Diet for Pancreatitis and Diabetes Pug

[tymbaa29]

For those of you who may be dealing with cushings, diabetes & pancreatitis or any combination of the above, do you have any thoughts on what I can add to my pug's diet to safely help him gain a pound or two? Timon, my 15 yr old pug is diagnosed with all three above and currently on a Purina O/M diet as the IM wants him on a very low fat regime. Would like to see him gain alittle weight but need something additional that would not cause a pancreatitis flare up or affect his diabetes. I am wondering if I should consider something other than O/M since he has lost about 5 lbs over that last several months and is no where near having a weight problem, in fact, for a pug is very underweight (just about 14 lbs now) His pancreatitis continues to flare up and is treated with plasma treatments. I am very worried about him.

[k9diabetes]

With diabetic dogs, usually the best way to get them to gain weight is to feed them more of what they are already eating. Increasing calories (with a usually minor insulin adjustment) should result in weight gain.

Sometimes a dog just can't eat enough of a particular food to gain weight if they have a sensitive stomach and will throw up if they eat that much.

Would your boy eat about 20-25% more of his current diet?

He will also lose weight if his diabetes isn't well-regulated - how's his blood sugar these days?

Natalie

[tymbaa29]

I have increased the amount of what he has been eating a few months ago with still no success. Timon's sugar levels are still presenting challenges, but with some adjustments in the insulin dosages, he is no longer having the real high numbers in the am and then low in evening and the IM is pleased with his ACTH results. Timon continues on Lysodren 1 time a week, 1/4 tab (500mg)...a really conservative dose. Repeat pancreatitis flare ups are his biggest challenges lately.

[k9diabetes]

With low calorie foods, you often have to increase the quantity quite a lot. For a long time with our diabetic he just wasn't getting enough WD to gain any weight. So I upped it about 25% and he gained it back.

And if his blood sugar isn't great, some of that food you're giving now is washing away without feeding his body.

Feeding more of the same is easier than adding some additional new food to a diabetic's diet because shifting the protein/carb/fat/fiber ratio or the digestibility of the food can really throw the diabetes regulation for a loop. It can entirely change the shape of the curve.

We went from WD dry to California Natural canned and Chris got a lot more rise in his blood sugar immediately after eating and the food didn't have the same staying power to go with the insulin later. We wound up adding lowfast cottage cheese to the California Natural canned and that helped balance things out.

The shift in the curve can be a good thing if you're less than crazy about the way his food and insulin match now. But it's trial and error - all dogs are different in how they digest various foods and additives. About the only thing you can count on is that a very readily digestible carbohydrate like a cracker will convert to blood sugar very quickly. Something like oats I have seen work great for some dogs and send the blood sugar through the roof for others.

Hope you can find something that works for Timon.

Natalie