Your Guide To The Best Dry Dog Food For Diabetic Dogs

Are you on the hunt for the best dry dog food for diabetic dogs?

Whether you have a diabetic fur baby, suspect diabetes, or know another pet who has just been diagnosed, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we are going to review what to look for in a diabetic friendly dry dog food and even provide some suggestions along with our top choice!

We understand that you want the very best for your pet, and with so many avenues available for gathering information, it can be difficult to know which dry dog food diet will work best for your pooch.

To help you along your journey for knowledge, we’ve put together this guide to help you spot the best dry dog food for diabetic dogs. Armed with the information packed into this review, you’re sure to find the right dry dog food that does wonders for your diabetic pup.

5 Best Dry Dog Food for Diabetic Dogs

5 Best Dry Dog Food for Diabetic Dogs Reviews

Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Wellness CORE is holistic, grain-free dog food which has been designed to promote total body health for all stages of life. This diet is packed full of protein with both fowl and fish meats, high fiber ingredients, along with several additions of health-boosting probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.

Overall Core Natural Grain Free is a great dry dog food option for your diabetic pooch that will help keep their weight down and blood sugars manageable. The first ingredient is de-boned turkey, followed by turkey and chicken meal. This diet contains high fiber ingredients, including ground flax seed, kale, carrots, and broccoli to help maintain your dog’s blood sugar levels

Despite the inclusion of both potatoes and sweet potatoes in this diet, Wellness CORE natural is still a fantastic option. The balance of protein, antioxidants, and fiber help to mildly counterbalance the addition of these high glycemic index ingredients.

ROYAL CANIN Glycobalance Dry Dog Food

ROYAL CANIN Glycobalance is one of the top prescription diet options available on the market today. It is recommended by many veterinarians for their diabetic patients. This diet has been developed by veterinarians with the aim of providing exactly the kind of nutrition that your diabetic dog needs to keep their blood sugar under control and manage gastrointestinal issues.

For those pups who have sensitive stomachs alongside their diabetes, this diet can be a good option. This diet features a variety of fiber sources to help manage your dog’s blood sugar levels.

As stated above this diet is recommended by many veterinarians. It is, overall, a good diet for your diabetic pooch, and many dogs find they enjoy the flavor.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Healthy Weight Recipe

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Recipes are primarily made with natural ingredients and fortified with the vitamins and minerals your pup needs. With premium-quality turkey to give the highest possible quality of animal proteins while other parts of chicken and turkey are turned into a delicious meal. Potatoes and peas are added with other ingredients to give your pup a well-balanced and nutritionally complete food.

This diet is easily digested with the addition of 4 probiotic strains alongside prebiotics. This diet was designed with low-glycemic-index carbohydrates like sorghum and sweet potatoes, which will help manage your dog’s blood sugar levels.

Nutro wholesome essentials healthy weight is a great diet for both diabetic and overweight pups. This diet includes all natural dried ingredients to provide flavor and antioxidants.

Orijen Dry Dog Food, Original

Orijen Original Dog Food is one of the most biologically appropriate dog food there is. With quality ingredients that are raised and caught right from their natural environments this diet contains high protein, high fiber and natural whole ingredients that have allowed it to gain popularity among both veterinarians and owners.

This diet contains 85% animal ingredients that include poultry, fish and egg products with chicken and turkey making up the bulk of the ingredients with a blend of fish and whole eggs. With the addition of lentils, vegetables and fruits this diet is grain free.

Overall, Orijen Original is an amazing diet to feed your dogs, diabetic or not.

ACANA Heritage Dry Dog Food

Acana Heritage Meats Dry Dog Food is another top option to feed your diabetic pup. This diet has a strong focus on proteins from beef and pork sourced fresh from the fertile farms of Kentucky.

With 60% of ingredients being premium meat and the remaining 40% filled with healthy fruits and vegetables with the addition of botanicals, this diet is gluten free, grain free and has no high glycemic index ingredients. This diet aims to provide your dog with as close to a natural diet as possible, compacted into a delicious kibble.

Arcana thrives because of its insistence on using only the highest quality ingredients it can source. Together with its biologically appropriate pet food formulas this brand continues focusing on giving dogs the type of nutrition that their bodies are naturally designed to accommodate.

How Can You Tell If Your Dog Has Diabetes?

Are you concerned your pup may have diabetes? Knowing what signs to look for will go a long way in describing your observations to your veterinarian during a visit. According to an in-depth article about diabetes featured on Veterinary Partner DVM, DABVP Wendy Brooks states that the most common symptoms of diabetes in your dog include:

If you notice these symptoms in your dog, be sure to schedule a visit with your veterinarian and have your pups blood work done!

How to Treat or Manage Diabetes in Dogs?

There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. The difference between the two is simple, with type 1 your dog is simply not producing any insulin, while with type 2 they are still producing insulin but their body just isn’t able to recognize the insulin and therefore no longer uses it.

