Diet for a Diabetic Dog

High Fiber Foods

• One of the key nutrients for a diabetic dog is plenty of fiber. Fiber helps absorption of other nutrients. It helps your dog use the bathroom regularly. Fiber digests slowly, reducing the chances of your dog's blood sugar suddenly rising after meals and throughout the day. Talk to the veterinarian about adding unsweetened bran cereal to your dog's diet. Add new foods to your dog's diet slowly. This allows your dog's body to get used to the changes.

Complex Carbohydrates

• There are two primary types of carbohydrates, simplex and complex. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest. They provide energy for your dog. Cooked brown rice is a nutritional source of complex carbohydrates to feed your dog. You can slowly add cooked, brown rice to your dog's diet. Ideally, mix either the bran for fiber or the cooked brown rice for complex carbohydrates at different meals. Picky eaters might not enjoy the addition of both to their food.

Low-Fat Foods

• Foods rich in fat quickly increase blood sugars during digestion. Your veterinarian will suggest you adopt a diet for your diabetic dog that is low in fat. Avoid feeding your dog milk products, meat scraps, canned food and cheese products. These can be high in fat. Read dry food labels for dog foods with lower fat levels.

Avoid Sugary Food

• Avoid treats, snacks and meals with sugary foods. Sugar is not good for a dog with diabetes. Avoid the temptation to give treats or people food. Get your diabetic dog used to eating only from his bowl, filled with nutritious food specifically for a diabetic dog. You can give a small taste as a treat on a rare occasion. However, make certain your dog has followed his diet for diabetes the rest of that day.

Regular Meal Times

• Regular meal and snack times are vital for a diet for diabetic dogs. Dogs on insulin need their insulin injections and eating times carefully coordinated. Insulin needs time to process in your dog's body to work with the diet. Do not skip meals for your diabetic dog. Keep a rigid feeding schedule; never just free-feed a diabetic dog.

Water

• All dogs need fresh water. Diabetic dogs tend to consume more water than healthier dogs. Keep an eye on your dog. Increased thirst 15 to 30 minutes after meals could mean an increase in blood sugar levels. Carefully monitor your dog and seek emergency veterinarian care if you are unsure of raised blood sugar levels. It's always wise to be safe and cautious.