Question
Is it all right to hand-feed a diabetic dog?
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
When he ignores the bowl, hand-feeding can feel like the only way to get a meal into him. Lots of owners do it on bad mornings. If he's only just started needing it, call your vet. It might be fussiness, but it can also be the first sign he's unwell. Note what he took and how he seems. Avoid tempting him with lots of human food.
I never give insulin amounts here. Yours comes from your vet's written plan.
What you might see at home
He ignores the bowl, but eats the same food from your hand. Sometimes only chicken from your hand works. Sometimes he turns away from that too.
Sometimes a dog's appetite comes back once he gets over something else that was making him unwell. That's why, if he suddenly needs hand-feeding, it's worth a call to your vet.
What to write down for the vet
- Bowl or hand, and which food worked.
- How long a meal takes when you feed him this way.
- Other signs: vomiting, diarrhoea, hiding, a sore mouth, low energy.
- Whether anyone else in the house is also offering food.
What to take with you
Take your notes. If you're having to put food in his mouth, that's more than fussiness. Tell your vet that clearly.
Sources
- My diabetic dog won't eat — what now?What to do when he won't eat
- My diabetic dog won't eat the prescription foodWhen he refuses the prescription food
- My diabetic dog only eats if I add a topperAdding a topper to get him eating
- My diabetic dog ate only part of the mealWhen he eats only part of a meal
- When does a diabetic dog need a vet the same day?Signs that need a vet today
Every outside source I used is listed on the Sources page.
Related
Q&A
My diabetic dog won't eat — what now?
Call your vet before the next injection is due.
Q&A
My diabetic dog only eats if I add a topper
Plenty of diabetic dogs only eat with a topper. That's usually fine, as long as your vet knows and you keep it the same every day.
Q&A
My diabetic dog ate only part of the meal
If he leaves part of his meal, note what's left. If you've already given insulin, call your vet.
Q&A
When does a diabetic dog need a vet the same day?
If he's weak, trembling, collapsing, vomiting or won't eat, call your vet now. Read the rest later.