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Lake Tahoe Wolf Rescue
You can print out these recommendations so that they are handy for quick review ... Please read to the end of this article as there are many important things you need to know about feeding a Home-cooked diet ...
Feeding Recommendations (recipes below)
These recommendations are for most healthy dogs, so if your dog is under a vet's care or is having health problems, please do the research first to make sure you are providing the right nutrition. Remember that in feeding a home-made Raw Food Diet, you will need to provide vitamins, minerals, probiotics, bone meal, and other supplements to ensure a well-balanced diet that will create good health.
It's healthy for all large adult canines to eat one "meatless" meal a day to satisfy their hunger, while helping to limit the amount protein for the day. Some dogs will refuse the meatless meal, and that is fine, but keep in mind the amount of protein you are giving your dog on a daily basis if he is eating two meals a day. The meatless meal should be the first meal of the day. Most adult dogs should not eat before midday if possible; the hours from midnight to noon are strongly eliminative ones. However, hunting breeds [like greyhounds] with smaller stomachs often want an early morning meal instead of a later one. Some dogs will not even eat before noon. Between-meal snacks are disruptive to the digestive system, and the typical doggy treats are loaded with harmful by-products, preservatives, sugars, artificial sweeteners and colorings! Stick with the "jerky" type of treat which is just meat, avoiding Chicken Jerky as it has been recalled too many times. I personally use Duck or Venison jerkys as it is still a fairly clean meat. You can also make your own jerky by taking thin, lean slices of organic chicken, duck, beef, lamb, etc. and baking it in the oven on a cookie sheet at 180 degrees for 3 hours.
The following recipe suggestions can be used for all medium or large canines - not just Wolfdogs - to promote a strong healthy immune system. Wolfdogs thrive especially well on a natural diet since their hereditary needs dictate a diet closer to that which they would find in the wild. I have had many a Wolfdog brought to me grossly underweight, with allergies and other health problems, and the owner claiming "he eats a ton of food but doesn't gain weight." This is because the highly processed [and less nutritious] commercial pet food that most people feed their canines literally passes right through them, with little real nutrition absorbed. Especially dry kibble. The additives in commercial food often are the cause of Food Allergies. Once put on a natural, real-food diet - especially Organic - these same dogs have gained weight and blossomed into shiny-coated, energetic yet calm and happy animals.
Raw food contains more vitamins and minerals than cooked food since cooking destroys many nutrients, and high-heat cooking of meat is actually harmful, creating many toxic chemicals. There are some foods that must be cooked like grains [rice, millet, quinoa, etc.] and dried legumes [white and red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc.]. Yams, sweet potatoes and other root vegetables should be baked and added fresh at mealtime rather than mixed into the Turkey Recipe. Leafy greens are best minced and added fresh as they get brown and soggy if prepared ahead of time. Meat should be given raw. Since raw meat ripens, and cooked meat sours (or spoils), raw meat can be stored a little longer [refrigerated] than cooked, but never feed a dog spoiled food. It is important to note that chunks of meat are always better than ground, as they make the dog chew, and it strengthens the stomach muscles too. Our budgets do not always allow us to choose what we would like, so I have prepared two recipes - One using ground turkey, the other chopped raw chicken with bones - [Never give a dog cooked bones as they splinter]. It is usually less expensive, and still much healthier than feeding a strictly commercial-food-based diet [dry food or canned]. Feel free to substitute the ground meat for chunks of meat, using beef, lamb, rabbit, duck, game hens or chicken (use Organic Free-Range Meat if you can to avoid all the growth hormones and antibiotics). Avoid raw venison, lamb, pork and fish. Also, you won't have to worry if the raw meat is a few days past expiration date as canines have an immune system that tolerate this. Remember, always cook any wild game, such as pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, duck and fish, as they usually contain parasites.
If your dog does not like or tolerate raw meat, it's fine to cook it by browning it in water [do not use oil as oil turns to grease when heated]. You can also bake in oven with a little water in the pan. Remove all bones if cooking the meat.
I buy whatever is on sale, as much as I can. If you want to make your own ground meat, make sure you grind up bones and all (beef bones are a little harder to grind up so choose meat with smaller bones and grind them finely). Bones are an essential part of the diet, and contribute much-needed calcium and bone meal, which also help keep stools firm. Sometimes you can find whole chickens on sale for .99 cents/lb. or less, but they are usually not the Free-Range Organic chickens.
