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Like many other pets, dogs can quickly become parts of our families. Their naturally lovable and intelligent nature makes them easy to fall in love with, so it can be challenging for owners to come to terms with the diagnosis when they become ill.
This is especially true when they come down with chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus. This disease in both humans and animals requires close monitoring. You want to ensure your pet stays within the acceptable glucose level, and that can only be maintained with the right lifestyle, diet, and insulin.
However, a diabetes diagnosis does not mean that your canine can’t enjoy treats like other dogs. It can, and it should with healthy, tasty, and specially prepared treats suitable for diabetic dogs. Below, we’ve reviewed the five best diabetic dog treats and our choosing guidelines to help you narrow your search.
Table of Contents
The Best Treats for Dogs with Diabetes
Product Name | Key Features | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
- All natural - High protein. | ||
- Low fat formula - Formulated to support a healthier tummy | ||
- High levels of soluble and insoluble fibre. - Crunchy which helps maintain good dental hygiene. | ||
-Made with real meats and superfoods. - Natural and healthy | ||
- 100% pure and rich in nutrients. |
Please continue reading for more in-depth reviews
1. Savory Prime Cod Skin Dog Treats
Overview
Made from 100% codfish from the Atlantic Ocean and Wild Pacific, the treat made our list of best diabetic dog treats for good reasons. It is rich in nutrients a diabetic dog requires to thrive. Cod skins are high in Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, nutrients, and essential oils, all valuable for their health benefits.
The treat is not only health-promoting; the coat and skin also benefit. Because of its crunchy texture, the chewing process helps to prevent tartar buildup and lessen the risk of tooth decay.
The natural protein-rich treat also does not contain preservatives, coloring, and gluten and therefore is perfect as a snack for all canines.
Overview
Want a tasty treat that is both suitable for better digestion and also nutrient-rich? Then the Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal Canine Dog treats are worth giving a try.
The treats go well with other digestion-friendly formulations and are perfect for dogs with digestive issues. This includes dogs with appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and other food-related problems.
The treat is low in fat but rich in other beneficial nutrients for your pooch's optimum health and fitness. With just about 4.5 calories per treat, it is perfect for overweight dogs and dogs prone to excessive weight gain. It is also suitable for dogs on a strict diet and being fed only the essentials.
Key features of the treats
- You can combine the treats with other special gastrointestinal formulas for dog.
- Perfect for pooches with stomach issues and other digestion-related problems.
- An excellent treat for dogs suffering from issues such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Very low in calories, making it ideal for the overweight dog and dog prone to excessive weight gain.
- Tasty, crunchy, and nutritious enough to keep your canine hooked.
Overview
Formulated specifically as a canine metabolic treat, the tasty, crunchy treat is rich in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, to keep your pup fuller for longer while also aiding digestion. The treats are enriched with nutrients for cell protection against free radicals while regulating appetite and lessening inflammation.
Key features
- The perfect treat for dogs on a restricted diet
- High in both soluble and insoluble fiber to keep your pup full and satisfied for longer and in-between meals
- Enriched with antioxidants and nutrients for appetite control, improved immunity, and to reduce inflammation
- Improves your pooch's oral hygiene thanks to the scraping and plaque-removing movement during the chewing
Overview
Completely grain-free and rich in protein, the Darford Zero Roasted Duck Dog Treat has real duck meat as its major ingredient and protein source.
The treat also contains high-quality ingredients such as kelp, blueberries, chia seeds, quinoa, and cranberries. It is suitable for dogs with allergies or intolerant to certain food ingredients. Hence, it is a limited ingredient treat. The treat is also completely free of grain, GMOs, and gluten.
Key features of the treat
- It contains real meat and actual super-foods for your pooch's overall wellbeing
- Rich in quinoa and berries for boosting immunity and better digestion
- It contains chia seeds that are excellent sources of niacin, calcium, magnesium, iron, and other essential nutrients
- Free of grains like corn, soy, and wheat
Overview
One of the few one-ingredient treats on the market, Purebites Chicken Breast Dogs treats is highly recommended for diabetic canines. Your dog will enjoy the chicken breast, Trail Mix, Ocean Whitefish, and beef flavors! Each treat contains less than 10 calories, so you’ll be able to reward your furry friends more often than most regular treats would allow.
