By DogLovely Team
Finding appropriate treats for dogs with diabetes can be difficult. A lot of store-bought treats are full of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients that aren’t appropriate for diabetic dogs.
Dogs with diabetes need an adjustment to their diets to keep their blood sugar levels balanced. When a diabetic dog’s blood sugars levels rise too much or too quickly, then they are at a higher risk of developing diabetes related complications like cataracts and keto acidosis. You need to thoroughly check the ingredients of treats before feeding them to your diabetic dog to make sure they are suitable.
What can you feed a diabetic dog for treats?
Homemade dog treats are ideal for diabetic dogs as you are able to control exactly what they consume. This means you can make sure your pooch doesn’t eat any ingredients that aren’t the best for diabetes. Good treats for diabetic dogs should be low in sugar, low in fat, and low-glycemic. If you decide to feed your dog store-bought treats, then make sure they follow this rule and look out for snacks that list molasses, fructose, dextrose, syrup, and maltose in the ingredients.
Safe Treats For Diabetic Dogs
Below are a couple of recommendations of store-bought safe treats for diabetic dogs. These healthy snacks for diabetic dogs use natural and wholesome ingredients that are low in sugar, low in fat, and low-glycemic.
Ziwipeak Air-Dried Dog Treats
These beef (other flavors are available too!) dog treats from Ziwi peak are a good choice for diabetic dogs as they are free from sugar, glycerin, filler, rice, wheat, potatoes, soy, corn, grain, rendered meals, and preservatives! 100% single-sourced, free-range, and grass-fed beef is used. The formula contains 98% meat which if free from antibiotics, added hormones, and growth ingredients.
Each treat contains just 5.2 calories, so you don’t have to feel guilty about feeding them to your dog.
Pet Craft Single Animal Source Protein Rich Treats
These treats for diabetic dogs contain just one ingredient: salmon! Other flavors are available too, which also use justone ingredient. The treats are freeze dried whilst they are fresh to make sure they don’t lose any valuable nutrients. No fillers, by-products, grain, soy,color dyes, or preservatives are used in the formula of these sugar-freetreats.
As well as being high in protein, these treats for diabetic dogs are low in calories. One treat contains just 2 to 4calories, making them a perfectly healthy and nutritious snack for your pet.
The treats are sourced and made in Canada. They are prepared in small batches to make sure the quality never wavers, as your pooch deserves only the best!
Homemade Diabetic Dog Treats Recipes
If you’d rather make your own treats for your pooch, then here are a couple of recipes for diabetic dog treats that are paw-lickin’good!
Chicken Liver Treats
This recipe for chicken liver treats from Top Dog Tips is a great option for your diabetic dog as they contain zero sugar. Not only are they completely natural, but they’re delicious too (at least for your dog!). These sugar-free dog treats only use three ingredients, so they are also simple and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1/5 pounds of chicken liver(can be substituted with beef liver or any other type of liver)
- 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
- 2 eggs
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350° F and line a 9 x 13 cake pan with parchment paper. If you own a food processor, put all of the liver inside it and pulse it to a smooth consistency. If you don’t own a food processor, then pulse the liver by hand.
- Add the eggs and the flour to the pureed liver and stir it until it is well combined.The mixture will be runny, which is normal. Place the mixture into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly.
- These homemade diabetic dog treats are now ready to be baked. Place them into your preheated oven for around 15 minutes. The treats will have a spongy texture when they are done.
- When these treats for diabetic dogs are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. When they have cooled down, you should be able to remove them from the cake pan. Use a pizza cutter to cut the treats into little squares or sizes appropriate for your dog.
- These sugar-free treats can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for around 10 days. Alternatively, these treats can be stored in a freezer for about 3 months.
Fisherman’s Seafood Dog Treats
This recipe for dog treats from Pure Dog Treats contains sardines which are packed with nutrients like vitamin D, omega-3, vitamin B12, and coenzyme Q10.
Ingredients
- 2 3.75 oz can of sardines (in water with no salt_
- 1 teaspoon of fresh or dried parsley
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of vegetables or 0.25 cup of pumpkin puree (optional)
Method
- Preheat your oven to 375° F and coat a small casserole dish with parchment paper or anon-stick spray.
- Drain the sardines and chop them up. Mix in the parsley and the vegetables/pumpkin puree. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared dish. Crack the eggs onto the top of the mixture and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- When thet reats are cooked, allow them to cool before offering them to your dog. These treats for diabetic dogs can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, they can be stored in a freezer for up to 6 months.
Final Thoughts for Best Diabetic Dog Treats
Even though your dog has diabetes, it doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a treat every now and again! All the treats listed above are ideal for diabetic dogs due totheir natural and wholesome ingredients. You don’t have to panic about your pooch consuming something that could harm them, as these products and homemade recipes contain completely safe ingredients for dogs with diabetics.
Whether you prefer making your own dog treats or purchasing store-bought ones, there is something for you and your pooch to try!
