Senior dog has diabetes

[Lady D]

I will load up on chicken breasts this week. I have some bagged chicken breasts in the freezer but they are those mesquite chicken breasts with the sauce on them. I know there is stuff in them that he cannot have probably. I will have to make do until Thursday. I only gave him about two tablespoons of rice. I am sure that is appropriate. Sorry to be asking so many questions but he is two years older than she was when she got diabetes. And I never could get weight off of her. The vet acted like it was a problem if she lost weight. But from what I read that is not the case. She never was over around 72 pounds. She probably was only overweight late in life by around 10 pounds. You have had success and I am a chicken lover like he is. That is absolutely his favorite food, it was hers also. So we can eat alot of chicken together.

 

[Sheila]

I will load up on chicken breasts this week. I have some bagged chicken breasts in the freezer but they are those mesquite chicken breasts with the sauce on them. I know there is stuff in them that he cannot have probably. I will have to make do until Thursday. I only gave him about two tablespoons of rice. I am sure that is appropriate. Sorry to be asking so many questions but he is two years older than she was when she got diabetes. And I never could get weight off of her. The vet acted like it was a problem if she lost weight. But from what I read that is not the case. She never was over around 72 pounds. She probably was only overweight late in life by around 10 pounds. You have had success and I am a chicken lover like he is. That is absolutely his favorite food, it was hers also. So we can eat alot of chicken together.

I think it will be fine. People will think you're nuts for doing it. But don't worry about it. He's part of the family. He may not cook for you if you are sick. But I'll bet he's always happy to see you! I take my two to see my Mom in a nursing home. All their faces light up like it's Christmas morning. That's such a good feeling.

 

[DD]

I think it will be fine. People will think you're nuts for doing it. But don't worry about it. He's part of the family. He may not cook for you if you are sick. But I'll bet he's always happy to see you! I take my two to see my Mom in a nursing home. All their faces light up like it's Christmas morning. That's such a good feeling.

And ye shall reap your reward in heaven!

 

[Sheila]

And ye shall reap your reward in heaven!

Probably not! But bless your heart for thinking that sugar!

 

[Lady D]

Probably not! But bless your heart for thinking that sugar!

Well, I was just bad. I had done ok all evening with his food and boiled some thin type pieces of some kind of meat to cut up and give him with his meals tomorrow morning and evening before his shot so he will eat. Well, needless to say he smelled that and came into the kitchen barking. This dog is 100 lbs at least and starving. Well I caved in and cut him up this boiled piece of meat and fed it to him 3 1/2 hours after his shot. This measured amount of food is not adequate for him as he is constantly barking. All the fat was boiled out of this. Did I screw up??? My other dog never was put on any kind of diet by the vet that tended to her diabetes. Will make sure tomorrow just to give a half of it with his breakfast and dinner tomorrow evening. Bone halves also.

I have read this information below on a canine diabetes website. The first two things I have done.

The insulin doses are set to match the amount and type of food your dog eats, you will need to feed it the same type and amount of food every day.
Feed your dog twice a day, at the same general time every day, just before giving the insulin. If your dog prefers to eat more often, that's all right. The important point is to wait until your dog has eaten, and then inject the insulin. This allows you to see if the dog has eaten all of its food and actually needs the total insulin dose before you inject it.Avoid table scraps and between-meal treats to help your dog to achieve the best possible blood glucose control.

Does every food they eat cause their sugar to go up??? Even something with no sugar, like lean meat? We give him halves of a dog bone, should dog bones be given with the meal or can they have part of a dog bone anytime? This is a dog that is actually supposed to have around 5 cups of dry dog food a day and having to live on 3 cups total. I am confused!

 

[Sheila]

Well, I was just bad. I had done ok all evening with his food and boiled some thin type pieces of some kind of meat to cut up and give him with his meals tomorrow morning and evening before his shot so he will eat. Well, needless to say he smelled that and came into the kitchen barking. This dog is 100 lbs at least and starving. Well I caved in and cut him up this boiled piece of meat and fed it to him 3 1/2 hours after his shot. This measured amount of food is not adequate for him as he is constantly barking. All the fat was boiled out of this. Did I screw up??? My other dog never was put on any kind of diet by the vet that tended to her diabetes. Will make sure tomorrow just to give a half of it with his breakfast and dinner tomorrow evening. Bone halves also.