Type 1 diabetes, unlike in humans, is actually the more common diabetes type seen in pets. The main cause of type 1 diabetes in dogs is the destruction or deterioration of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and is often caused by inflammation of the pancreas in an ailment called pancreatitis.

Type 2 diabetes is typically seen in dogs that are overweight and can sometimes have their type 2 diabetes reversed with a healthy diet, routine exercise, and weight loss.

While all dogs are capable of developing diabetes, some breeds are more prone to pancreatitis and the associated effect, diabetes. In an article posted by the American Kennel Club, the most common breeds that are susceptible to diabetes include:

• Miniature Poodles
• Bichons Frises
• Pugs
• Dachshunds
• Miniature Schnauzers
• Puli
• Samoyeds
• Keeshonds
• Australian Terriers
• Fox Terriers
• Cairn Terriers
• Beagles

If you own one of these breeds or have a mixed-breed pup that has one of these breeds included in their heritage, consider scheduling routine veterinary visits for monitoring the potential development of this genetic disease and to ensure your pups continued health.

How to Treat or Manage Diabetes in Dogs?

Treating a dog with diabetes is not nearly as scary as it sounds! An article released on PetMD discusses a general overview of type 1 diabetes vs type 2 diabetes in dogs then goes into additional detail regarding treatment options for both. You may be surprised to learn that typical treatment for both types of diabetes, begins exactly the same!

Healthy modifications to your dog’s diet, exercise routine, and weight are the first steps in beginning treatment. This means cutting out any and all people-food treats you or your family and friends may give, and slowly adding in adjustments to your routine so your dog can transition over without issue.

Your veterinarian will most likely begin your dog on a low dose of insulin to be given twice per day based on your pet’s weight. Your dog will then either be monitored from home with regular blood sugar readings, or tested by your veterinarian every couple weeks.

Based on the blood glucose levels, your veterinarian may adjust the insulin dosage for your dog. It is fully expected for your dog’s initial blood sugar levels to fluctuate. So don’t be alarmed if you’re not seeing everything level out right away!

Diabetes in dogs can be much riskier than that of humans and requires frequent and intense medical attention. Medical attention does not just mean hardcore clinical care but also indicates proper diet and health care at home.

There are certain details that you will need to focus on when treating canine diabetes and listed below are some of the most important ones. These will help you maintain the health of your diabetic pet and keep greater risks away in the long run.

There are many risks and complications that in addressed diabetes can invite and keeping track of the blood sugar can help prevent those.

Work out and walks are the simplest and most natural procedures via which you can control diabetic symptoms in dogs as this will help check all the factors promoting the occurrence of diabetes.

A balanced diet with the right amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals will automatically boost the overall health if your pet reducing unnecessary risks of diabetes. Blood sugar, high cholesterol and more.

Insulin injections helps to control blood sugar levels significantly and if taken frequently can keep the symptoms of diabetes away for long.

Diabetes is getting more and more common in dogs nowadays and it is mostly because of lack of exercise, intake of processed food and more. It is important to take actions from the very first diabetic symptom have come into notice to prevent unwanted risks.

What Should the Best Dry Dog Food Diet for Diabetic Dog Consist Of?

When it comes to feeding your diabetic pooch, consistency is key. In a Chewy article, Dr. Bullen states that inconsistency or changes in diet can cause altered results in your pups insulin response, making finding the right dose even more difficult.

Consistency is of the utmost importance not only in the type of food your pet is consuming but the portions as well. Serving the same amount at each meal will help you in monitoring your pet’s intake, manage their weight, and ensuring their continued health.

Along with avoiding people-food, your diabetic dog’s dog-food diet should follow these guidelines:

• Low Carbohydrates
• Low Glycemic Index
• Low Insulin Index
• Moderate Fat
• High Fiber
• High Protein

Carbohydrates are turned into sugar over time, so when it comes to your diabetic pup, it’s better to avoid excessive quantities of these. This is one of the main reasons to avoid people-food as well! Most leftovers we give our pups are high in carbs and therefore not good for even non-diabetic dogs.

A diet high in fiber will only help regulate your dog’s blood sugar levels, while the low glycemic index will reduce your dog’s sugar consumption. This means foods that have a base of potatoes may not be the best option, as these are high in the glycemic index.

Diet plays a significant role in controlling diabetic symptoms in dogs. The right diet can keep your pet healthy for a long time without the help of strong medications. A diet high in protein, low in sugar, carbohydrate and high fiber makes the perfect diet plan for diabetic plans. Listed and briefly described below are some of the factors that can help you prepare a healthy meal for a diabetic dog. 

Giving small portions of meal top your dog is the best way to control harmful effects of diabetes. Dogs of bigger breeds tend to eat way more than that of the smaller portions and it is best to provide them with measured amount of meals.

