How should I transition my dog on to their new diet?

Please consult with your veterinarian before transitioning your dog on to their new diet, as the amount of insulin your dog requires may need to be adjusted. We strongly recommend that you gradually transition your dog onto their new diet over 5-7 days. A gradual transition is also recommended because sudden changes in the fat and fibre content of the diet can sometimes cause gastrointestinal upset. Begin with 90-80% of the old diet and 10-20% of the new diet. If this is well-tolerated for a few days, increase to 30-40% new diet for another few days. Again, if well-tolerated, increase to 50-60% new diet for a few days, and so forth, until 100% new diet is being fed.

My dog won’t eat the diet. What should I do?

Consistency in the diet, the amount fed, and timing of feeding is important in diabetic dogs so that insulin can be properly administered. If your dog is not eating normally, please contact your veterinarian who can advise on whether you should give the next insulin dose.

Here are some things you can try:

• A very slow transition to the new diet can improve acceptance and tolerance, especially when adding supplements. This is especially true in dogs that have been fed a commercial kibble or canned diet for a significant amount of time.

• If your dog is picking out the meat and leaving the vegetables, try processing or blending the diet in a food processor or blender, until it is very well-mixed.

• Add a small amount of chicken or beef stock to the meal to flavour the vegetables and/or other carbohydrates. Make sure the stock does not contain onions or garlic.

• Top your dog’s meals with a small number of their favourite treats (whole or crushed) – for example, freezedried chicken breast or salmon is popular and can be crumbled and mixed into the food.

• Add a small amount of something strong-smelling or tasting that your dog loves. For example: Vegemite, miso paste, grated cheese, sardines canned in spring water, canned cat food, plain yoghurt, or natural peanut butter.

Can I substitute ingredients?

In diabetic dogs, ensuring a stable amount of digestible carbohydrates in a diet is very important. Therefore, ingredients should not be substituted under any circumstances.

Ingredients that may seem similar can vary greatly in the amounts and types of nutrients they provide. This is especially true of any vegetable oils used as they have very specific fatty acid profiles. For example, simply changing from hemp seed oil to olive oil can make the diet deficient in linoleic acid, which can cause signs of deficiency like dry scaly skin.

My dog has developed some changes in stool consistency. What should I do?

It can be the case that some dogs develop mild changes in stool consistency, even with a gradual transition to the new diet. Most commonly, stools may become slightly softer/pasty, however, mild constipation can also occur. Liquid or watery diarrhoea is rare and is a cause for concern. If your dog has softer stools, but is eating and drinking normally, and is otherwise bright and happy, it may be sensible to continue to feed the diet and monitor your dog’s stools for several more days. Changes in the fibre content of your dog’s diet can cause softer stools; this is usually mild and temporary, with stools normalising after 4-5 days. If stool consistency does not improve, or you become concerned because your dog is lethargic, not eating, not drinking, or has severe diarrhoea, please stop feeding the diet immediately and consult your family veterinarian.

My dog has started vomiting. What should I do?

Vomiting in response to gradual dietary change is not normal in healthy dogs. Rapid or immediate changes in diet may cause vomiting or diarrhoea, and this is, therefore, why a gradual transition is recommended. Please stop feeding the diet immediately and consult your family veterinarian. Monitoring with your veterinarian We recommend that your dog has a check-up with their veterinarian 2-3 weeks after starting their new diet to ensure it is meeting their needs.