Human-Grade Dog Food

The pet food industry has come a long way since commercial dog food was introduced. There are so many options now, dry (kibble), wet, dehydrated, frozen, fresh, prescription, puppy, senior and breed specific are all available. Human-grade dog food, something that has become popular and many of us have started feeding our dogs. Whether it is kibble, wet, dehydrated or fresh frozen there are a lot of companies that offer human-grade dog foods.

I did not realize how long commercial dog food has been around; the first dog “biscuits” were introduced in 1860 and they were called “Patented Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes.” At the time this was considered a complete meal for dogs, the ingredients were not impressive and there were no added vitamins or minerals. In 1922 a wet food, Ken-L Ration was launched and in 1956 Purina made the first extruded dog food (kibble). Puppy food was introduced in the early 1960’s and The Honest Kitchen was the first dog food labeled human-grade in 2003.

In the USA there is feed-grade dog food and human-grade dog food. Feed-grade ingredients are not certified for humans to consume but are acceptable for dogs. Human-grade ingredients are held to a higher standard and each ingredient is acceptable for a human to eat.

We are often asked in our Facebook group if specific brands are acceptable for diabetic dogs, so I went through some of the most popular brands of human-grade dog foods. Several are subscription based and some you can purchase through pet stores like Chewy or PetSmart. Let’s go over these human-grade dog foods and whether they are appropriate for diabetic dogs. Grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage and learn with me!

Below are my findings based on either the guaranteed analysis or the dry matter basis (DMB) information provided. If only guaranteed analysis was given I calculated dry matter basis. There are two companies that offer dry matter basis (DMB) information on their site: The Honest Kitchen and My Perfect Pet.

(Click on the pictures below to enlarge)

Please take note of the carbs, protein and fat contents, not all of these foods are appropriate for every diabetic dog.

There are diets included that are higher in carbs but are low in fat. These diets would be a good choice for dogs with pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis.

I have also included low phosphorus/protein/hepatic diets for diabetic dogs who have low protein requirements. These diets may be a bit higher in fat.

If you are using a base mix like Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm I always suggest feeding a low-fat protein. This includes chicken breast, turkey breast, 99/1 ground turkey, 93/7 ground beef, venison, cod, tilapia, egg whites, bison, kangaroo, pork tenderloin and 90/10 ground beef. Make sure that you rinse cooked meat in hot water to rinse off excess fat.

There are three brands that are not included due to too high fat content for diabetic dogs in all flavors: The Farmer’s Dog, Ollie and Nom Nom. Don’t get me wrong they are great foods but they are not appropriate for pancreatic pups.

If you are looking for a dry matter basis and carbohydrates calculator, please click here.

I remember when Lucy was diagnosed with kidney failure I had to rethink her diet and I was overwhelmed. She had acute pancreatitis when she was first diagnosed with diabetes so she had been eating low-fat for a long time. Renal diets are higher in fat and carbs, but she did okay with 15% fat on DMB and higher carbs, I just had to adjust her insulin. It is important that we take into consideration other illnesses or diseases, insulin can always be adjusted!

I hope that this blog has helped you weed through some human-grade dog foods. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.

For a printable version of this blog click  here.

Until next week stay comfy, don’t stress and you got this!

Michelle Miller-Matlock

AAHA Certified Diabetes Educator

Founder/Administrator of DDO: Diabetic Dog Owners University

Administrator of Diabetic Dog Owners on Facebook

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