Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Fiber in dog food and blood sugar control in diabetic dogs
By Gross, Jacklyn et al.·Published in Domestic animal endocrinology·2025·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of moderate (7% on dry matter basis) and high (15% on dry matter basis) fiber diets on glycemic control in dogs with spontaneous insulin deficient diabetes mellitus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of eight adult dogs with diabetes that requires insulin were fed either a moderate fiber diet (7% fiber) or a high fiber diet (15% fiber) for 12 weeks to see which helped control their blood sugar better. Both diets improved blood sugar levels compared to their usual food, but there wasn't a significant difference between the moderate and high fiber options. The study suggests that feeding dogs with insulin-dependent diabetes at least a moderate fiber diet can help manage their blood sugar levels alongside their insulin treatment.
People also search for: dog diabetes diet · high fiber diet for diabetic dogs · insulin treatment for dogs with diabetes
Abstract
The objective of the study was to compare the effects of a moderate fiber (MF, 7 % crude fiber on a dry matter basis, 1.9 g/100 kcal) versus a high fiber (HF, 15 % crude fiber on a dry matter basis, 4.4 g/100 kcal) diet on glycemic control in dogs with spontaneous insulin deficient diabetes mellitus. Eight adult dogs with stable spontaneous insulin deficient diabetes mellitus receiving intermediate-action insulin administered subcutaneously every 12 h completed the study. Dogs were fed MF and HF diets for 12 weeks in a crossover study design. Complete blood counts, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, 24-hour blood glucose curve, mean 24-hour blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) percent were evaluated throughout the study as used to compare the MF and HF diets against the individual dogs' base diet. A significant difference was not observed in HbA1c percent and mean 24-hour blood glucose concentrations in dogs consuming either MF or HF diets. HbA1c percent and mean 24-hour blood glucose were significantly lower in dogs consuming these MF and HF diets compared to their individual base diets. Based on these data it would be recommended to provide a dog with spontaneous insulin deficient diabetes mellitus a diet containing at least 7 % crude fiber on a dry matter basis (1.9 g/100 kcal) in addition to their injectable insulin requirements to improve their glycemic control.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40267864/