Pet Nutrition Services: A Helpful Guide for Dog Owners Regarding Diabetes in Dogs

 There is no ‘one-diet-fits-all approach to diabetes: body condition, pet preferences, and other diseases or medical conditions will guide the best diet for a dog with diabetes. Though there are some differing approaches for optimal nutrition in dogs with diabetes, the one most accepted strategy is to keep the diet consistent – use the same food feed and give insulin at the same time every day!

At Springwood Animal Hospital, we are giving quality practices about Pet Nutrition Services. We are giving the best nourishment administration in Whitby all days of the week.

What kind of diabetes do dogs get?

You may be familiar with ‘Type 1’ and ‘Type 2’ diabetes in humans. Type 2 is more common in people and is associated with obesity (this is also the kind of diabetes that cats get) and the body growing resistant to the effects of insulin. Dogs are commonly diagnosed with something related to ‘Type 1’ Diabetes, or what we might call ‘insulin-dependent diabetes Mellitus (IDDM). Pets with Type 1 can no longer make insulin, often due to an autoimmune condition. Diet can play an important role in the management of both types of diabetes, but it should be used along with medical management and diet will never replace the need for insulin or other medications in diabetes for dogs or cats.

What nutrients are important for diabetic dogs?

Before choosing a ‘diabetic diet,’ we need to recognize which nutrients are most important for your specific dog and use this to guide the optimal nutrient profile. The foremost nutrients to consider for diabetic dogs include water, calories, carbohydrates, and fiber. Many dogs with diabetes have increased thirst and increased urination, so fresh, clean water should be available at all times. The ideal number of calories per cup or can of food will depend on your dog’s body health and she needs to gain or lose weight to obtain the absolute body condition. If your dog has another disease such as heart disease or pancreatitis or has high levels of fat in his or her blood, other nutrients such as sodium or fat will also be important to consider. Some studies have shown the advantages of increased dietary fiber for dogs with diabetes as well.

A diet is more than just the food you are feeding!

Not only do we need to make sure we pick a diet with the right blend of nutrients, but we need to feed it consistently! Consistency of diet is an even more important phase of diabetes management for most dogs than individual nutrient levels. Feeding the same food at the same times every day (and picking just one or two treats and giving them consistently at the same time!) will help the dog’s body to better control blood sugar. Along with consistency and treats comes feeding an appropriate amount. Even the best diet, if we feed too much or too little, can make it more difficult to control the signs of diabetes. Dogs with diabetes can be skinny, overweight, or even ideal weight, so focusing on achieving or maintaining ideal body weight can help you pick the right diet for your dog (along with your veterinarian’s guidance). Higher calorie diets will be best for underweight dogs while lower-calorie diets important for overweight dogs. Some lower calorie diets are also higher in fiber. This is an example where there is no ‘one size fits all diet for diabetes in dogs: in the instance of an underweight dog, a high fiber, low-calorie food would be vulnerable if that dog cannot eat enough of the food to meet his calorie needs to keep an ideal weight!

Will weight loss help your overweight diabetic dog?

While being overweight isn’t a risk factor for the development of diabetes in dogs, it can contribute to difficulty controlling diabetes once it begins. Excess body fat can produce insulin resistance, meaning that the same amount of insulin has less of an effect. All overweight diabetic pets should be encouraged to gradually lose weight once initial diabetic control is reached. It is very important that our veterinarian monitor your dog closely during weight loss as his diabetic control will likely change and adjustments in his insulin may be needed to avoid overdoses.

Do You need a therapeutic or ‘vet’ diet?

There are nutrition’s that you can obtain from our veterinarian or with our veterinarian’s consent that is designed specifically for the treatment of diabetic dogs. However, these nutrients are not ideal or necessary for every diabetic dog. High insoluble fiber nutrient forms can also be found in some over-the-counter foods. One benefit of therapeutic diets is that they may have better consistency due to more strict processing rules compared to over-the-counter diets, which may have more batch-to-batch variability. It is also easier to obtain specific nutrient information from the manufacturer. You and Our Veterinarian may decide to stick with your pet’s regular diet initially but switch to a therapeutic diet if you are having difficulty with diabetic control after starting insulin. Regardless of the diet you pick, you should always beware of changing flavors, textures, or even dry and packaged versions of the same food. Each product may have a different effect on your dog’s diabetic control and you should talk with your vet before switching and monitor their diabetes carefully during and after a switch.

Anything You should avoid?

As we want consistency in the diet, home cooking is not recommended because of the batch-to-batch variability as well as the lack of testing to determine how various nutrients interact with each other (e.g. fiber) and are absorbed and utilized by the dog. Veterinary therapeutic diets from companies with strong nutritional expertise are typically tested for digestibility. Also, semi-moist dog foods should be avoided because they contain sucrose, fructose, and other simple carbohydrates that can result in higher blood sugar levels, so watch for element lists that include ‘sugar,’ ‘corn syrup,’ or ‘honey’ on the label if your dog has diabetes.

Tips for managing a diabetic dog:

• Make sure you keep a diet diary and tell our vet everything your dog gets, including treats, chews, table scraps, and food used for medication management. An example diet history of what to write down can be found online at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Nutrition Toolkit.
• When considering higher insoluble fiber diets, the increased fecal bulk will result in more frequent trips to go to the bathroom. This may mean you need to schedule more walks during the day to avoid setbacks.
• Dog diets specially designed to be higher in fiber are a safer source of fiber in most cases than just adding fiber to a regular diet as they can be formulated to still provide all the right nutrients to dogs (added fiber may make it harder to absorb all the nutrients from the diet). Canned pumpkin is popular with clients as a fiber supplement, but the quantity needed to see an effect might unbalance the total diet (meaning the pumpkin would provide significantly more than 10% of the dog’s total calories).
• Avoid fiber supplements containing added flavors or sweeteners such as xylitol, which can be fatal to dogs

Is it really worth the cost?

If you have more requests for your Pet Nutrition please make sure to contact us. We are here to help. Pet proprietors are allowed to visit our Animal Hospital in Whitby. We have gatherings of veterinarians with a significant length of contribution with Pets Nutrition Service inconceivably