What do you feed your diabetic dog?

[Fua2015]

I'd really like to know from everyone what constitutes an evening meal for your diabetic dog.

And, also, do you think that when you add something extra to the meal that you find there is a direct improvement on your dog's diabetes? For example, about 5 weeks ago, I read online about the vegetable, kale. I boiled some and cut it up and added it to Fua's evening meal and maybe this is just a lucky or improbable occurrence, but Fua seemed much more energetic, much brighter and simply much less of a diabetic dog the next few days. Maybe the effect doesn't last forever.

Have you experienced anything like this? I'd really love to throw open this topic of what you feed your dog, so please feel free to post back anything you like.

Anecdotally, I don't think there is much choice in the diets recommended for diabetic dogs where I live (in England and Portugal) compared with the choice which seems available in the USA.

Thank you very much!
Aron

[Eddie]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Before Eddie got diabetes we were feeding him Orijen (horribly expensive but it worked well for his EPI and itchiness). When he was diagnosed with diabetes we just carried on with that because it suited his other issues.

That then became difficult to obtain here in UK so we switched to Canagan which is almost a UK equivalent of just fish and vegetables without any grain.

We have stuck with Canagan even though it doesn't meet some of the criteria of a "diabetic" food because it seems to work ok for us. I have tried other foods but they all caused problems with itching or digestion so we now just feed Canagan. (The other dogs get something a little less expensive!).

We don't really add anything extra except for the little dry treats he gets for testing etc, as we don't want to upset things when we have got them more or less balanced.

I think you will find that there is a huge range of different foods fed by members of this forum and there is no "one size fits all", and there are many options beyond the "diabetic" foods which are often suggested by vets.

Antonia

[Rusty (Bobba) mom]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Rusty does really well on Purina DCO dry.
Although he does enjoy the string beans he gets after his insulin shots and as his snack in the afternoon.

[wild lady wolf]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Hello!


I joined this group today and I am so glad because reading today's posts I can learn so much needed information on canine diabetes!


Mr. Shadow's diabetes was diagnosed in the fall last year and we had to abruptly cut his diet to only Hills D/W dry and canned dog food...fortunately he loves the canned food. He's not too crazy about the dry dog food and sometimes right his morning Insulin I'll dip each pebble in the canned food to entice his appetite. My husband and I decided to save the canned food as a "treat" for letting us give him his shot. It's usually 4 to 5 1/4's of teaspoon.

Once a week we'll slow cook boneless chicken with nothing other than water, once cooked, mix a small portion of meat with the broth in the W/D pebbles. Mr. Shadow loves that


__________________________________________________ ___________________________
Shadow 5 -1/2 yr. old mix, 19 lbs.

[jesse girl]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

jesse has raw beef heart and raw vegetables including kale cooked pinto beans hard boiled eggs and sweet potato yams i grind up the egg shell to give some calcium to balance the beef heart . it has worked well for her

i am sure this is unique to jesse

[Fua2015]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Wow! Thank you to Jesse-girl, Wild Lady Wolf, Rusty (Bobba Mom) and Eddie, for all your great responses.

Wild Lady Wolf: welcome. I have only been on the forum since Nov 2015, so I'm a new person as well. But everyone here has been so helpful, offering great advice on everything that has taken place with Fua's health, and if you have any questions, feel free to post so everyone can help you.

Jesse-girl: Pleased to know that I'm not the only one feeding my dog kale. Whilst I cannot prove anything scientifically or biologically, I swear that Fua is much more alert and active the next day after he's had kale mixed into his meal the night before. Also I have been putting spinach, brocolli and carrot into the milkshake blender and giving him some of that. My vet said it would be good in perhaps slowing down his developing sight loss.

I was shocked to find that certain foods my dog would have rejected before he developed diabetes, he now eats and enjoys. Had I proffered him a raw carrot one year ago, Fua would have walked away. However, this morning, he ate two carrots.

Rusty (Bobba Mom): I'm going to have a look at the Purina DCO. It sounds great.


Does anyone give their dog vitamin tablets? I found some canine multivitamins in the supermarket and have bought some. I grind them up with the back of a spoon and sprinkle onto his evening meal.

I was also wondering if my fridge might be too cold for storing the caninsulin bottles? I measured the temperature of the fridge, and it is 2 degrees centigrade.

[farrwf]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

W/D kibble and diced up crockpot chicken.

[jesse girl]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

they do have merchants that sell vitamin support for dogs that are for a homemade diet i have used some products from natures farmacy for jesse

they also have things like vitabone (like a milk bone or biscuit style treat ) that are fortified with vitamins and minerals which jesse gets as a snack i have no idea if these things actually are processed and utilized by the body

jesse gets a good balance with her meal i do understand the need to balance out meat protein with calcium

i think the medical community is still on the fence as far a multi vitamin . some say its good some say it doesn't do much . i might be in the court of not doing much because it is synthesized product and i am not sure the body would consider it something good for it but thats just my opinion and i could be completely off base

[amydunn19]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Maggie eats Nutrisca dry and wet with some boiled chicken sprinkled on top,and a splash of raw goat's milk. I give her D Mannose and Vitamin C at both meals.

[Fua2015]

Re: What do you feed your diabetic dog?

Maggie eats Nutrisca dry and wet with some boiled chicken sprinkled on top,and a splash of raw goat's milk. I give her D Mannose and Vitamin C at both meals.

That sounds a great combination.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gives Vitamin C. Several vets have told me that it can help to stimulate the immune system.

[amydunn19]

I started it because vitamin c was supposed to help with dementia. She is also on anipryl and her dementia hasn't gotten worse.