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Best Dog Food for Diabetic Dogs 2024
Written by Kevin Hughes
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 11/29/2023, edited: 03/04/2024
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
If your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes, diet becomes increasingly important. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that needs to be managed — and a specific diet, together with regular exercise, can help significantly.
“Consistency is key when catering to diabetic pets,” says Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants. “Feeding a strictly portioned, nutrient-balance diet that is low in sugar and simple carbohydrates on a set schedule with limited access to treats will help you maintain stable blood sugar levels.”
You should always seek the advice of your vet, though, to discuss the specifics of your dog’s health. “Instituting a new diet or feeding regimen should be conducted with the guidance of your veterinarian to minimize blood sugar dysregulation,” adds Dr. Georgia.
But, what should you feed your dog? In general, food that’s high in fiber is advisable, while you should avoid high-fat foods and anything with too much sugar. Being overweight or obese puts dogs at higher risk of diabetes, so a diet that can assist with weight management can be recommended in some cases.
To help, we’ve rounded up some of the best dog food for diabetic dogs, right here.
Overview
Raised Right Turkey and Pumpkin Pate
Vet recommended
Raised Right offers a range of dog food recipes that have limited ingredients, so they’re rich in protein. All recipes are wet dog food, with 11 different varieties, all of which are freshly cooked using human grade ingredients before being frozen.
Dr. Georgia is an admirer of Raised Right. “Raised Right offers a human-grade dog food consisting of only whole foods and no fillers or synthetic additives such as vitamin and mineral powders,” she says. “Their ingredients can also be traced back to the source, and each batch is tested for safety.”
Read the Wag! review of Raised Right here.
Raised Right Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Pumpkin is a great source of fiber, Vitamin A, iron and potassium
- High in protein
- Available in other flavors, including beef, chicken and pork
- Vet formulated and recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- Pricier than some other dog foods — an order of 16 1lb bags costs $175.84 at the time of writing
- No specialist senior dog food option
What pet parents say about Raised Right
“My dog is diabetic and needs a low carb diet. Raised Right has been great (at) lowering his glucose level & reducing his need for insulin. We've not had a low blood sugar episode since starting this diet & reducing his insulin.”
“Our dog loves this food and it helps with his blood sugar levels.”
“This food is great for my diabetic dog as it is low carbohydrate. He loves it! I have been able to reduce the amount of insulin he needs. His housemate loves it too!”
Read more reviews on Raised Right.
Product image sourced from the Raised Right website.
The Honest Kitchen Grain Free Fish Limited Ingredient
Vet recommended
With 55 different varieties of dog food — including wet food and dry food, and meal toppers — you’re certainly not stuck for choice when it comes to the Honest Kitchen product range. All Honest Kitchen’s recipes are made with human-grade ingredients and whole foods, and have no preservatives, fillers, soy, corn or wheat.
Dr. Georgia recommends Honest Kitchen, saying: “The Honest Kitchen offers convenient dry, dehydrated, and wet food options that use high protein meat sources and are fortified with fish oils and essential nutrients such as taurine.”
It’s one of the dehydrated recipes that we’ve selected as one of the best foods for diabetic dogs, containing ideal ingredients in white fish, dehydrated pumpkin and dehydrated spinach. Dried organic coconut, dried chickpeas and dehydrated celery complete the list of six whole food ingredients.
The food is easy to make — just add warm water to rehydrate it, though it might take a little practice to get the consistency perfect.Read the Wag! review of The Honest Kitchen here.
The Honest Kitchen Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Vet recommended
- Human-grade ingredients
- Longer shelf life than some other dog food options
Considerations & Concerns
- Needs mixing with water so it’s important to get the ratio right
- Some pet parents find the fishy smell too strong
- More expensive than many competitors
What pet parents say about The Honest Kitchen
“I bought this food because my girl was suffering from some type of an allergy and the ingredients were the least likely to cause an issue. It took a few days for her to get used to it, but what a difference. SHE IS LIKE A PUPPY again… so playful. And all her stomach and itching issues are gone. I can't believe how she plays like she is a year old again. Miraculous food.”
