The raw diet for diabetic dogs is a diet of raw meat. Vegetables and other foods can also be added to the raw diet, but vegetables must be pulverized so the dog's system can use the nutrients. A raw diet should consist of at least three different proteins, but if you can afford to feed more expensive meats such as lamb, goat and duck, those should also be added. A raw diet is beneficial to diabetic dogs because it has very little carbohydrates and other foods that convert to sugars.
How Much to Feed
Weigh your dog. Feed the dog 2 percent of its body weight in raw meat. Some dogs are more active than others and may need a bit more than 2 percent. If you notice the dog is loosing weight and you can see his ribs, up the amount to about 2 1/4 percent of body weight. If your dog is gaining weight, drop the percentage to about 1 3/4 percent of his body weight. No dog is the same, and the amount fed depends on how active the dog is and its metabolism.
What to Avoid
Avoid starchy foods and foods high in carbohydrates, especially breads and potato, rice and pasta. Some dogs have allergies to flaxseed and wheat, two common ingredients in dog food. Switching to a raw diet allows you to control the amount of sugar in the dog's diet, including sugars from simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. It also allows you to control ingredients such as wheat and flaxseed, in the event your dog also has allergies to these types of ingredients.
Balance Over Time
Balance your dog's meals over time. Feed different proteins: chicken, beef, pork, lamb, fish and other poultry. Your dog will get all the nutrients needed if you vary the type of protein fed. Feed 80 percent meat, 10 percent bone and 10 percent organs. For example, chicken breasts have just about the perfect amount of meat-to-bone ratio. Chicken leg quarters also have a good meat-to-bone ratio, but do have a bit more bone in them than do chicken breasts. Organs such as liver should be fed sparingly, as organs may cause the dog to have loose stools.
Changes in Dog's Appearance
Notice the change in your dog. Besides being low in sugars, the raw diet also helps your dog by cleaning its teeth (bone), providing calcium (bone), making its hair smooth (vitamins in various meats, especially fish) and removing most "dog smell." Results may vary from dog to dog--some dogs are prone to bad teeth, no matter what you feed them. Another benefit of feeding a raw diet to diabetic dogs is that the dog feces is smaller and does not smell as strong as kibble feces. It disintegrates on its own within a few days. The dog uses much more of the nutrients provided by a raw diet than it does when provided a kibble diet.
Treats
Check for starchy foods in commercial treats. Often treats are made with fillers, such as wheat, corn and other high-sugar ingredients. A diabetic dog must also keep its weight down to help with diabetes management. If you do give treats, be sure to count that as part of the dog's daily intake. If the dog eats 2 oz. of treats per day, and you normally feed 2 lbs. of meat for regular meals, drop the amount fed at regular meals by the 2 oz. you fed as treats. Weight management in diabetic dogs is very important.
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