Diet tips for managing Diabetes in dogs

We treat our dogs like they were humans. Which is fine, cute even. But things become sad when they start to even suffer from human illness. Take diabetes, for instance. A human illness that is starting to affects dogs. Were you aware of canine diabetes? It’s not a rare disease when you consider the numbers. One in 500 dogs is likely to suffer from this serious disease, and if something isn’t done soon, the numbers are only going to increase rapidly. The disease is so similar to the human illness that veterinary doctors even use the same testing devices and treatment as human diabetes. If untreated, the serious health risks associated with the disease are also similar – cataracts, liver and kidney complications, and even blindness.

Symptoms of canine Diabetes:

How do you come to know whether your dog is suffering from diabetes? Keep an eye on your furry friend and if you notice these symptoms or any drastic changes, rush to your vet immediately.

• Change in appetite
• Dehydration
• Excessive thirst/ increase in water consumption
• Increased urination
• Lethargy
• Unusually sweet-smelling or fruity breath
• Urinary tract infections
• Weight loss

Causes and Treatment of Canine Diabetes

Before we discuss treatment, let’s spend a few minutes understanding why a dog could get diabetes. There are mainly two factors that can be attributed to this disease – genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Some dogs are genetically susceptible to canine diabetes because of their ancestry or breed. There isn’t much that can be done in such cases except monitoring and managing the disease. The biggest culprit in environmental factors that contribute to diabetes is a poor diet. A poor diet is one that is high in fats and doesn’t contain much of the essential nutrients required by dogs. In most cases, dogs suffering from canine diabetes are treated with man-made therapy. This can include insulin shots, blood test strips and regular usage of blood sugar monitoring equipment. When we spoke of poor diets, what could be the main cause? Let’s find out.

Commercial dog foods vs raw food diets

Are you a pet owner who is facing canine diabetes? Then the first thing that you must do is manage your pet’s food intake. This means stopping all forms of kibble and commercially-prepared foods. And this is why. There aren’t any strict laws that compel commercial dog food companies to provide adequate nutrition information on their labels. You honestly cannot know whether your dog is getting the right nutrients and in the right proportion or not. Additionally, you have no way of gauging how much sugar is included in each serving of commercial dog food. This can be detrimental to a pet’s health whether or not the dog is suffering from canine diabetes. Then there are loads of preservatives, grains, and glutens that commercial food contains. This puts a strain on the pancreas and is actually harmful in the long run. The job of the pancreas is to regulate insulin and blood sugar levels, and also produces the enzymes responsible for breaking down fat. But if it is kept busy doing a clean-up job of the chemicals that are being fed then it does not have time to do its primary function which is to keep sugar levels in control. And finally, in addition to harmful ingredients, commercial dog food is cooked which strips all nutrients and essentially creates a food source that is just filling and not nutritious. And what makes it filling? Carbohydrates and other by-products that make up the bulk of commercial dog foods. All of this can lead to canine diabetes and also make the management of the disease immensely tough.

What is the solution to treating Canine Diabetes?

As a pet parent, you need to ensure that your dog eats a carefully planned diet that offers numerous health benefits and also maintains proper blood sugar levels. The answer to that is a raw food diet. More and more pet owners are starting to realize the benefits of a raw food diet to not just to control canine diabetes, but also to prevent it from occurring. When you feed your dog a raw diet, you know exactly what is going into the food. You and you alone control and regulate what you feed your dog. You can restrict sugars, carbs and harmful chemicals. There is no deception or trickery involved to make you buy a particular brand of dog food.

But is any raw diet fine?

Creating a good raw food diet The first thing you must ensure when feeding a raw food diet is to prevent vital organs from becoming over-stressed. For this, the best foods are raw chicken and turkey. Limit the intake of ground beef and other red meats since those have excess fat which can be difficult to digest. When you add uncooked fruits and vegetables to the diet, raw poultry can help reduce fat intake and increase the absorption of essential vitamins. Moreover, this kind of diet is rich in proteins and fibers that are great for your dog. As an alternative to sugary dog treats, you can use raw green beans and broccoli. What a raw food diet does is that it not only minimizes harmful ingredients that are eaten by your pet, but it also provides all the nutrients necessary for improved health. This way dogs get the energy essential for exercise and physical activity, both of which can have a positive impact on lowering blood glucose levels. Several veterinarians have gone on record to state that in several cases of canine diabetes when the dog was shifted to an organic and raw food regimen, it actually helped manage the disease without requiring any insulin injections.

Conclusion

Studies have shown that diabetes is rare or virtually absent in dogs who consume a non-processed, grain-free diet of cooked or raw meat, raw bones, organs, and vegetables. Have dog food companies have not done their homework? Or are they lying through their teeth when they say that kibble is better than wholesome, home-cooked or raw food? Are they saying that nature is wrong? Follow a balanced, wholesome diet with all the essential natural supplements and you will most probably eliminate the chances of diabetes entirely.