Home Cookers can you please post what you feed

[Ladysmom]

QUOTE (Angel's Mom @ Jun 15 2009, 12:22 AM)

QUOTE (LadysMom @ Jun 14 2009, 11:02 PM)

Lady has liver disease from nine years of phenobarbital for seizures, is diabetic, and had three episodes of HGE in four months about a year ago. It's hard to know what causes HGE, but we think she wasn't digesting her food and bacteria was building up in her digestive tract. Her pancreas is probably not producing digestive enzymes on it's own anymore.

I simply ran out of commercial foods she could eat. I have been homecooking for Lady for almost a year now and the results have been dramatic. She hasn't had any digestive problems since and has finally gained back the weight she lost over the past couple of years.

Here's her recipe:

1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 hard boiled egg
1 cup salmon or whitefish (tilapia)
1 large sweet potato
1 T Canola oil
1 tsp bone meal
1 tsp salt substitute

She gets Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes and Probiotics with each meal, AE multivitamin once a day and a 3V cap (fish oil) daily.

She also gets Transfer Factor (colostrum) to boost her immune system, Cosequin, and Marin and Denosyl for liver support.[/B]

Marj, how many meals does that make for Lady?
[/B][/QUOTE]

Lady gets 1/2 cup twice a day so it lasts about four days.

[lovesophie]

Usually, my two are on Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried lamb. They're also on Primal frozen lamb, but I'll be switching this for Orijen Fresh Fish. My two also get scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil, or veggies sauteed in coconut oil (bell peppers, zucchini, asparagus, Roma tomatoes, or whatever else I have on hand).

When I cook salmon, beef, or lamb dishes for myself, I'll cook a little extra to give my two. Let me know if you want some recipes.

[Nikki's Mom]

Nikki has asymptomatic MVD, and she is an inside dog, so she doesn't get as much exercise as those dogs who have a backyard to run around in.

****This is a modified recipe based on a recipe created for me by a Vet. I am posting it here for info reasons only. If you are going to home cook, you will need to figure out your own recipe according to your dog's weight, activity, and health issues. There are Yahoo home cooking forums that are extremely helpful, and the BalanceIT website has home cooking recipes you can buy.

I rotate Nikki's food around, but basically it is mix of 1 protein, sweet potatoes, and veggies.

Proteins, 1 pound, choose one
:
ground grass-fed beef
ground organic chicken, mix of white and dark
ground turkey, mix of white and dark
Scrambled eggs (2 cups)

I saute the proteins in coconut oil.

I add 2 cups of roasted mashed organic sweet potatoes. (According to the original recipe, you can also use ww pasta, organic brown rice, or oatmeal as the starch, but Nikki doesn't do well on those foods.)

I add 2 cups of steamed organic veggies. I usually use green beans, broccoli, zucchini, and artichoke hearts.

I throw in a tablespoon of chopped dried cranberries.

I add in Animal Essentials Calcium, amount according to the weight of the food, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp salt sub, 2T hemp oil and 2T olive oil.

I also mix in Animal Essentials multivitamins and Jarrow probiotics to her daily food. I freeze all but 3 days worth of food. I feed her 4.5 oz a day, and it usually lasts around 9 days.

I modified this recipe myself, as I didn't want to feed Nikki certain vitamins and oils that were in the original recipe because I am one of those health nut people.

Nikki is doing great on this recipe. No allergies, no skin issues, no tummy issues, etc. I highly recommend home cooking. It takes time and effort, but the results are worth it, IMO. As far as the cost, well, we spend a lot of money for healthy food around here for all of us. We cut back in other areas in order to do this.

[princessre]

Casanova had GI problems for two months which medicine and dog food just made worse and worse. This is the only thing that got him back on track and he is perfectly healthy and a bundle of energy now:

We do EQUAL portions fish and veggies

Fish (choose one): Wild Cod, Pollock, Tilapia, Seabass
Organic Veggies (all of these together and finely minced): Baby Bok Choy, Spinach, Green Beans, and Peas

I sautee fish first, then sautee minced veggies and mix.

We do dried cranberries, sweet potatoes, and yogurt as treats.

Many people do not realize that beef, chicken, wheat are top 3 dog food allergens.

[Nikki's Mom]

QUOTE (princessre @ Jun 15 2009, 08:51 AM)

Casanova had GI problems for two months which medicine and dog food just made worse and worse. This is the only thing that got him back on track and he is perfectly healthy and a bundle of energy now:

We do EQUAL portions fish and veggies

Fish (choose one): Wild Cod, Pollock, Tilapia, Seabass
Organic Veggies (all of these together and finely minced): Baby Bok Choy, Spinach, Green Beans, and Peas

I sautee fish first, then sautee minced veggies and mix.

We do dried cranberries, sweet potatoes, and yogurt as treats.

