Diabetic dog treats need to meet some specific guidelines, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be tasty, nutritious and appealing to your golden oldie!
There are many different types of dog treats which are suitable for dogs with diabetes.
But, there are also a whole host of commercial dog treats which are NOT safe for diabetic dogs, and that it’s vital to read labels carefully.
Many manufacturers now produce dog food and dog treats specifically formulated for dogs with a health problems, including diabetes.
Not all of them will be suitable for your dog, so it’s still important to study the ingredients of any treat that you choose for your older dog if he has diabetes.
Every dog loves a yummy treat or two, so keep reading to find out how to help your diabetic golden oldie enjoy safe, tasty treats!
Diabetic Dog Treats – What To Look For
So, makes a good treat for a dog with diabetes?
For use on a daily basis, diabetic dog treats should contain:
- No obvious sources of sugar
- Complex grains/carbohydrates
- Meat/meat products
- High fiber content
- Low fat content
They should also be hard/crunchy as these types of treats are eaten and digested more slowly, therefore they don’t raise blood glucose as quickly as soft/moist treats may do.
All of this can be found in commercial dog treats.
Natural, unprocessed foods such as vegetables or tofu make excellent treats for diabetic dogs as do freeze-dried meat-based treats.
You can also bake homemade diabetic dog treats using easy to find ingredients and simple recipes.
Best Diabetic Dog Treats
Let’s take a look at the best dog treats for dogs with diabetes, breaking them up into three categories:
- Commercial Diabetic Dog Treats
- Natural Diabetic Dog Treats
- Diabetic Dog Treat Recipes
Natural Treats for Diabetic Dogs
This category of diabetic dog treats includes vegetables, some fruits, meat products and more.
The best vegetables for diabetic dogs are low-sugar and high-fiber veggies such as:
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Bell peppers (green or red)
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Green beans
- Lettuce
- Parsley
- Peas in the pod
- Pumpkin
- Acorn or Butternut Squash (needs to be cooked before feeding)
- Turnip
- Zucchini
Some fruits are acceptable as treats in small portions. These include:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Pears
Animal products that can be used as treats need to be low fat and unprocessed.
Poultry should be skinned first before feeding as the skin contains unhealthy fats.
No beef or pork as these contain too much fat for a diabetic dog.
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Fish
- Hard boiled eggs
Preparation of Natural Diabetic Dog Treats
Most veggies can be given raw or cooked (with the exception of squash which needs to be cooked first).
Pumpkin and turnip may be more enjoyable if lightly cooked, but raw is also fine.
Some vegetables such as the peas in the pod, green beans and bell peppers (cut into strips) are especially enjoyed when frozen and crunchy.
Although dogs can eat raw meat, for the purpose of treats I personally feel that it’s better cooked, or dehydrated.
You can use a special food dehydrator or an oven set at around 250 – 300F to dry meat/veggies.
Commercial Treats for Diabetic Dogs
There are a LOT of different diabetic dog treats on the market today.
Some are excellent, others not so much.
It pays to take the time to read labels and examine ingredients, that way you can be sure that the treats you’re spending your hard-earned money on are suitable, and safe, for your dog.
Avoid treats which contain any obvious sugar including corn syrup, molasses, fructose, dextrose or maltose.
Treats which contain whole grains such as oats, barley, bran or brown rice are good choices.
Brewers yeast has been shown to help regulate blood sugars in humans. Although it has not been specifically tested in dogs, Brewers Yeast is an ingredient which may be beneficial for dogs with diabetes.
Dog treats which are formulated to be low-carb may also work, depending on the ingredients.
Jerky treats are a good choice, but be sure to ONLY buy those which are made in the USA.
Here are some of the treats that I think are the best choice for dogs with diabetes:
Diabetic Dog Treat Recipes
There are many recipes available for making home made diabetic dog treats.
Making the treats yourself allows you to control the type and quality of ingredients used, plus it’s generally much less expensive to make treats than it is to buy them.
The foods listed in the Natural Treats category above are suitable to be used in recipes, and it’s usually super-simple to create tasty treats that your diabetic dog will enjoy.
Here are a few recipes you might like to try.
Baby Food Diabetic Dog Treats
This recipe is about as simple as it gets with just two ingredients…. plus there’s an infinite variety of flavors you can make.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of whole grain Oat flour
- 8oz (usually 2 jars) of Stage 1 baby food (eg. Beech Nut Chicken)
* Choose from turkey or chicken for meat-based baby food, or any veggie or fruit, or combination, that is on the list under the Natural Treats category above).
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
- Mix flour and baby food together and add enough water to form a firm dough
- Roll out dough on lightly floured surface until it’s approx. 1/4 inch thick
- Cut into shapes with cookie cutter (a bone shaped cookie cutter is fun)
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes on greased cookie sheet/pan
- To retain crispness store in paper bag
Liver Treats Suitable for Diabetic Dogs
These tasty treats take just three ingredients and 15 minutes to bake.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole grain Oat flour
- 1 and 1/2 lbs of beef liver
- Two eggs (free range and organic is best)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Faranheit
- Prepare jelly roll pan by lining with parchment (10″ x 15″)
- Cut liver into small pieces and put into food processor
- Pulse liver in FP until finely chopped
- Pour chopped liver into mixing bowl
- Add flour and eggs to bowl
- Stir well until mixture is smooth
- Spoon mixture into pan and spread evenly
- Bake for 15 minutes
- Cool and cut into slices or squares
*These treats will not be crispy. They also need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Apple Cinammon Diabetic Dog Treats
This yummy dog treat recipe calls for four ingredients, a mixing bowl, and just over 20 minutes in the oven.
Ingredients:
- I cup of Quick Cook Oatmeal
- 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce (or homemade)
- 1 large egg (free-range and organic is best)
- 1/4 tsp of Cinammon
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Faranheit
- Lightly grease cookie tray with oil (Canola or Flaxseed oil is best)
- In large bowl mix oatmeal and applesauce
- Add egg and cinammon and mix well
- Make ‘drop’ cookies by spooning mixture 1 tbsp at a time onto cookie sheet
- Bake for approx. 20 – 25 minutes
*These treats will not be crispy.
Carrot and Oat Flour Dog Treats
Tasty, crunchy treats made with carrots, applesauce and a hint of parsley.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole grain Oat flour
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tbsp Flax Meal
- 1 tbsp chopped, fresh Parsley
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Faranheit
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment
- Put flax meal into cup or small bowl, dd 3 tbsp of water, stir and set aside for 5 mins
- In mixing bowl combine oat flour, carrots, applesauce and parsley.
- Add flax meal mixture and mix all ingredients until they form a wet dough
- You can add a little more flour if necessary to make dough manageable
- On floured surface roll dough out to a thickness of approx. 1/4″
- Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes or cut dough into squares
- Bake for approx. one hour or until cookies are hard baked/crunchy
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