Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

[Noodle]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Not a prescription diet - we buy ours at Petsmart.

[MattiesDad]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

I recently began feeding Mattie "Taste of the Wild" made with Bison and venison. No grain, so I'm curious to see Matties BG level today. Even with close to the maximum dose of insulin, her level was usually over 300 prior to the diet change.

[Harley'sMom]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Hi Everyone! I would like to tell you about my dog and my best friend..

Name: Harley

Breed: Rottweiler

Age: 7yrs & 3mos.

DX: Diabetic almost 2 mos ago

Weight: Now 81lbs Was 94lbs and perfect!

Insulin: Humilin N 14 U 6a and 6pm

Diet: just started 1week of DCO 2 1/2 cups am/pm

I love my boy so much! I am a pediatric RN at Galisono's Children's Hosp in Syracuse NY. We get new onset diabetic kids all the time. We are usually able to get them off the insulin drip and turned around in about 12 to 24 hours. A diabetic dog is soooooo different!

Harley had his 2nd TPLO surgery on 2/25/10. I noticed about 2 wks after his surgery he had increased thirst and had to go out to urinate alot more than normal. I got some urine dip sticks and tested him..the glucose was >1000, so I went and bought a freestyle light glucometer = BG 303. I went to vet immediately and after blood work, got the diagnosis.

Harley already had cateracts, and is not blind yet,,, But this is so hard on his mommy! I cry alot!!!! I check his urine and home test very frequently as well as do my own blood curves and talk with my vet who I love..just about every other day.

Last night I tested him before his pm meal and insulin = 160! Wow! a first!! I gave him the 14 Units and gave him 3 cups of food (normally 2 1/2cups), then I started 2nd guessing myself.... should I have lowered his insulin??? I checked him at 930pm, BG =193 I felt better and went to bed, but this am BG 407!!! and he had his 2nd accident ever in the house! (first was due to UTI from high glucose in urine) Is it Somogyi rebound?? I fed him 2 cups of food and gave 14 units. last check at 0930 BG 242.

I will do anything for him... should I try to lower insulin? should I change his diet? I want to get him regulated, but like I said, this is all so different in the dog world? Are carrots ok as treats? I don't want him to loose any more weight, and his tummy is grumbling ALL the time!

My head is spining! Help!, Support!, Constructive criticism!

[Rudy]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

The Vet prescribed Hills Prescription WD ($1.98), Rudy was on it for a week and seemed to be well regulated at about 5 units. I had read somewhere that Chicken Soup for Dog Lovers, senior ($.99) was a good alternative. We bought a case; however, after two cans his BG become elevated a bit and I had to increase his NPH back to 6 units and may need to go higher if his blood sugar is not normal tomorrow. Looks like I need to stick with WD and/or look for another less expensive alternative.

I am also interested in hearing about using carrots as a treat.

[diggydog]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Alfie was on Hill Prescription W/d but I felt all he did was poop all day long with this so now feed him Burns pet nutrition- High Oats.

[diggydog]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Harley's Mum,

I regularly feed Alfie carrots as treat, I did run it by my vet who said that it was fine for him to have them. Also he gets green veg like cabbage and broccili and green peppers in with his dry food to bulk it out so he is more full after eating. I noticed a huge difference in him after adding the veg to his dinner as before he was always starving and had that rumbling tummy.

[eileen]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Just a little FYI concerning carrots.....

In some dogs carrots will cause the glucose levels to increase so some find it is best to steer clear of them completely, especially while trying to regulate a newly diagnosed dog.

Once the dog is better regulated you can then add back various 'things' and be able to see more clearly if it has an undesired effect on your dog.

Sometimes better to use green beans, broccoli, squash, zucchini as a treat...something that will not have the potential of causing an increase.

It was my vet who actually advised me of avoiding them back in the early days after Mildred was diagnosed. Over the years I have had others tell of the rise they see after feeding carrots.

[Bagel's Mom]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

was browsing here and reread old posts on feeding.

For months now I give Bagel a cup of Rx DCO in the Am and the PM with 1/4 boneless skinless chicken breast cooked and cut into little cubes. I add enough water to make it wet and she loves it like a Beagle/Basset would! Sometimes I throw in a tiny bit of cooked broccoli and once some brown rice- but she is doing so well I don't want to rock the boat.

When she gets a shot,( AM and PM) I have broken up one petite milkbone and one 100% dried chicken treat, and they just lie there until the shot is done. Then she inhales them!
Otherwise I give her some cooked broccoli sometimes as a snack but nothing else.
She weighed about 41 when she was diagnosed in NOV and about 34 now but that has been a blessing and she can walk very well again!
Sande

[KYLakeGal]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

I've really only used Science Diet W/D with Pipper (Piper). In an emergency case, during an ice storm when we couldn't get to the vet, we did use Benefull. I found it to have only 200 more calories per cup than the W/D. We had to cut back her food a bit, but we all survived the storm of the century

[CoolGram]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Gretel is on Hill's w/d. Prior to that she had been on Hill's u/d to try to prevent bladder stones, but it was very high in carbs, so she was switched to w/d. Had been on both the canned and dry mixed, but since it was found she has high triglycerides, the vet switched her to all dry. She seems to really like it, but acts like she's still hungry when it's gone. I also give her 1 small Perscription treat after her insulin injection.

Wish I could give her a little chicken or veggie's, but with her bladder stone issues too, it's a real balancing act as to what she should or shouldn't have. So for now, it's dog food only.

[CraigM]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Royal Canin Diabetic formula.

If we think about it, we might share a little veggi, chicken white meat or fish; but usually only the Royal Canin.

[icaru]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

2x daily ...

Royal Canin Weight Control (dry version of canned diabetic) + a few little bites of cooked chicken breast + 1/4 tsp of Prozyme + 1/4 vitamin + 1/2 cranberry tab + 1/4 tsp D-mannose + 0.5 ml bilberry extract "after dinner".

This for big Maltese female weighing 11.5 pounds.

[eyelostit]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

In the past Purina DCO, SD canned, Eukenuba Restricted Diet, Niki ate them fine but did not help with her bg, we are still using Orijen with her turkey & green beans.

Dolly

[Carol]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

Just joined yesterday and want to thank you all for this forum! It's a wealth of information. Rudi is an 11 year old pomeranian rescue, and the love of my life. (My husband and kids accepted that 11 years ago). She was diagnosed a month ago and went blind practically overnight. She's adjusted amazingly well but I'm having trouble managing her her bg levels. Thank you all!!!!!!

[diamondlinks]

Re: Diabetic Veterinary Diets: Which Do/Have You Used?

My dog Beau was diagnoised about a month ago, I felt overwhelmed. You take each day one at a time. My vet wanted us to put our dog on Hills w/d, so we did. After I looked at the ingredients, the first 4 being corn which is a starch that turns to sugar, I decided to do some searching on the net for the best food. I found the brand Wellness Core, the first 4 ingredients are real meat for good protein. I also read that beet pulp is high in fiber which they also need. I went to a Farm Feed Store that carries foods for all kinds of animals like horses. Horses love beet pulp, it is cheap and high in fiber. I have to mix it in well with Wellness Senior canned food and add the Wellness Core crunchies. Beau loves it and so far it seems to be doing well, we will check his bg next weekend after beig on it for 2 weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. You use water to soak the beet pulp in, it looks like a grain then when you soak it it becomes moist. Beau is 7 years old and weighted 109 when he was first diagnoised,he now weights 103.7. Yes, this forum hs been a blessing to me too.

Beau & Loretta