Many people do not realize that beef, chicken, wheat are top 3 dog food allergens.[/B]

I forgot to mention that Nikki also gets 2 tablespoons of raw, unpasteurized milk every day. We have been using this milk (and eggs) for about 2 years now. It is from a local farm. The omega fats, called CLA's, in the raw milk are very good for her.

Nikki does fine on the grass-fed beef, but not on regular beef. I try not to feed her beef too much, because of the ammonia content, but she does better on the beef and turkey than the chicken. I also give her fish when I can afford it!

[puppy lover]

This is a great thread idea dwerten! These recipes are priceless because they're the result of trial and error and I definitely will keep all this information for when I have my puppy. Thanks everyone for sharing!

[susie and sadie]

Susie & Sadie both have asymptomatic MVD, but no other health issues. I've been feeding them a home cooked diet for about 5 years now.

I follow the recipes in Dr. Richard Pitcairn's book. But I cook the meat rather than giving it raw. I make a weeks worth at a time, and each time I make a new batch, I rotate the meat and grains being used.

For the protein, I rotate between organic chicken, fish (from VitalChoice.com ), eggs and cottage cheese, and occasionally organic, grass-fed beef (they don't do well with turkey).

Not all dogs do, but Susie & Sadie have always done really well with whole grains. I use gluten-free oats, millet, quinoa, brown rice, and sometimes crumbled, whole grain sprouted Ezekiel bread (I've tried spelt, but they didn't seem to digest it well).

I make a batch of pureed organic veggies - equal mix of root vegetables and leafy greens, plus some fruit such as apples, blueberries, etc., and add a spoonful to their food once a day.

I use ground eggshell powder for the calcium added to each batch of food.

For the oil in the recipes I use coconut oil (this is my favorite: Tropical Traditions ) or extra virgin olive oil.

Dr. Pitcairn's recipes call for a mix of supplements he calls Healthy Powder. Which is lecithin (non-GMO), kelp, nutritional yeast and calcium to balance it. I give the lecithin and kelp with the appropriate amount of calcium, but I omit the nutritional yeast. He says if it's omitted, to give a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement once a day, which I do.

Here's a list of the supplements they get each day, all with the OK of my holistic vet:

Milk thistle and Sam-e - for liver support

Vitamin C (not everyone agrees whether or not it's necessary for dogs, but my vet recommends it)

A muti-vitamin made from organic seed sprouts

Liquid mineral complex in solution (the C, multi-vitamin, and mineral complex I give them is from MaximumLiving.com It's what I take myself, and it was given the OK by my vet)

Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplement for joints (my vet recommended they start on it at the age of 5 as a preventive measure)

Coenzyme Q10

Probiotics

Fish oil or cod liver oil, or 1/2 tsp. of ground flax seeds

Vitamin E

1/4 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar

I can't say enough good things about feeding a home cooked diet. Susie & Sadie have done wonderfully with it. Their bloodwork is always excellent, and their teeth and gums are in great condition.

[Ladysmom]

QUOTE (Susie and Sadie @ Jun 15 2009, 01:09 PM)

Susie & Sadie both have asymptomatic MVD, but no other health issues. I've been feeding them a home cooked diet for about 5 years now.

I follow the recipes in Dr. Richard Pitcairn's book. But I cook the meat rather than giving it raw. I make a weeks worth at a time, and each time I make a new batch, I rotate the meat and grains being used.

For the protein, I rotate between organic chicken, fish (from VitalChoice.com ), eggs and cottage cheese, and occasionally organic, grass-fed beef (they don't do well with turkey).

Not all dogs do, but Susie & Sadie have always done really well with whole grains. I use gluten-free oats, millet, quinoa, brown rice, and sometimes crumbled, whole grain sprouted Ezekiel bread (I've tried spelt, but they didn't seem to digest it well).

I make a batch of pureed organic veggies - equal mix of root vegetables and leafy greens, plus some fruit such as apples, blueberries, etc., and add a spoonful to their food once a day.

I use ground eggshell powder for the calcium added to each batch of food.

For the oil in the recipes I use coconut oil (this is my favorite: Tropical Traditions ) or extra virgin olive oil.

Dr. Pitcairn's recipes call for a mix of supplements he calls Healthy Powder. Which is lecithin (non-GMO), kelp, nutritional yeast and calcium to balance it. I give the lecithin and kelp with the appropriate amount of calcium, but I omit the nutritional yeast. He says if it's omitted, to give a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement once a day, which I do.

