog’s diet.
Feeding diabetic dog food is actually quite easy.
You simply need to know what you can give and what you should stay away from!
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