Foods to Feed your Dog w Insulinoma: Net Article Excerpts/Research Collection/and SMART Supplements which can help (At Bottom of page)
This is a Post to help people understand this Insulinoma; the battle with the constant firehose of insulin that the pancreas is producing and pumping into our dogs body. The best diet and most prescribed diet is: “Insulinoma in a Dog ... A diet high in protein, low fat, complex carbohydrates, and fiber is recommended.”
To help you better understand the diet and suggestions on a deeper level… here is some data I have collected from many sites. Some of this info may be repetitive. But I found reading it written from other authors collectively let me understand it better. (I try to feed my dog a little more of the protein than the complex carbos just as a ratio rule. I have not found a prescribed ratio. But my deductive reasoning tells me to do this.)
I hope this info helps anyone/someone/your best friend and loyal dog!
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HOW CAN REACTIVE HYPOGLYCEMIA BE CONTROLLED WITH NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED MEALS?
When blood glucose falls, eating carbohydrate foods can bring blood glucose levels back up; a meal or a snack must be eaten. Some people believe the obvious solution is to eat a candy bar or drink a cola beverage. Such a meal or snack is very high in carbohydrate, and consists mostly of simple sugar. It may cause your blood level to rise quickly and then fall quickly. Some people then experience the symptoms of rebound hypoglycemia.
A more helpful choice is to eat food with complex carbohydrates (higher fiber whole grain crackers, bagels, breads or cereal). Complex carbohydrate foods deliver glucose over a longer period of time, eliciting less of a rise and fall in blood glucose. A cracker or other grain food with cheese or another protein/fat is the best choice. The protein/fat slows down the digestion of the carbohydrate and keeps blood sugar more stable.
· Eat a source of protein and or a source of fat with carbohydrate at each meal or snack. Protein and fat eaten with carbohydrates will help slow glucose release and absorption. (giving your dog s steady stream of energy to battle against the insulin stream from the tumor)
6. Diet: Diet is important in both surgical and non-surgical patients. Feed as follows: Continue to feed the low fat, high complex carbohydrate diet. It will remain important to feed frequent small portions to help maintain normal blood sugar levels.
Nutrition tips to manage hypoglycemia
· Eat a small meal or snack about every 2-3 hours. Skipping meals can make symptoms worse.
· Choose high fiber foods at each meal and snack. Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar. Increase fluid intake when you increase fiber intake.
· Eat a source of protein and or a source of fat with carbohydrate at each meal or snack. Protein and fat eaten with carbohydrates will help slow glucose release and absorption.
· Limit simple sugars.
· Eat a meal or snack 1-3 hours before exercise. Extra carbohydrates may be needed before exercise to compensate for energy used.
The second basic treatment is to give your body small doses of food at more frequent times during the day (the frequency people use varies from 6 times a day up to 11 or 12 times a day). These snacks should, of course, be smaller portions of things which are digested slowly. Things that are digested slowly include protein and complex carbohydrates. For comparison, simple carbohydrates are include things like sugar. Complex carbohydrates include whole grains and fresh vegetables. Beware of everything that has ingredients that end in -ose, which denotes a sugar. These include dextrose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, sorbital. Fruits are sort of in a gray area, with their fructose.
To help me keep my weight down, a dietician prescribed non fat proteins for me to eat. These include nonfat string cheese, cream cheese, and bean dip. Surprisingly, if you cut out the simple carbohydrates, you probably won't gain weight eating all those snacks. In fact, you might even lose weight!
Serve carbs as long as they are the complex ones from 100% whole grain. Even then, it is a good idea to limit them to about 15 grams per meal until you know you can eat more.(human suggestion) Some healthy fats each time you eat is very important as well.
EXPECTED COURSE AND PROGNOSIS
• Dogs and cats--likelihood of malignancy is high. Metastasis is seen in 40% of patients at the time of surgery.
• Dogs--mean survival time, about 16-19 months; range, 2-60 months. Surgery improves survival time.
TREATMENT
ACTIVITY Restricted
DIET
The first and most important aspect of management (with or without surgery). Feed 4-6 small meals a day. Diet should be high in protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates and low in simple sugars (avoid semimoist food).
Long-Term Therapy
• Glucocorticoids (prednisone at an initial dosage of 0.25 mg/kg PO q12h; can increase to 2-3 mg/kg PO q12h if needed) constitute initial medical treatment once diet alone has proven ineffective. Begin with the low dosage and gradually increase as signs of hypoglycemia recur.
• Diazoxide (Proglycem, 5 mg/kg PO q12h; can gradually increase to 30 mg/kg PO q12h if needed) is added after diet and glucocorticoids have proven ineffective.
