The Best Kinds of Treats For Diabetic Dogs

Diabetes is when the dog’s body isn’t producing enough insulin. This happens when the pancreas is damaged or otherwise not functioning properly and the body is not able to pull the glucose from the bloodstream. This disease requires constant monitoring in both humans and pets, and maintaining a healthy glucose level in your pet can be challenging. Diabetes is a disease that can certainly change your dog’s lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to! 

Fortunately, there are great food and treat alternatives to help with your pups!  Treats are an excellent training tool, especially for food-motivated dogs. Caring for a dog with diabetes can be stressful, expensive, and time-consuming for pet owners – especially new pet owners. Diabetes prevents the dog’s body from getting the nutrients they need and can result in a low-energy, unhealthy dog with a depressed attitude. 

It is much easier to find meals and food that is specifically tailored to fit your dog’s health needs than it was some years back. However, dog treats seem to have been left behind. So many of the treats on the market today are full of low-quality ingredients, fillers, artificial substances, and ingredients that would be especially bad for a dog with diabetes. 

You shouldn't let diabetes affect the relationship you have with your pup and should certainly still continue to train and reward them.

Top 3 Things to Consider when Shopping for Treats:

Read The Label

Treats that are low in carbohydrates and high in fiber and protein are best for diabetic dogs. Each ingredient plays a role in managing glucose levels, so look for treats that are free of starches, additives, chemicals, and other unnatural fillers. 

To start, take a close look at the ingredients on the labels. You want:

• Limited ingredients
• Protein first
• Low or no carb or starch ingredients
• No added sugars or syrups (fructose and glucose)

This applies to your pets' food as well! Ingredients that are listed first will have more predominance and slowly decrease in the amount the further down they are listed.  Look for treats that list natural proteins instead of protein alternatives or meat meals as these are often considered inferior protein sources.

High Protein

Incorporating high-quality protein from lean meats and fish into your dog’s diet provides good, healthy calories. Your dog can metabolize protein into energy more efficiently. Higher protein diets promote lean muscle mass and a healthier weight which helps diabetic dogs as well.

Beef, chicken, turkey, and many types of fish are all good sources of protein. Treats made from Organs are considered a high-value snack that your dog will love to eat while providing an array of vitamins and nutrients that dogs need. 

Certain vegetables including carrots, snap peas, and canned pumpkin make a tasty, diabetes-safe treat on their own. There are some fruits and berries that are good sources of fiber but use sparingly because of the high levels of glucose. Certain veggies can be appropriate, but a majority convert to sugar once digested, causing potential issues when trying to regulate glucose. Feel free to mix in a bit of their favorite meat if they don’t like veggies or just need a more enticing reward. 

How Often & How Much They Are Consuming 

Just like in humans, dog diabetes is best managed by portion control. Your dog may beg for more but check with your vet on how much you should be feeding them (depends on size, age, activity level, and breed).

You want to prevent your dog from having huge glucose spikes and dips. By feeding them at the same time each day and appropriate treats between meals, you're stabilizing their blood sugar levels. 

Always consult your Vet if you are unsure about anything your dog consumes if they show signs of sickness. It’s best to avoid commercial dog treats since many include fillers such as corn and/or soy, corn syrup, fructose, or molasses. Each of these is high in sugar. Dogs can be fickle so be sure to experiment and find their favorites! 

Dogs like many other pets can quickly become parts of our families. Their naturally lovable and intelligent nature makes them easy to fall in love with and so, it can be challenging for owners to come to terms with the diagnosis when they become ill. 

 

Farm Hound's treats are made from 100% farm-fresh, raw animal ingredients and are completely free of antibiotics, hormones, chemicals, and pesticides. Visit our shop to see our wide selection of nutrient-rich, high-value treats!