Home accessories: Treats for Your Diabetic Pooch

One of my Yorkies, Zap, was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. Every twelve hours,

I test his blood glucose level, feed him exactly 1 cup of a prescription diet, and determine how much insulin he needs. Because Z is a brittle diabetic, and his blood glucose can plunge very low, he gets a snack every six hours. Sometimes he gets tired of broccoli, so I make diabetic dog biscuits.

Zap's father, Murphy (left), doesn't have diabetes.

Nor does Mister.

These Yorkies are serious foodies.

Mister has been known to jump onto the kitchen table the moment his humans

have left the room. Once, he wolfed down Dr. Will's steak.

Mister developed a collapsed trachea after a surgical procedure,

and this condition worsens when he gains weight.

Murphy is almost thirteen years old and tends to be portly.

All three boys can benefit from diabetic-friendly biscuits and cupcakes.

What You'll Need:

Diabetic Dog Biscuits

Yield: approximately 50 biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 eggs

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

Into a bowl, add eggs and pumpkin. Whisk until smooth.

Add:

2 tablespoons dry milk. Stir.

Add:

2 1/2 cups brown rice flour

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Blend.

Place dough onto a (brown rice) flour-smeared cutting board. Roll out 1/4 to 1/2" thick.

Cut into strips or use a cookie cutter.

Place "bones" on a baking pan. Place pan in oven and bake 18 minutes. Turn biscuits.

Continue baking another 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Since mixing bowls and ingredients are already on the counter,

it's a good time to make canine cupcakes.

Healthy Peanut Butter-Carrot Cupcakes for your Pooch

Yield: 1 dozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 cup shredded raw carrots

1/2 cup organic (sugar free) applesauce

1/4 organic or natural peanut butter (smooth; no sugar added)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 c. whole wheat flour

Blend ingredients.

Line a cupcake pan with liners and add batter.

(It won't rise very much, so go ahead and fill to the top.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.

Note: you can ice the cupcakes by blending 8 oz fat free cream cheese and 4 tablespoons sugar free

applesauce. This is a bit rich for my Yorkies, so I skip this part.

Because a diabetic animal needs to be fed the same amount of food at the same time of day, it's imperative that you consult your veterinarian before adding these treats to his/her diet.
Your vet will explain how to calculate calories and the dog's weight--and he/she will also know
which foods will be acceptable for your animal's personal health history.