Think Before You Treat

Image via WikipediaI just got an email from Purina's PetCentric website, telling me that February 23 is International Dog Biscuit Day.  Wow.  Those of us who have (or have had) diabetic dogs know that it's important to put some thought into the kinds and amounts of treats we give our dogs.  However, although the website recommends Purina treats, there are no links to the main Purina website so that you can check out what goes into them.  At the Purina website, which is actually pretty good in terms of content, there are links to the webpages for the individual products.  I discovered that Beggin' Strips contain sugar (real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup), but there was no indication of how much.  Why don't pet foods have the kind of nutrition labels we see on people food?  Maybe I'll start a campaign.

Would I give a diabetic dog a Beggin' Strip?  I might, but I would probably not give him the entire strip, which brings me to my next point:  treats count as food!  For some reason, a lot of people think that treats exist in some alternate dimension where only food consumed at mealtime affects blood sugar.  If you are one of them, get over it.  Most commercial dog treats are basically carbs and fat, with flavorings, and they should be used only as treats, meaning that you give one as a reward for good behavior.  I am pointing this out because I recently saw someone (I name no names) give his overweight dog at least a quarter of a box of LivaSnaps.  Luckily, his dog is not diabetic --so far -- but he is arthritic, and the weight isn't helping.

So, on February 23rd, use your commonsense and treat your dog rationally.