Once your dog has been diagnosed with diabetes they must follow a strict meal plan or diet to counter the effects of diabetes. Most veterinarians may prescribe specially formulated commercial diabetic dog foods for your pet. This means that you might have to do away with commercial dog food that you normally give your pet. But some vets may ask you to prepare your dog’s meal yourself. If this is the case here are some very helpful tips to remember when preparing homemade diabetic dog foods:

• In preparing a well-balanced diet for your diabetic dog, it is very crucial to know what to feed your pet. Dog foods rich in fiber are good for diabetic dogs. The extra fiber in the food allows your dog to easily absorb and digest carbohydrates.

• If you feed your dog high fiber foods, the episodes of glucose level spikes can be avoided. Good examples of fiber rich foods would include brown rice, oats and certain vegetables like carrots and peas.

• Not all dogs with diabetes have the same diet plan. You have to listen to the vet's advice so you won't end up making the situation worse for your pet. Dogs with problems in the pancreas are normally advised to stay away from high-fat foods like canned dog foods.

• In preparing homemade diabetic dog foods it is always best to use natural ingredients. Make two or more meals for your dog so that you can serve different meals for your pet.

• Plan your dog’s meal ahead of time. To save money and time it is best to make a schedule of what you would like to feed your pet for the entire week. Homemade dog foods can actually be stored in the fridge to last for days.

• Diet control is very essential. If you have other pets at home, try to feed them all at once, according to the set schedule of your diabetic dog. By doing so, you don't run the risk of your sick dog eating out of the bowls of your other healthy pets. While diabetes can't be transferred from one pet to another, eating food that isn't in your diabetic dog's special diet can be lethal.

Proper Diet and planning is very important for your diabetic dog to manage his condition. If you have other healthy dogs at home, it is best to feed them all at once, according to the schedule of your diabetic dog. By doing this, you don't run the risk of your sick dog eating out of the bowls of your other healthy pets. While diabetes can't be transferred from one pet to another, eating food that isn't in your diabetic dog's special diet can be lethal for your diabetic pet.

Right now there is no specific diet for diabetic dogs because a diabetic diet has to be planned and prepared based on the stage of your pet's diabetes, his age, his current physical condition, and a number of other factors. Managing dogs with diabetes can be a challenging at first. But paying careful attention to diet, feeding times, exercise and medications, a pet owner can ensure that a diabetic dog can live a long and happy life.