I have read this information below on a canine diabetes website. The first two things I have done.

The insulin doses are set to match the amount and type of food your dog eats, you will need to feed it the same type and amount of food every day.
Feed your dog twice a day, at the same general time every day, just before giving the insulin. If your dog prefers to eat more often, that's all right. The important point is to wait until your dog has eaten, and then inject the insulin. This allows you to see if the dog has eaten all of its food and actually needs the total insulin dose before you inject it.Avoid table scraps and between-meal treats to help your dog to achieve the best possible blood glucose control.

Does every food they eat cause their sugar to go up??? Even something with no sugar, like lean meat? We give him halves of a dog bone, should dog bones be given with the meal or can they have part of a dog bone anytime? I am confused!

I would have to defer this to JDARG or the Vet. Exactlly what you have posted is what is needed to achive optimum results. Ours got fed twice daily.

My new fur baibies get 2 opps a day to eat. If they don't then I take the food up and they get it at the next meal.

Ours never get table scraps. Treats of a food variety are rare.

 

[Mango]

Well, I was just bad. I had done ok all evening with his food and boiled some thin type pieces of some kind of meat to cut up and give him with his meals tomorrow morning and evening before his shot so he will eat. Well, needless to say he smelled that and came into the kitchen barking. This dog is 100 lbs at least and starving. Well I caved in and cut him up this boiled piece of meat and fed it to him 3 1/2 hours after his shot. This measured amount of food is not adequate for him as he is constantly barking. All the fat was boiled out of this. Did I screw up??? My other dog never was put on any kind of diet by the vet that tended to her diabetes. Will make sure tomorrow just to give a half of it with his breakfast and dinner tomorrow evening. Bone halves also.

I have read this information below on a canine diabetes website. The first two things I have done.

The insulin doses are set to match the amount and type of food your dog eats, you will need to feed it the same type and amount of food every day.
Feed your dog twice a day, at the same general time every day, just before giving the insulin. If your dog prefers to eat more often, that's all right. The important point is to wait until your dog has eaten, and then inject the insulin. This allows you to see if the dog has eaten all of its food and actually needs the total insulin dose before you inject it.Avoid table scraps and between-meal treats to help your dog to achieve the best possible blood glucose control.

Does every food they eat cause their sugar to go up??? Even something with no sugar, like lean meat? We give him halves of a dog bone, should dog bones be given with the meal or can they have part of a dog bone anytime? This is a dog that is actually supposed to have around 5 cups of dry dog food a day and having to live on 3 cups total. I am confused!

I don't have any experience with diabetes, but I think that it will probably take a little bit of trial and error. You know your dog best, and I am sure you will figure it out. Sounds like from what you researched that not having snacks is key. That would probably include dog bones. Maybe they have some special bones for diabetic dogs. I thinhk there is a good deal of corn and other starchy ingredients in dog bones, and they have high sugar contents. Did you check the box? does it have sugar levels on it like people food.? I have 2 cats, so I am uneducated about doggy foods.

 

[Lady D]

Well, the multicolored bones I had I did have to get rid of. I had a entire 8 lb bag of them and they contained molasses. But these large bones have no sugar. He ate well this morning. Had 1 1/2 cups of dry food with a small amount of rice mixed in and a small amount of kidney diet canned food, no more than around a tablespoon. Also some small bites of boiled meat so he is set until supper. Cleaned the bowl up and has had his half of bone as the vet said he could have ones that have no sugar. I have indeed ordered him some sugar free doggy treats, and will probably give them in place of the bones for the most part. He definitely is eating less because he has always been the beggar and always was being given extra. Since that has stopped he will lose weight.

 

[Rudyjohn]

Just remember, even if a food product dosen't list obvious sugars, or molasses, etc., if it's starchy - - then it's high in refinded carbohydrates which ultimately convert to sugar.

This has to be hard for you and for Mo. Good luck, Lady.

 

[Cheering472]

The peanut butter is somewhat of a problem with the diabetes. But.....if you are going to cook the chicken or the lean burger, snare a piece of that and sitck the pill in the middle. Or a small piece of lowfat cheese would work as well.

I always hid Lucy's pills in her favorite food too. She wolfed them right down, never seemed to notice they were there. She loved turkey, I still miss her when I cook a turkey breast. She would hang around the stove just sniffing the air, such a sweetie.