After reading around on other sites about diabetic dogs, I just can’t help but feel that Bender’s Hill’s Science Diet W/D food isn’t the best for him. It is still processed food.
Here’s what’s in it.
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose 17.1% (source of fiber), Chicken by-product Meal, Chicken Liver Flavor, Soybean Mill Run, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Meal, Iron Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, L-Lysine, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, L-Carnitine, L-Tryptophan, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.
I’ve switched Bender over to 1 cup of W/D. 1 1/2 cups of Chicken, carrots, green beans, brown rice, olive oil. And every meal I pour 1 cup of warm water into his food. He gets that twice a day. I also give him 1/2 an apple every other day or so, when ever I eat an apple.
I cook the chicken on a George Foreman Grill to get ride of the fat. Then wash the chicken off in warm water. For every 1-1 1/2 cups of chicken I cook up 1 cup of brown rice. 1/2 cup of frozen green beans, thawed. 1/2 cup of fresh carrots. And 1/2 table spoon of olive oil. A few stalks of Asparagus. 1/3 cup of oats. 1 cooked egg. Throw it all in a food processor and cut it up into small bits.
And I’ll be getting Pet Tab vitamins for Bender too.
I use fresh boneless skinless chicken. I tried the frozen stuff but it has additives and it was about the same price as the fresh chicken.
What else can you use? Asparagus, lima beans, broccoli, cauliflower. Small amount of oats. Apples, peaches, pears. Just remove the seeds. Fruit seeds contain cyanide.
What not to use? Onions, Garlic, Tomato, Corn. Grapes. Read more here.
Bender loves his new food. And he seems to be a bite more spunky. He is getting the same amount of insulin for now. But I’m testing his sugar levels every now and then to make sure every thing is ok. I’ll get back to you with the results. And as always, consult your vet before making changes.
I stumbled across your blog while looking for help in managing my Milo’s diabetes. What a pleasure to be able to share information. I read under your blog about Insulin that you are having difficulty in controlling Bender’s sugar and that he is on Vetsulin. Milo was on Vetsulin also but my vet moved him to the human insulin after the FDA informed of possible blood sugar management issues with Vetsulin. Don’t know if your vet discussed with you? The link is here:http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/newsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm188752.htm.
Also, I homecooked for Milo for the first year after his diagnosis. There is a program that you can access through your vet I believe, perhaps directly online, where a recipe is developed specifically for your pet based on breed, age, weight and medical condition, complete with supplements. If you are interested I will send you the link. There is also a great meatloaf recipe I used for Milo when he got bored with the other recipe at : http://fiascofarm.com/herbs/Mables_Meatloaf.htm#meat. I made this once a week, it made 2 meatloafs. I cut off a couple slices and he loved it. Then I switched him to the Science Diet W/D because I got tired of cooking after a year! But I know it is junky food.. and that’s what led me to find your blog. I really would like to find better dog food but not have to return to cooking if I can help it. Milo has pancreatits as well so that complicates the issue. The vet wants the total fat in his food to be around 5% which is hard to find in commercial food, even low-fat senior food. Anyway.. hope some of this info is of help to you! Thanks for creating this blog.
That article about vetsulin is concerning. Thank you for pointing it out.
Bender was on humilin before vetsulin. Which was ok but vetsulin seemed to work better. But now he is having to get more and more vetsuilin. Some thing to consult my vet about.
I am going to try your diet. My dog likes all those things. She was diagnosed a month ago and I can’t get her glucose under 1,000. Her ketones are okay so that’s good. I have been cooking chicken for her, a little dry food and carrots as a snack. Thanks for your help. Lulu, my little girl, is 9 years old and is a terrier/maltese mix (a bag of rags). Again, thanks.
Ann,
Lulu’s glucose is over 1,000? From my understanding around 750 your dog should be close to a coma. Are you using a meter to get that reading or what are you use?
Consult your Vet first before switching your dog’s food.
What food are you feeding your dog?