Question
Should I keep my diabetic dog on the same food?
Sunny, owner notes“I wish my dog lived as long as I do.”Updated
I'm an owner, not a vet. This is not veterinary advice, so check anything medical with your own vet.
Short answer
If he's doing well, you probably don't need to change a thing. Most vets say a well-controlled diabetic dog should stay on the same food, even the same flavour. Another illness, like pancreatitis or kidney disease, can change that. A new recipe under the same brand name is still a change, so ask your vet before you switch.
I never give insulin amounts here. Yours comes from your vet's written plan.
What you might notice at home
The bag runs out. The shop has a new recipe under the same name. A friend sends a better-looking food. Each of those is a change, even when the brand did not change.
Even a new flavour, a different texture, or wet instead of dry of the 'same' food can upset his numbers. Tell your vet exactly which product is in the cupboard.
What to write down for the vet
- The exact product he has been steady on.
- Any week you had to substitute.
- Why you want to change, if you do: refusal, stool, a new diagnosis.
- His weight and thirst over the last month, in your own words.
What to take with you
A photo of the label. If you want to change because he won't eat it, tell your vet that too. Keeping him on a food he refuses doesn't help.
How do I switch my diabetic dog to a new food?
Changing food can feel risky when everything is finally settling. Before you switch, ask your vet how to change over and what to watch for. Be clear about what's changing and why, whether your dog is eating well, and how the rest of the routine stays the same. Let your vet set how quickly to change over.
Tell the vet if you can't get the old food or your dog won't eat it, so the plan covers what to do today as well as an ideal slow switch. Don't change the insulin yourself to make up for the new food.
Is it OK to rotate proteins or flavours?
Switching proteins or flavours a lot makes it harder to keep each day's food the same, and a different flavour can be a different recipe underneath. Ask your vet whether a particular change fits your dog's plan.
If your dog stops eating a food, tell the vet instead of cycling through new ones. Having a backup food agreed in advance is better than guessing after each refusal. If your dog is on a diet trial for allergies or another illness, that has its own rules, and the diabetes plan has to fit around them.
Sources
- My diabetic dog's glucose looked higher after a food changeIf numbers rose after a food change
- Wet or dry food for a diabetic dog?Wet or dry food
- Feeding a diabetic dog: food and routineKeeping every meal the same
- My diabetic dog has had pancreatitis. What about food?How pancreatitis can change his food
- My diabetic dog won't eat the prescription foodWhen he will not eat his food
Every outside source I used is listed on the Sources page.
Related
Q&A
Does my diabetic dog have to eat a prescription food?
Not always. Most vets say a steady, balanced food can work, but your vet makes the call.
Q&A
My diabetic dog's glucose looked higher after a food change
Write down the foods and the dates, and ask your vet before you switch back.
Q&A
My diabetic dog has had pancreatitis. What about food?
Many vets use a very low-fat food. Your vet will choose the right one for him.
Q&A
My diabetic dog won't eat the prescription food
If he won't touch the food your vet prescribed, call your vet and tell them what he will eat.