Food as medicine for pets with diabetes

Dan Teich of District Vet hits the nail on the head when it comes to the pet-parent relationship. “As pet parents/guardians/servants…our main duty is the comfort and happiness of those in our charge. Feeding a nutritious diet, along with providing shelter, exercise and environmental enrichment, are essential, as is a physical examination by a veterinarian.” That’s exactly right. Because plenty of behaviors are also symptoms of underlying issues, and if they go undetected for long enough then they become problems.

He goes on to state “A two-pound weight loss, if achieved over a period of a few months, most likely will be missed by the pet parent but will be obvious to the veterinarian. Such a scenario is common in the examination room, with clients being surprised that their cat had lost weight, especially if the client was not aiming for such a reduction in pounds.” If the weight loss is accompanied by an increase in water consumption and sleep, it’s possible your pet is diabetic.

1. Signs of diabetes include excessive thirst, increased urination, decrease in activity / increase in sleep, weight loss, and eventually cataracts.
2. While believed to be underdiagnosed, diabetes mellitus affects an estimated one in 300 dogs. Source.
3. Diabetes can occur at any age, but most dogs are diagnosed ages 7-10 and most cats are diagnosed after age 6.
4. Diabetes occurs twice as often in female dogs, and certain breeds are more prone to developing the disease.
5. 1 in 10 are euthanized at diagnosis, and 1 in 10 are euthanized within a year of diagnosis. Source.

These troubling statistics underscore just how important preventative measures and early detection are. Better human education and better pet food can help affect positive change. Diet is an important component of diabetes treatment. Insulin needs are closely related to the type and amount of food eaten by the pet. A steady blood sugar state minimizes long-term damage from diabetes to organ systems like the heart, liver, kidneys, and eyes.

Caring for a pet with diabetes is a major commitment from the pet owner, and as difficult as caring for a diabetic pet can sound, most pet parents are able to achieve stability, and once your dog or cat is on a set schedule, costs and complications are minimal.

Diabetic dogs and cats can live long, comfortable lives with appropriate treatment and monitoring, and the commitment of pet parents to help their fur family live long, healthy lives. Keeping the medication and feeding schedules regular is critical, and the quality and composition of the food you feed is important, too.

We at The Big Bad Woof believe that food is medicine. In fact, The Big Bad Woof was founded because the owners had a dog with roller-coaster diabetes and they used a better food to finally get the disease under control and stabilize her. So we endeavor to bring you a variety of high quality, nutritious food that will meet your pet’s needs. Farmina’s new Vet Life line of food is formulated to address a variety of conditions, including obesity, which can be a contributing factor to pet diabetes.

We know you love your pet and would do anything for them. A great place to start is with their diet. We can work with the client to curate a diet that will work with your pet’s health and meet your budget, and to keep your animal as healthy as possible while dealing with this disease. We look forward to helping you along your pet’s health journey.