If you have a medium-to-large dog, use a meat cleaver and chop bones and all into pieces large enough to chew, depending on the size of the dog. I often give my wolfdogs whole or half chickens which forces them to tear off pieces and chew slowly and more efficiently. For smaller dogs, cut the chicken into smaller bite size pieces. Give your dog about a handful of the chopped chicken, along with my turkey recipe [ground meat, yam, veggies, vitamins, etc.] for those important nutrients and to add extra cushion in the stomach. Always monitor your dog while eating to make sure they are not swallowing large pieces without chewing properly. If they are eating fast and swallowing large pieces, chop the pieces into smaller ones.
Keep in mind a few things: Pork, rabbit and fish may harbor E. Coli bacteria and are more likely to contain Trichinosis and Cystocerca (tapeworms), so these meats need to be cooked thoroughly. I usually avoid these meats (except I do poach some salmon or white fish occasionally for my dogs, removing all bones). My dogs love pork so I bake in oven until well done with some water in pan.
With the other meats - beef, lamb, chicken, turkey - I always feed raw, but you can put a little water (not oil) in the pan and brown it a bit if it makes you feel more comfortable (some people are adverse to feeding raw meats). Some dogs are not used to raw meat or may have some digestive problems, so start out with medium-cooked meat and see if they can tolerate raw by adding a little into their dinners over time.
If your dog is having diarrhea from the change of diet ... You can add some psyllium to his dinner, or give him a hard-boiled egg or two. Or, you can boil up some chicken soup with carrots and celery. Remove the bones. Chop up the meat and veggies and mix with a little cooked white rice. Squirt a little Bragg's Liquid Aminos or iodized sea salt ... A recipe that has been used for centuries! You can even give him some of the broth if he likes.
Remember, no one cooks for the animals in the wild! Poultry and rabbit are actually the easiest meats for canines to digest and are a part of their natural diet in the wild, but when feeding rabbit, I always cook it medium-rare. I don’t feed road kill as it usually contains parasites, although if you have a pack of Wolves you may have to resort to donated food sources, so it should be cooked thoroughly. A healthy dog reared on a natural diet will have a strong immune system and shouldn't have a problem with low doses of salmonella which is sometimes found in raw meat. For the past 27 years I have fed all my animals and rescues a natural diet with raw meat, vegetables and supplements, having much success with rehabilitation. Also, it's easier to eliminate parasites from time to time, than curing a disease from harmful cancer-causing chemicals and byproducts which are found in processed, commercial pet foods. I have my canines checked for parasites every 4-6 months [just a stool check - which is inexpensive], as well as watch for parasites daily. If your dog is ill or his immune system is compromised, feed him cooked meat and veggies instead of raw.
Avoiding parasites - You can always add anti-parasitic items into your dog's dinner that will help create an internal environment that is difficult for parasites to live in. They should not be given every day over a long period of time since they also kill bacteria - good bacteria as well as the bad. Consult your holistic veterinarian to find out how long you want to give these remedies. When the time comes to eliminate them from your dog's dinner, give your dog Probiotics and/or Colostrum which will help bring back balance to the intestinal flora, and improve digestion and immunity.
Here are just some herbs and foods that are quite effective against parasites:
Raw Organic Pumpkin Seeds - ground or whole, keep refrigerated; Garlic Powder; Fennel Seed; small amounts of freshly minced Garlic [not the stuff in jars!]. Contact your Holistic Vet for dosage amounts, as size, age and health condition of your pet is extremely important to take into consideration. Note: Some dogs are sensitive to fresh garlic, so monitor your pet anytime you are giving garlic. Allow your dog to have a few weeks off from fresh garlic as well.
Turkey bones are more dense, so avoid large Turkey bones to be on the safe side as sometimes they are too hard for most canines to chew up properly. Raw turkey necks are fine. If you are chopping the raw turkey into bite-sized pieces that is fine. I prefer giving them raw chicken as it is easier for them to digest. I use mostly the backbones, ribs, necks, wings, and other small bones until the dog is chewing carefully and eating slowly. I avoid the larger, harder bones (like the legs and thigh bones) with the younger, older, or smaller dogs, or dogs that don't chew their food well. For High-content and pure Wolves, I often give whole, raw chickens, but I observe them closely to be sure they are not “wolfing” down their food, i.e. swallowing it in large chunks or eating too fast. Instead they should be chewing and tearing it methodically, consuming smaller pieces at a time, eating slowly and calmly. If you find your Wolf is wolfing [pardon the pun], get out the meat cleaver and chop the chicken into pieces that he can chew up, but not too small that he will swallow whole. Years ago, I almost lost a pure wolf to Bloat because he swallowed two whole chicken breasts without chewing. Of course it was a Saturday night with no emergency clinic available. I massaged his stomach from head to tail, and walked him around slowly. Luckily he vomited both of them up. Had it been any longer he would have died. Canines can die from Bloat or Twisted Bowel from 30 minutes to a few hours. See more info on our link Bloat/Twisted Bowel. For medium and large breeds always feed two smaller meals a day rather than one large meal. If your dog is eating too fast, then feed three smaller meals or try hand feeding. [Note: canines between 4 and 8 months old should eat three meals a day. See Puppies ]. Adjust volume according to weight gain.