Low carbohydrate diet like pumpkin, eggs, boiled meat and fish can help diabetic dogs stay healthy.

The insulin index of food determines how much it can lift the insulin concentration in the blood. So try giving your dog the food items that keeps the insulin low. You can use peanut butter, or any other food item that is insulin neutral and other relevant options.

Whole grains, barley, vegetables, seeds, nuts, potatoes can be consumed by dogs and they are rich in fiber which makes them even better for diabetic dogs.

Eggs, meat, fish or any item that is high in fiber can help your dog maintain a healthy blood pressure level and keep unhealthy or saturated fat away.

Also consider giving your dog low GI food items. Food items like corn, Sweet potato, yam, beans, peas, lentils and legumes are quite healthy fort dogs and you can certainly consider them as meal options for your diabetic pet.

How Often Should You Feed Your Diabetic Dog?

As stated above, consistency is key to maintaining your diabetic dog’s health! Developing a routine is of the utmost importance. Unlike some diabetic humans insulin usage, insulin dosages for pets are not adjusted per how much your dog is eating, but rather based on your dog’s weight.

For this reason, a healthy routine consists of feeding your pooch a healthy meal twice per day at equal increments (every 12 hours) while ensuring that they eat the same measured amount at each feeding.

The diet schedule of diabetic dogs is much different than that of normal dogs. It is important that they are not allowed to over eat or eat any kind of processed food. Also, it should be considered that they are not taking processed, packaged food much as that can be harmful for their health.

You can divide the meal into small portions according to the size and breed of your dog and feed them 2-3 times maximum a day. They do not need to be heavily full every time they eat as that will only make them lazier increasing the saturation of fat and cholesterol in them.

The best approach you can take is to make your diabetic pet habituated with homemade food. Homemade food is free of artificial or synthetic additives and flavors as well as preservatives. This is a huge advantage and will contribute to the long-term health of your pet. There are a hundred easy ways to prepare homemade food for your dog and you can even store them in the fridge.

You can make small treats like watermelon juice cubes, sugar free pumpkin cookies, mix vegetable and meat for your pet and your dog will simply love them. Also avoid giving your dog the food that you have as that will only harm the health of your dog especially the one with diabetes.    

How to Pick the Best Dry Dog Food for Diabetic Dogs?

Choosing food for diabetic dogs can be quite different than choosing snack for non-diabetic dogs. Just like humans, diabetes may appear in dogs at a certain age or even young dogs might inherit it from its ancestors. Veterinarians often recommend owners to try to control the increase of diabetic symptoms in dogs as much as possible.

Medications definitely help but a healthy approach begins with the right food and snack they consume daily. Here are some vital factors that you might want to consider to buy your diabetic pet the best food.

At this point, we know that moderate feeding sizes, exercise, and insulin treatment are parts of maintaining your dog’s diabetes. Perhaps the most important factor, however, is their diet.

We chose the 5 foods above because they each have the specific needs for diabetic dogs. The best way to do this is to review the guaranteed analysis label for a list of ingredients and percentages. The best diets contain the following:

This is the second factor you need to consider which is quite obvious. Snacks high in sugar and carbs are not appropriate for diabetic pets at all. Hence diets that are low in carbs and sugars are most appropriate. 

Gluten free snacks have several benefits that includes lowering of cholesterol level, promoting digestive health and also enhancing energy levels.

Protein is an essential part of every dog diet but it also significantly helps in cutting cholesterol levels and reducing unhealthy fat. High-quality proteins with greater than 20% protein with the first ingredient being meat.

Fiber is extremely healthy and significantly contributes in checking blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes occurrence. Choose diets rich in fiber with equal to or greater than 4% crude fiber.

Having a balanced diet with the right amount of nutrients and vitamins will help reduce diabetic risks.

Additives and flavors are definitely something that you do not want for your diabetic dog and even non-diabetic dog. They can impose several side effects.

Make sure you consider the brand and manufacturer for health safety.

Cutting out fat is a good idea but your diabetic pet might require some healthy fat sources and make sure that the snack contains that.

Additional factors to take into consideration is to ensure you have chosen the best dog food for diabetic dogs, is checking that they are free of artificial additives, along with their country of manufacture. When it comes to pet food safety guidelines, not all manufacture locations are made equal. To increase your chances of providing your dog with a safe and healthy food option, focus on picking a diet that has been manufactured in one of the following countries:

• USA
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• England
• France
• Germany

Choosing the Best Dry Dog Food for Diabetic Dogs

We have chosen Orijen Original Dog Food as our top choice as the best dry dog food for diabetic dogs. As stated above, the ingredients used in Orijen Dog Food are second-to-none.

There is no true comparison when reviewing Orijen’s ingredient list compared to competitors’ ingredient lists. The farm fresh, never-frozen ingredients that are used ensure that your diabetic dog has the best quality of food going into their sensitive bellies to nourish their bodies for optimal health.