• A synthetic somatostatin analogue (Octreotide, 10-20 mg q8-12h) prevents hypoglycemia in some dogs refractory to conventional treatment. Can be used with diet, steroids, and diazoxide. This drug is expensive.
PRECAUTIONS
• Dextrose bolus--suitable for acute hypoglycemic crisis followed by continuous fluids with dextrose
• Glucocorticoids used at high dosages and for prolonged periods can cause iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism.
• Diazoxide can cause gastrointestinaI irritation and has been found in humans to cause bone marrow suppression, cataract formation, aplastic anemia, tachycardia, and thrombocytopenia.
The glycemic index (GI) rates carbohydrate foods on how quickly blood sugar / glucose levels increase in the 2 - 3 hours after eating as the carbs are converted into glucose. Generally fat or protein doesn’t increase glucose levels.
Eating higher GI foods produces a rapid increase in blood glucose levels, triggering the pancreas to produces insulin. Insulin causes the body’s muscle & liver cells to attempt to store the excess glucose. Imagine insulin as a shuttle, moving glucose from just digested foods into storage. If the digestive system is pumping glucose into the blood stream quicker than insulin can move it into the muscles/liver or glucose stays high too long, the body will convert the excess glucose into fat.
Eating lower GI foods produces slower glucose raise, little insulin & fat storage, even if you have eaten high fat content foods!
Food based on their GI rank, are categorized to three groups, Low, Medium and High GI Foods. (You want the LOW!)
Glycemic Index Range
55 or less / 56 - 69 / 70 or more
What do the numbers mean?
o Low GI foods are foods with a GI less than 55. They cause a slower and
lower rise in blood glucose levels.
o Intermediate GI foods are foods with a GI between 55 and 70. They cause
blood glucose levels to go up at a moderate rate
o High GI foods are foods with a GI greater than 70. They cause a rapid rise in
blood glucose levels.
Glycemic Index of Beans
Baked Beans 48
Broad Beans 79
Cannellini Beans 31
Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) 33
Lentils 30
Lima Beans 32
Navy Beans 38
Pinto Beans 39
Red Kidney Beans 27
Soy Beans 18
White Beans 31
Potato (baked) 93
Potato (mashed, instant) 86
Potato (new) 62
Potato (french fries) 75
Red Peppers 10
Pumpkin 75
Sweet Potato 54
Glycemic Index of Grains
Buckwheat 54
Bulgur 48
Basmati Rice 58
Brown Rice 55
Long grain White Rice 56
Short grain White Rice 72
Oatmeal 49 (No sugar added-no instant)
Good dairy:
Cheese (fat free or low fat)
Cottage cheese (low fat)
Eggs, egg whites (boiled,
poached, scrambled/fried
with non-stick cooking
spray)
Egg substitute
Milk (1% low fat, fat free)
Mozzarella cheese (fat free)
Ricotta cheese (fat free)
Tempeh
Tofu
Good Starchy Foods:
Barley
Beans (black, kidney,
red, garbanzo, etc.)
Buckwheat
Bulgur
Chickpeas
Couscous
Dahl
Lentils
Oats, oatmeal
(all types, no sugar)
Pasta, whole wheat
Peas (split,
black-eyed)
Rice (basmati,
bulgur, parboiled
brown, wild)
Tabouli
BAD Starchy Foods:
Beans (baked,refried)
Granola (all types)
Noodles, ramen-style
Pasta (white,
green, red)
Potatoes (all types)
Rice (white, fried,
spanish)
Soups (all types
except veg. broth)
Good Veggies:
Enjoy baked, boiled,
broiled, raw, or steamed
Artichokes (and hearts)
Asparagus
Bamboo shoots
Bean sprouts
Beans (green, wax)
Bok choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots (raw)
Cauliflower
Celery
Chilies
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Greens (spinach, chard, kale)
Jicama
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Olives
Onion
Palm hearts
Peas
Peppers (all types)
Pickles (dill)
Purslane
Radishes
Rutabagas
Snow Peas
Soybeans
Squash (all except Pumpkin)
Tomato sauce, paste
Tomatoes
Water chestnuts
Zucchini
Soups made with broth
and the above foods
Bad Veggies:
Avoid breaded, fried,
deep fried or sauteed foods.
Avocados
Beets
Carrots (cooked)
Corn
Olives (packed in oil)
Parsnips
Pickles (sweet)
Potatoes (all types)
Pumpkin
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Relish
Yams
Good Proteins:
Enjoy baked, broiled,
grilled or steamed
Beef, ground (< 10% fat)
Beef, lean cuts
Calamari
Chicken, skinless
Clams
Crab
Fish, all fresh or frozen (canned in water)
Ham, lean
Lamb, lean
Lobster
Mussels
Octopus
Oysters
Pork, trimmed
Rabbit
Scallops
Shrimp
Tofu
Tuna, canned in water
Turkey, skinless
Venison
Bad Protiens:
Avoid breaded, fried,
deep fried or sauteed foods.
