Carbs, Sugar & Your Pet: How Food Affects Blood Sugar

• Posted on 29 October 2026
• By Dr. Jill Tack, Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor
• Posted in Blood Sugar, cat nutrition, dog nutrition, Pet Diabetes, Pet Food Carbs, Pet Fresh Feeding, raw feeding
• 0

Understand what carbohydrates really are, how they relate to glucose, and why the type and amount in your pet’s food matter.

Carbohydrates can be confusing. One label says “grain-free,” another says “low-carb,” and suddenly you’re wondering whether every potato or pea in the bowl is basically a spoonful of sugar.

It isn’t that simple.

Carbohydrates are a broad group of nutrients that include sugars, starches, and fiber, and different carbohydrate sources behave differently in the body. Understanding the basics can help pet parents look beyond marketing claims and make more informed food choices, especially when weight or blood sugar is a concern.

Understanding Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are nutrients found primarily in plant-based ingredients.

They include:

• Sugars
• Starches
• Fiber

During digestion, digestible carbohydrates can ultimately provide glucose, which the body can use for energy.

But here’s an important piece many pet parents don’t realize.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual’s nutritional requirements for dogs and cats, dietary carbohydrates are not considered essential nutrients for adult, nonreproducing dogs and cats because their bodies can produce glucose through other metabolic pathways.

That doesn’t mean every carbohydrate is automatically “bad.”

It means we should look at why an ingredient is in the bowl, how much is there, and what the individual pet needs.

Carbs aren’t all the same

Fiber is technically a carbohydrate too, but it isn’t handled by the body in exactly the same way as readily digestible starch.

Different ingredients have different:

• Fiber content
• Starch content
• Digestibility
• Nutrient profiles
• Effects on the overall meal

That’s why judging a food from one ingredient alone can be misleading.

The entire formulation matters.

Why blood sugar matters

After a meal, nutrients are digested and absorbed.

Glucose entering the bloodstream stimulates hormonal responses that help move and use that energy.

For a healthy pet, the body regulates this process.

For a pet with diabetes, glucose regulation is impaired, which makes food composition, portion size, consistency, and meal timing especially important.

If diabetes is part of your pet’s health picture, start with our guide to diabetes in cats and dogs.

Cornell University also provides a useful veterinary resource on diet and feeding considerations for diabetic dogs.

Where highly processed foods fit

Many dry foods require starch as part of their manufacturing process.

That doesn’t automatically make every dry food unhealthy, and the word “grain-free” doesn’t automatically mean low-carbohydrate either.

Potatoes, peas, legumes, tapioca, and other ingredients can also contribute carbohydrates.

Instead of relying on the front of the bag, flip it over.

Look at:

• Ingredient quality
• Protein sources
• Moisture
• Fiber
• Overall nutrient balance
• How your individual pet responds

Marketing tells you what a company wants you to notice.

The bowl tells you what your pet is actually eating.

Why fresh food can change the conversation

Fresh, raw, and moisture-rich feeding allows pet parents to explore diets centered more heavily around animal-based ingredients.

For many families, that can mean replacing part of a heavily processed diet with fresh food.

You don’t have to throw away everything in the pantry tomorrow.

Start with a bowl upgrade.

Add an appropriate fresh topper. Replace one processed snack. Explore a complete raw or fresh meal.

If you’re thinking about the bigger picture of food and inflammation, you can also explore our guide to anti-inflammatory nutrition for dogs and cats.

Small changes are still changes.

What pet parents ask

Do dogs need carbohydrates?
Adult dogs can use dietary carbohydrates for energy, but carbohydrates are not classified as an essential dietary nutrient for healthy adult dogs because glucose can also be produced from other nutrients.

Do cats need carbohydrates?
Cats have strong metabolic adaptations for using protein and fat and do not have an established dietary carbohydrate requirement for adult maintenance.

Does grain-free mean low-carb?
No. Grain-free foods may contain other carbohydrate-rich ingredients such as potatoes, peas, lentils, or tapioca.

Should diabetic pets eat low-carb food?
Carbohydrate content can be particularly important for diabetic cats, while diabetic dogs have somewhat different nutritional considerations. Work with the veterinarian managing your pet’s diabetes before changing the diet.

FAQ

Is sugar added to pet food?
Formulas vary. Reading the complete ingredient list is the best way to understand what is actually included.

What’s the easiest way to reduce highly processed food?
Start small. Replace part of the diet with an appropriate complete fresh or raw food, or add a thoughtfully chosen fresh topper.

Confused by the label? Bring us the bag.

Pet food labels shouldn’t require a chemistry degree.

If you’ve ever stood in an aisle wondering what starch, fiber, protein, and all those ingredients actually mean for your pet, that’s exactly where our team can help.

Bring your current food into The Pet Beastro or snap a photo of the label.

We’ll walk through it with you, answer your questions, and help you compare options without judgment or pressure.

Because feeding better starts with understanding what’s actually in the bowl.