According to CanineDiabetes.org, it's not just humans who have problems with insulin deficiency. Dogs can have insufficient levels of insulin, too, causing the production of glucose to slow down or stop altogether. In fact, nearly 1 in 500 dogs suffer from diabetes. This loss of glucose in urine takes water with it, thereby causing the dog to be thirstier faster. It's a serious problem that can make any dog unwell.
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Adding Herbs to a Dog's Diet
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Diabetesindogs.com says there are several ways to change your dog's diet so the diabetes is not worsened. First, change the types of foods your dog is eating altogether. For instance, foods high in fiber and protein are best for a dog diagnosed with diabetes. Many brands advertise they are high in protein. Nextag.com offers comparison shopping for protein-rich dog foods. Let your dog try a couple and then stick with one food. Also, stay constant with how much you feed your dog and when you give it meals. One-third of the total daily amount of food should be given 30 minutes before insulin injections. The remaining amount of food should be given about eight hours later. What, when and how much dogs eat all affect blood sugar levels.
Also just start adding helpful ingredients to your dog's current diet. The herb bejak helps dogs with deteriorating urinary systems. Adding this supplement to both meals in the day will help strengthen a bladder being affected by diabetes. Also, adding a few drops of cider vinegar to a dog's water dish has been shown to increase the effectiveness of whatever medications your dog is taking. The karela herb stimulates the insulin-producing pancreas and adding cinnamon to food stimulates insulin production and even acts as a healthy substitute to insulin. Grapefruit helps a dog lose weight. Obesity is a leading contributor to the damage diabetes can do to dogs, as well as humans.
Looking for Natural Ingredients
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Dr. Colleen Smith of HolisticPetInfo.com noted that there are several natural supplements that can be integrated into any dog's diet to help combat its diabetes. She advises looking for foods and medications with the following ingredients:
Galega officinalis--Helps strengthen the pancreas, the insulin-producing organ in the body.
Chromium--Apart from balancing cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease, chromium makes the insulin that is produced more effective in balancing blood sugar levels in the dog's body.
Bilberry--An all-natural ingredient in some medications that serve to stimulate insulin production. It is especially helpful to dogs with type 2 diabetes. Apart from helping with diabetes and blood sugar levels, billberry has been known to improve vision and strengthen the circulatory system of dogs.
Smith also recommends adding more protein and reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your dog's diet. Smith also said that store-bought dog food, such as Solid Gold and California Naturals, can be found in most specialty pet stores and can help improve a diabetic dog's quality of life.
Importance of Exercise
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While a strict all-natural diet is essential for any pet, no matter what stage of diabetes it has, diabetic canines will require some form of insulin therapy. The most common types of insulin for animals are Caninsulin and Vetsulin and they are used primarily to treat household pets such as cats and dogs. Also, in addition to a healthy diet and regular insulin treatments, regular exercise is necessary in helping control your dog's diabetes. Regular exercise utilizes energy and, in turn, helps to avoid hyperglycemia, or excessive amounts of glucose in the blood stream. Exercise causes an increase in blood flow and improves the absorption of insulin, which thins out the concentration of glucose in the blood stream.
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