Bacon
Beef, fatty cuts
Beef, ground (> 10% fat)
Canadian bacon
Chicken (fried and/or with skin)
Chicken (buffalo wings)
Duck
Fish sticks
Hot dogs (pork, beef, turkey, chicken)
Jerky (beef/turkey)
Liver
Liverwurst
Pepperoni
Salami
Sausage
Seafood (canned in oil)
Turkey bacon
Turkey sausage
-- You can look into these to help digestion and battle this Insulinoma rush that the pancrease is constantly putting into our dogs body. I have looked into them. I haven’t added these to my dogs diet as of yet:
SMART Supplements which can help
· Starch Blockers make High GI foods into Low GI foods. Phase’O Lean Forte inhibits an enzyme necessary to convert Starch into Glucose. This helps turns high GI starch based foods (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, etc) into low GI foods & helps you to loose weight. Around $50 only from Life Plus.
· BrindleBerry (HCA, Hydroxy Citric Acid) blocks excess glucose being converted into fat. HCA inhibits an enzyme used with insulin to convert excess glucose into body fat. Should be used with Chromium to assist increased muscle / liver uptake of glucose. Around $15-$20 from health shops.
· Chromium PicoLinate increases energy, muscle & liver uptake of glucose. Low blood chromium is one of the major causes of adult onset (Type II) diabetes & excessive fat storage. Low chromium levels reduce energy, glucose uptake by the muscles / liver & increase glucose conversion into body fat. Increased chromium levels help muscle cells & the liver to uptake/store more glucose, increase stored energy reserves & reduce body fat. Increased glucose storage in the liver also reduces hunger pangs & food desire as it is the liver which tells the brain to eat more carbohydrate based foods when it's glucose storage starts dropping. Around $15-$20 from health shops. "Chromium GFT" works but is not as effective.
· Several products combine BrindleBerry, Chromium PicoLinate & other herbs in a synergistic blend. From personal experience I know they do work well. I have used BrindleBerry 5000 + Chromium PicoLinate formulated by Nutra-Life Around $20-$30 from health shops. Be sure the formulation uses Chromium PicoLinate as other forms of Chromium are not as effective. Most formulations also include Kelp to increase metabolism (fat burning) via Kelp's action on the Thyroid.
Are there Other Important Diet Considerations?
The GI/ GL isn't the only criteria when selecting foods as the total amount of carbs, amount & type of fat, fiber & protein are all important. Don't eat more carbs than your need, as the number of grams times the GI is what is important.
We should minimize eating saturated / trans fat & eat more fiber. Fats from cold-water fish, olive & flax oil are beneficial.
Cooking, processing & age all effect a food's GI. The GI of wheat, maize & oats increases, from whole grains (low GI), cracked grains, coarse flour, to fine flour (high GI) due to smaller particle size, which helps rapid digestion & glucose raise.
RICE
Rice can have a high GI (36 - 128). The important factor is the ratio of amylose to amylopectin. Low amylose rice (Calrose) is the highest. Basmati, a long grain fragrant rice & Doongara, a new variety, have medium GI's because of their high amylose. Sweet has no amylose, makes the best sauces / gravies & is used in Asian restaurants. Long-grain has the highest amylose & short-grain the lowest. Rice is also brown (low GI) or white (high GI). Brown long-grain has the lowest GI.
Rice rated lowest to highest:
· Long grain
· Medium grain
· Short grain
· Sweet, Sticky & Waxy.
POTATOES (I would suggest avoiding Potatoes all together. Especially in processed dog food. They will use the cheapest form which is almost always the quick to sugar kind)
The Pontiac with its pink skin, low starch & a GI=80, stands out. The link between starch & GI’s is strong. Harvested before they mature, potatoes are low in starch & GI, later, they have a higher starch & GI.
Potatoes rated lowest to highest:
· Ruby Crescent, Russian, Round Red, La Soda, La Touge, Red Norland & Red Pontiac.
· Long White. White Rose, Round White, Eastern, California, Canada, Delaware, Irish Cobbler, Katahdin, Kennebec, Long Island, Maine, Superior & Yellow Finn
· Russet, Arcadia, Burbank & Idaho.
Treatment:
The goal of treatment of hypoglycemia is to slow down the absorption of food through the intestines. This is best done through changes in eating habits. Follow these general guidelines:
1. Avoid simple (refined) carbohydrates. These are foods high in sugar content, such as jams, jellies, table sugar, honey, syrup, molasses, pies, candy, cakes, cookies, pastries and soda pop.