Feed your canines separately - Feeding in the same room [even if they are separated] often causes them to eat faster than normal for fear of the other dog eating their food. Even if you feel that they are "so good together," there could be an anxiety factor that is disruptive to the digestive system. Observe their behavior and discourage eating too fast. On the other hand, I find that my picky eaters who don't eat well will sometimes eat better when another dog is around.
Supplements - VERY IMPORTANT!
Lots of bones in each meat meal [on a daily basis] can give them too much calcium, so go easy. A handful of chopped chicken with bones is plenty mixed in with the rest of his meal. Add some doggie vitamins. Missing Link Plus is a good vitamin supplement to add and can be found in most pet-supply stores. It does contain kelp so should not be given daily over a long period of time. Give a month on, a month off. If your dog is suffering from any thyroid problems, avoid kelp and seaweed altogether. You can also give your dog a good doggy vitamin every day. Make sure it does not contain iron, and the Vitamin A should only be from Beta Carotene. Digestive enzymes are especially important for older canines, dogs with allergies, and those that need digestive help or healing. Probiotics are also a necessary daily supplement, especially if the dog has been taking any kind of drugs, antiparasitics, or antibiotics (give after treatment is completed). Glycoflex III is an awesome supplement for joint and muscle health but unfortunately it does contain cellulose and silicon dioxide. Omega 3 oils - very important and can be obtained in capsule form, or sardines and mackerel. Avoid flaxseed and substitute fish oils. I use K9 Liquid Health Fidonutrients, one month on, one month off [it also contains seaweed/kelp. Kelp can give your dog too much iodine if given over a long period of time, which is not good for the thyroid].
Unfortunately, a growing number of well-meaning pet owners are confusing balanced, species-appropriate nutrition with feeding hunks of raw muscle meat to their dog or cat. Although fresh meat is a good source of protein and some minerals, it doesn't represent a balanced diet. We're seeing an increasing number of pets with skeletal problems, organ failure and endocrine abnormalities caused by dietary deficiencies of essential nutrients.
In the wild, canines and felines eat nearly all the parts of their prey, including small bones, internal organs, blood, brain, eyes, tongue and other tasty treats. Many of these parts of prey animals provide important nutrients for dogs and cats. This is how carnivores in the wild nutritionally balance their diets.
An exclusive diet of raw chicken muscle meat is lacking the minimum requirements for a number of vital nutrients . These include potassium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, and vitamins A, D, E, B-12 and choline, the essential fatty acid ratio (omega 6s to omega 3s). It is unbalanced, and there's a complete lack of phytonutrients, antioxidants and enzymes.
When your dog or cat is fed only muscle meat, he's missing out on a variety of essential nutrients and sooner or later, he'll develop serious health problems as a result. Some conditions brought on by nutritional deficiencies can be corrected through diet, others cannot.
And don't make the mistake of thinking all you need to do is throw a few fresh veggies in the bowl to make up the difference. Balancing your pet's food to provide optimal nutrition is a bit more complex.
How to Make Sure You’re Feeding Balanced Nutrition to Your Cat or Dog
There should be four primary components in a nutritional program for your dog or cat, including:
A healthy dog’s diet should contain about 75 percent meat/organs/bones and 25 percent veggies/fruit (this mimics the GI contents of prey, providing fiber and antioxidants as well). For healthy kitties, the mix should be about 88 percent meat/organs/bones and 12 percent veggies.
Fresh, whole food provides the majority of nutrients pets need, and a micronutrient vitamin/mineral mix takes care of the deficiencies that do exist, namely iron, copper, manganese, zinc, iodine, vitamin D, folic acid, and taurine and Biotin (for cats). I like K9 Liquid Health Fidonutrients which can be bought on the internet or at Scraps Dog Bakery.