Here's a list of the supplements they get each day, all with the OK of my holistic vet:

Milk thistle and Sam-e - for liver support

Vitamin C (not everyone agrees whether or not it's necessary for dogs, but my vet recommends it)

A muti-vitamin made from organic seed sprouts

Liquid mineral complex in solution (the C, multi-vitamin, and mineral complex I give them is from MaximumLiving.com It's what I take myself, and it was given the OK by my vet)

Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplement for joints (my vet recommended they start on it at the age of 5 as a preventive measure)

Coenzyme Q10

Probiotics

Fish oil or cod liver oil, or 1/2 tsp. of ground flax seeds

Vitamin E

1/4 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar

I can't say enough good things about feeding a home cooked diet. Susie & Sadie have done wonderfully with it. Their bloodwork is always excellent, and their teeth and gums are in great condition.[/B]

I'm glad to know I am not the only one who uses a lot of supplements!

Lady can't get kelp because she is on thyroid medication. Otherwise I would give her that, too. Many benefits from kelp.

Lady definitely eats better than I do. I usually heat up a Lean Cuisine or make BLT.

[susie and sadie]

QUOTE (LadysMom @ Jun 15 2009, 01:22 PM)

I'm glad to know I am not the only one who uses a lot of supplements!

Lady can't get kelp because she is on thyroid medication. Otherwise I would give her that, too. Many benefits from kelp.

Lady definitely eats better than I do. I usually heat up a Lean Cuisine or make BLT. [/B]

I'm a firm believer in supplements!

I can definitely relate to saying our Malts eat better than we do! I try to eat as healthy as possible, but some days I just don't have time to cook and have to grab something on the go. I've often said Susie & Sadie eat more fresh veggies than me!

[lovesophie]

I should probably clarify that I only use grass-fed, free-range animals (lamb and beef). They're herbivores and don't consume much soy or grains. I get all my meats, eggs, and veggies from local farmers' markets around my city, and at Whole Foods.

Beef is great if it's grass-fed, as it contains omega 3 fats, and vitamins A, D, and E. It's also a good source of taurine, carnitine, magnesium, and zinc.

Salmon is wild-caught from the ocean (never farmed), and if it's canned, then it's also wild-caught and packed in spring water (no oil or salt).

I have read that all vegetable oils, with the exception of olive oil, are detrimental to our health, so I avoid giving these to my fluffs. These oils include soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, canola, etc. I have also read that hemp seed oil should be avoided.

I get my herbs, spices, and coconut oil from http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/. Their virgin, unrefined coconut oil is the best-tasting coconut oil I've had.

QUOTE (Susie and Sadie @ Jun 15 2009, 10:09 AM)

Susie & Sadie both have asymptomatic MVD, but no other health issues. I've been feeding them a home cooked diet for about 5 years now.

I follow the recipes in Dr. Richard Pitcairn's book. But I cook the meat rather than giving it raw. I make a weeks worth at a time, and each time I make a new batch, I rotate the meat and grains being used.

For the protein, I rotate between organic chicken, fish (from VitalChoice.com ), eggs and cottage cheese, and occasionally organic, grass-fed beef (they don't do well with turkey).

Not all dogs do, but Susie & Sadie have always done really well with whole grains. I use gluten-free oats, millet, quinoa, brown rice, and sometimes crumbled, whole grain sprouted Ezekiel bread (I've tried spelt, but they didn't seem to digest it well).

I make a batch of pureed organic veggies - equal mix of root vegetables and leafy greens, plus some fruit such as apples, blueberries, etc., and add a spoonful to their food once a day.

I use ground eggshell powder for the calcium added to each batch of food.

For the oil in the recipes I use coconut oil (this is my favorite: Tropical Traditions ) or extra virgin olive oil.

Dr. Pitcairn's recipes call for a mix of supplements he calls Healthy Powder. Which is lecithin (non-GMO), kelp, nutritional yeast and calcium to balance it. I give the lecithin and kelp with the appropriate amount of calcium, but I omit the nutritional yeast. He says if it's omitted, to give a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement once a day, which I do.

Here's a list of the supplements they get each day, all with the OK of my holistic vet:

Milk thistle and Sam-e - for liver support

Vitamin C (not everyone agrees whether or not it's necessary for dogs, but my vet recommends it)

A muti-vitamin made from organic seed sprouts

Liquid mineral complex in solution (the C, multi-vitamin, and mineral complex I give them is from MaximumLiving.com It's what I take myself, and it was given the OK by my vet)

Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplement for joints (my vet recommended they start on it at the age of 5 as a preventive measure)

Coenzyme Q10

Probiotics

Fish oil or cod liver oil, or 1/2 tsp. of ground flax seeds

Vitamin E

1/4 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar

I can't say enough good things about feeding a home cooked diet. Susie & Sadie have done wonderfully with it. Their bloodwork is always excellent, and their teeth and gums are in great condition.[/B]

I think I should pick up a copy of this book. I also grind up my egg shells in a coffee grinder and take this for calcium; I never thought of giving this to my dogs, though! I'm also a huge fan of Ezekiel bread.