The treats are freeze-dried, and this means there is less destruction of the nutritional integrity – a good thing for your canine’s health. The one-ingredient treat does not also contain preservatives, colorings, fillers, artificial flavors, growth hormones or glutens.
The locked-in flavor and freshness from freeze-drying will make them even more appealing to your canine. So, if you’re looking to get a pure and rich treat for your diabetic dog, a dog on a restricted diet, or one overweight, Purebites is a great option.
You may consider breaking them into smaller pieces for puppies, but it’s unnecessary. The chewing movement is great for their teeth – for plaque prevention and reduction in dental visits and bills. However, keep an eye on them to prevent choking, especially if you’re serving the treats whole.
Choosing the Best Diabetic Dog Treats – How We Picked
We began by selecting from a list of best diabetic dog treats available at pet stores and major online retailers like Amazon and Chewy. We also looked at past recommendations from dog experts and vets, as well as our own experiences. From those, we got just what we needed to look for on our final list of the best diabetic dog treats.
Zero Artificial Colorings, Flavors or Preservatives
In most regular dog treats, preservatives are a major and even an expected ingredient to ensure they keep for longer. However, these are harmful in the long run, and so are colors and artificial flavors. Now, with our pets, especially the diabetic ones, we want to be super-careful to avoid messing up their already compromised health. Hence, we picked our best diabetic dog treats in favor of those with natural preservatives like tocopherols/ascorbic acids or none at all.
Identifiable and Safe Protein Products
Cutting out additives was only one process; We ensured that the major ingredients in every treat that would make our list were of top quality. This meant that we had to cut out those with fillers or by-products such as viscera, bones, beaks, etc. You know animal parts you’d never eat.
While these weren’t exactly bad, assessing their quality can be hard besides being high in contents that may be inherently bad for diabetic dogs. So, the best thing was avoiding these altogether.
Nutrient-Dense Ingredients
Treats that relied heavily on grains like corn, wheat, or soy had to be removed from our list (emphasis on “heavily”). The last thing a diabetic dog needs is a treat high in carbs, and they commonly use these grains as fillers – in place of healthier energy sources like veggies and real meat. Because of the reasons above, we gave priority to brands with nutrient-rich carbs when necessary.
We also trimmed out brands that relied on artificial sweeteners like processed sugars – these are not the kinds of ingredients our diabetic dogs need.
Flavors Canines Would Love
It wasn’t just about finding a treat that was healthy enough to make our list of the best diabetic dog treats; It was also about finding treats that the pets can also enjoy. And so, we did it; We came up with a list of treats that tasted just as good as they were healthy for diabetic dogs.
Note This: while we did our best to make sure our picks are safe enough for diabetic dogs, the specific caloric limitations will largely depend on your dog and the severity of his or her diabetes. This is why the best recommendations in terms of how many treats your dog can enjoy at a go or a day will have to be decided by your vet.
Final Thoughts
There are tons of options for dog parents on the search for the best diabetic dog treats, even though we listed just five. You can make more picks by following the same guidelines above. Also, because they make some of these treats from easily sourced products, you can choose to make your own healthy dog treats.
If you can’t stick with a high-quality product, do well to consult with your vets before purchasing and feeding treats to your dog. Yes, even for products with the tons of glowing reviews – particularly when a diabetic dog is involved.
User reviews are great for pointing us in the right direction most times, but canines differ, and your “good” intentions could worsen things for your dog, and you don’t want that.
Have you tried any of the treats on our list? How did your dog enjoy it? Have you got questions or inquiries about these treats? Let us know in the comments.
About the Author
Kirsten Heggarty
Kirsten created The Pet Handbook with the aim of sharing her knowledge about pets, pet food, healthy habits, and more. All of her advice is based on years of her own experience with her pets, and feedback that she has received from grateful readers about her tips. If you want to know more please read the About Me page.