“I have found that my dogs always love Honest Kitchen products. And I love giving it to them. This dog food is super easy to prepare and my dogs loved it. They kept licking out their food bowls looking for bits they missed far after their bowl was empty.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy.
Spot and Tango UnKibble Chicken and Brown Rice
Vet recommended
Spot and Tango is a premium brand of dog food that offers both a fresh food range and a dry food, UnKibble. It’s the dry recipes we’ve chosen in this shortlist of best dog food for diabetic dogs, not least because, as our full review of Spot and Tango reveals, it’s the brand’s most popular product line.
But of course, there’s more reason than popularity. It’s a vet-recommended food, endorsed by Dr. Georgia, who notes that: “Nutrient profiles are preserved through low-temperature dehydration, products have guaranteed nutrient analysis, and all recipes are developed by certified veterinary nutritionists.”
UnKibble comes in four different flavors, all of them made with 100% fresh ingredients and zero artificial preservatives or fillers. Those recipes are Cod and Salmon, Beef and Barley, Turkey and Sweet Potato, and the one we’ve nominated here — Chicken and Brown Rice. In addition to the two main ingredients, you’ll also find sweet potatoes, carrots, fish oil, apples, broccoli and kale.
Spot & Tango Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- More reasonably priced than Spot and Tango’s fresh food
- The ‘Happy Pup Guarantee’ means Spot and Tango will give you 100% of your money back after your 2-week trial
- Personalized plans available for your pup
Considerations & Concerns
- Product recall in September 2022
- Some reviewers unhappy with customer service
What pet parents say about Spot and Tango Unkibble Chicken and Brown Rice
“I was sceptical about ordering online but my dogs love this food. They get excited for feeding time now. I have only used it for about a week but can already see a difference. I used to leave their kibble down for them to eat when they want. (Now) we have set feeding times and they woof it down every time. I highly recommend the food. Worth the cost.”
“My dog is incredibly picky and has refused to eat well over a dozen different foods. He LOVES this food!! It's such a relief.”
“My dog is an extremely fussy eater. The first few meals with this new food (chicken unkibble) and he gobbled it all up right away. Something we have never seen him do in the 4+ years we've had him.”
Read more reviews on Trustpilot.
Product image sourced from The Honest Kitchen website.
Nom Nom Turkey Fare
Best fresh food
Unlike some other brands that have recipes included in our best dog food for diabetic dogs shortlist, Nom Nom doesn’t have a lengthy range of flavors — but what it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. There are four recipes in the Nom Nom fresh dog food line-up; besides the Turkey Fare we’ve highlighted here, there’s also Beef Mash, Chicken Cuisine, and Pork Potluck. All have meat as the No.1 ingredient.
Turkey Fare makes such a suitable meal option as a diabetic dog food because its ingredients deliver almost exactly what’s needed. Ground turkey provides lean protein; brown rice has grains and added fiber; carrots are fiber-rich; spinach is a non-starchy vegetable, and fish oil is a source of healthy fat.
All Nom Nom recipes meet standards as set by AAFCO’s Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.
Nom Nom Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Personalized meal plans available
- Made with human-grade ingredients
- Formulated in partnership with veterinary nutritionists
- Prepared and packed in the USA
Considerations & Concerns
- A premium dog food comes at a premium price
- Fresh food needs to be refrigerated, so make sure you have the space
- Not many other flavor choices
What pet parents say about Nom Nom
“Nom Nom has changed life for our dog and for us! Up until we started using Nom Nom, it was an every couple month occurrence of a flare in GI irritation for our Bordoodle that landed us in night duty of letting him outside every 2 hours with liquid poops. He was so uncomfortable and we didn’t know what to do. A neighbor recommended Nom Nom as something that worked for their doodle, so we gave it a try. The volume of poops immediately decreased and the consistency of the poops dramatically improved as our sweet dog is now absorbing the food he needs to grow and be healthy. What a relief in more ways than one!! Thank you for this amazing food option for dogs!”
“I've tried several "real food" dog food types and Nom Nom blows them all away! First, the packaging allows you to dispense the food without getting your hands messy (unlike some other makers). The food actually LOOKS LIKE the food it is (unlike the mush that other makers send out), and Sophie downs the various flavors as soon as I place them in her dish - nothing picky here, just good, nutritious food for your pet!!”
