If your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes, you've probably already had an in-depth conversation with your veterinarian about changing his activity level, diet and possibly even adding daily medication to his routine. Making your own dog food is the absolute best way to cater to your dog's individual health needs. Ask your veterinarian if this homemade diabetic dog food recipe is right for your pooch.
It's important to consult an expert before changing your dog's diet, especially if you're making adjustments to his food to help treat a medical condition such as canine diabetes. Homemade dog food is a great option to help pets with health issues, but if you don't feed a balanced diet you'll be doing more harm than good.
Diabetes can lead to many other health issues if not cared for properly. Some of these complications include:
- kidney problems
- urinary tract issues
- liver disease
…and many other health problems. In fact, life threatening conditions like thyroid problems and Cushing's Disease have been linked to Diabetes.
It's important to work with your veterinarian and/or a canine nutritionist to find the right treatment for your dog. The treatment chosen will depend on the severity of the disease, your dog's weight, his age and other factors that your vet will take into account. Perhaps this homemade diabetic dog food recipe will fit into his treatment plan.
MORE RECIPES HERE: Homemade Dog Food & Treats Recipes
Homemade Diabetic Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white rice
- 1/2 cup chicken
- 1/2 tbsp. corn oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup green beans (fresh or canned)
- 1 tsp. dicalcium phosphate (check with your veterinarian to see if your dog needs this supplement)
LISTEN: Podcast on Dealing With Canine Diabetes ft. Rachel Poulin, RVT
Directions
As I explain in the video guide above, this homemade diabetic dog food is extremely easy to make. There isn't much prep work involved, and it's a limited ingredient recipe.
First, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, salt and corn oil. Let this mixture simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it all together until completely blended. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
That's it!
Once the food cools, you can serve it to your pup. Again, the serving size is about 1/2 cup per 20 pounds of weight. Just be sure to check with your vet or a canine nutritionist to ensure that your dog is getting enough calories every day. If your dog lives an active lifestyle, he may require 3/4 cup for every 20 pounds of weight.
Also, a note on dicalcium phosphate. This is a supplement that will add phosphorus, calcium and fluorine to your pet's diet. It's important to check with your veterinarian to make sure that your dog actually needs this added to his diet.
It is commonly recommended for diabetic dogs, but your pet may not need it. When feeding a homemade diet, it's best to vary the recipes that you use in order to provide a balanced diet. If your dog is getting enough calcium from his diet overall, adding this supplement could actual cause hypercalciumia (too much calcium in the system).
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