My diabetic dog is hungry. How much food and calories to give?

Hello. Depending on the insulin, yes, it is best to distribute the insulin twice a day to coincide with two meals a day. I just do not think it is appropriate to feed a diabetic dog only once a day. I believe you can get much better control if you divide his total daily calories into 2 meals spaced every 12 hours, & to give the total insulin, also divided into 2 even doses. Of course, I do not know all the particulars about your pet's condition, so please consult your veterinarian for any additional information. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The best things for diabetic dogs to eat are food items low in carbohydrates. Aim for food with higher protein and fat. As far as insulting goes, anywhere under the skin is okay but I aim for a loose area of skin such as between the shoulders. Most importantly, if the dog doesn't eat, don't give the insulin . Hope that helps

Yes, he should get some insulin now. The usual starting dose is about ¼ unit per pound of body weight. Thus, a 20 lb. dog would start at 5 units; 40 lb. at 10 units, and so on. So at 29 pounds, he should get about 7 units of insulin. Check his glucose again in a few hours and see where he is to make sure he's not getting too low. If he does get really low, you can help bring it back up by giving some honey or Karo syrup.

Hello. There are many aspects going on here. Firstly, the lump on the other dog won't make your dog sick, however if it smells it could be infection that would make the diabetes uncontrollable. Secondly, if the other dog is diabetic it should be on twuce a day feeding with its insulin, also control of the diabetes will control the constant hunger. It sounds like the other dog needs to be seen by a vet to get control and management of the diabetes. Good luck with them.

While it is beneficial when a dog eats the diet for diabetic dogs, it is more important that the dog regularly eats his food so she can be given her insulin on time. That said , if you look for feed with low carbohydrate content (go to a petfood store and compare labels, or do it on the internet) you can pick a food that may be suitable, You can also take the ingredients of the wd food down and then compare ingredients with other foods and pick the closest to the wd. If you cannot find anything at all you can also cook your own, however that is a lot of work and not cheap. If you intend to try cooking your own check with this site: https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/ez2/index.php?

No it is usually and commonly recommended, through experimental and case series studies, in order to achieve the best glycemic control, to feed two times daily (at the same time of the insulin injection). This is mainly due to the fact that cats and human have different metabolism and different alimentary habits. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Unregulated or poorly regulated diabetics cats often seem ravenous. This includes the newly diagnosed feline diabetic. As her diabetes becomes more regulated, her appetite will normalize. Feed a high quality canned food. Food that comes from the can looking like a hockey puck. No minced or diced food and no sauces or gravies. All those tend to have high carb content. Cats have no dietary requirement for carbs and excess carbs can complicate the diabetes. Most cats require about 6-8 oz of food daily.