Read more reviews on Trustpilot.
Product image sourced from the Nom Nom website.
Castor and Pollux Organix Tiny Feasts Organic Chicken, Quinoa and Carrot Stew
Best wet food
Texas-based Castor & Pollux offers a range of dry and wet food recipes, across its Organix and Pristine product lines. There’s also a selection of meal toppers, too — read our full review of the Castor & Pollux range here.
From this, our pick as the best dog food for diabetes from Castor & Pollux is Tiny Feasts Organic Chicken, Quinoa and Carrot Stew. It’s made with at least 95% organic ingredients, and features free-range chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, carrots, dried peas, flaxseed and spinach — a superfood. Marinated in a gravy, it’s sure to be a tasty dinner for your dog as well as providing a balanced diet, with added vitamins and minerals.
There’s also a recipe that replaces chicken with turkey, plus Tiny Feasts Turkey Grain Free, Turkey and Potato Stew, Chicken Grain Free and Chicken and Potato Stew.
Castor and Pollux Organix Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Made with high quality, organic ingredients
- Good for dogs with sensitive stomachs
- Organix products have never been recalled
- All Organix recipes have received the highest level of certification from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Considerations & Concerns
- Formulated for small breed dogs, so not suitable for all types
- Sold in cases of 12 so regular re-ordering may be needed
What pet parents say about Castor and Pollux Organix Tiny Feasts
“My dogs love this and they lick the bowls clean. I would like to see options for small dogs with organic grains in the ingredients. We have to add our own grains, such as whole grain brown rice, to their food. Also, very much appreciate the organic veggies in the food. I like seeing the greens and carrots in the food but there aren’t many carrot pieces in it.”
“Our aging dog recently started having tummy problems. It caused her to stop eating. We have been trying everything we can get her to see something, anything. Ground beef, ground chicken, and chicken which used to work stopped working for her. She would turn up her nose to nearly everything. Out of desperation we tried a handful of moist food products outside of what we normally gave her (as she stopped eating those as well). This was the first one that we tried and thank goodness she LOVES it. She has been eating it heartily at each meal.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy.
Acana Singles Beef and Pumpkin
Best for picky eaters
The Acana Singles Limited Ingredient range are protein-rich recipes that include at least 50% premium animal ingredients. As well as being recommended as a diabetic dog food, it’s also suitable for dogs who might be fussier eaters and for those who have allergies — pet parents have reported improved results when feeding their pup this food.
It’s available in a choice of different flavors.
We’ve highlighted the Beef and Pumpkin recipe here, as it includes ideal ingredients of beef, sweet potatoes, whole pumpkin, and fish oil; all of which are beneficial in a diet for a diabetic dog. Across the recipe range, Acana follows a formula of 65% animal ingredients — meat — and 35% vegetables, fruit and nutrients, though be sure to check the full listing of each.
The other flavors in the Singles Limited Ingredient product line include Duck and Pear; Pork & Squash and Lamb & Apple (all of which include pumpkin). There are also two Wholesome Grains recipes — one with Lamb and Pumpkin and the other with Duck and Pumpkin.
Acana Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Suitable for all life stages
- Made in the USA
- Protein-rich
- No soy, corn or wheat added
Considerations & Concerns
- Not formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional levels for the growth of large-size dogs (70 lbs or more)
- Grain-free recipe, which may not suit all dogs
What pet parents say about Acana Singles Beef and Pumpkin
“I changed dog food because the ingredients in our former food were not nutritious & the content was lacking in many areas. Acana is our new food. We even feed it to our cocker who is allergic to all egg & fowl ingredients & was formerly eating a "limited ingredient" food. Our cocker & our golden retriever love their new food. We caught our golden with his head in the dog food bag gobbling away!”
“I have 2 Siberian huskies. It has been a challenge to find the right dog food because one of them is the world's pickiest eater and the other one has a sensitive bowel (loose stools). They both love this dog food and my dog with the sensitive bowel no longer has any problems. This food is perfect for my dogs!”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Product image sourced from Chewy.
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