Talk to Your Vet About Your Diabetic Dog’s Diet

When your dog is first diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing you should do is talk to your vet about the dog’s diet. Depending on your pet’s current state of health, you may or may not need to make adjustments to the quantity or type of food that the dog eats.

Consider Alternatives to Prescription Diabetic Dog Food

If your diabetic dog does require a change to the type of food that they eat, know that prescription diets are not your only option. While in some cases, these foods are the best choice, in some other cases, vets may push prescription dog foods because they are paid to do so or because they aren’t aware that there are other options out there.

Home Cooking Can Help a Diabetic Dog to Thrive

Switching to diabetic homemade dog food recipes may seem like a time-consuming and difficult approach to undertake, but there are many resources available to help you. Not only do we have plenty of recipes here on Top Dog Tips (including our free eBook), but there are more than a few cookbooks available that include diabetic dog food recipes

Raw Feeding Might Be Good for Diabetic Dogs

Unlike commercial diets, raw feeding for dogs allows for easier restriction of calories, and especially carbohydrates and simple sugars. Additionally, unlike home cooked dog food recipes, raw feeding is much easier and less time-consuming for pet owners.

Don’t Be Afraid to Try Another Diet Type

If one type of diabetic dog diets – commercial, home-cooked, raw – doesn’t agree with your diabetic dog, don’t be afraid to try a different diet type. For example, if a diabetic dog food brand does not improve your pet’s health over a few week’s time, look into trying a raw food diet or homemade recipes instead, or try a different brand.

Get Rid of Those Traditional Dog Treats

Many commercial dog treats are widely known for being exceptionally high in calories, sugars and fat as well as for containing a large number of artificial ingredients. No dog needs to consume these types of ingredients, and there are healthier alternatives available. Ideally, you should pick single-ingredient dog treats high in protein.