Keep in mind that just because nutritional deficiencies aren’t obvious in your pet doesn’t mean they don’t exist. A considerable amount of research has gone into determining what nutrients dogs and cats need to survive. At a minimum, you do a disservice to your pet by taking a casual approach to insuring he receives all the nutrients he requires for good health.
If you’re preparing homemade food for your pet, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of insuring the diet you feed is nutritionally balanced. It doesn't matter whose recipe you follow, but it does matter that it's balanced. You can accomplish this by using balanced pet food recipes you prepare at home [see Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide for Natural Health for Dogs and Cats], or by feeding a high-quality commercially available pet food.
OK, here they are ... finally!
The Meatless Breakfast - 1st meal of the day
Use flaked barley [not pearl barley which is indigestible] and/or flaked whole-grain oats [all organic if possible], ratio of 2:1 respectively [if you can't find flaked barley just use raw oats]. Soften about two cups of the flakes with either raw cow's or goat's milk [which is difficult to find unless you live in a farming community]. If you can't find raw milk, use vegetable water [see recipe below], or a vegetable broth [watch the sodium. Organic Low-sodium is best if using a store-bought broth], or just hot water.
I usually make enough for 3 days kept in tight-lidded container in refrigerator. It should not be kept for more than 3 days:
In a food processor, liquefy [puree] one can of Organic garbanzo beans and one can Organic can corn, along with the water from the can. Only use Organic because 80% of all corn and soy grown are now GMO [Genetically Modified Organisms, containing high levels of pesticides]. Be sure there are no other ingredients on the label. You can substitute with red or white kidney beans from time to time.
In a large bowl, add the liquefied beans and corn.
Add the softened flakes [oats and barley] and stir. The mixture should not be too think as it will thicken as it sits. Add more vegetable water when needed.
Add some dried cranberries and allow to soften. Do NOT use raisins or grapes!
If you are going to add apples or banana pieces, add fresh at each meal, so they don't get soggy and old. Cut into small, bite-size pieces.
Feeding 50-75lb dogs - 2-3 heaping tablespoons of the mixture in the dog's bowl. I often add a tablespoon or two of fresh cottage cheese or plain yogurt. Remember, the food should be served at room temperature or warm. Never cold. You can warm mixture by adding hot water to take the chill out as needed.
A raw egg can be mixed into the cereal no more than three times per week.
Sunflower oil, or sesame oil [tahini] or coconut oil - one teaspoon for an average size dog [use far less if the dog is overweight].
VEGETABLE WATER: To make your own vegetable water, simply cut up half a cabbage, or some broccoli spears, or a few carrots [or all three] to a pot of water. Adding parsley is also great for minerals. Bring to boil and simmer 15-20 minutes. Cool. Remove the veggies and save for later to add into either meal. You now have vegetable water. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making veggie water, just put some hot water into the flakes to soften.
NOTE: With some diseases, carbohydrates are eliminated completely, and with other illnesses, proteins are eliminated. Consult your holistic veterinarian regarding the meatless meal, which can also be fed 2-3 times a week instead of every day, depending on the dog's needs.
THE MEAT Meal - 2nd meal of the day . . .
NOTE: Too much meat protein can stress the kidneys and makes the digestive system work harder, so if a dog has kidney disease, meat protein is lessened or eliminated altogether. Meat is acidic and the meatless meal is alkaline. Feeding both creates a good balance and helps ward off disease [bacteria and viruses like an acidic environment to reproduce]. All healthy adult canines should fast one day per week, giving only vegetable broth and/or parsley water with a little honey and a pinch of sea salt for minerals and electrolytes. Having only pure water is ok too. Fasting allows them to detoxify. A nice raw marrow bone will help take the edge off the hunger if needed.
I cannot wholeheartedly suggest any processed pet food, but if you must, review holistic veterinarian Dr. Becker's newsletter for additional information on feeding. Her newsletter is free and I highly recommend it. Click on Dog Foods in our Menu for help in choosing a high-quality dog food (I think that's an oxymoron). Always check the INGREDIENTS label on the bag of kibble [and cans] on a regular basis. Since there is no policing of the Pet Food industry, manufacturers change their formulas frequently any time they want. Without careful monitoring, poisoning and disease can occur [needing "Recalls"]. Just about any pet food you can buy in a grocery store is loaded with hard-to-digest grains, fillers, byproducts, antibiotics, growth hormones, sugar, salt, colors, stabilizers, MSG, etc. [see page one of Feeding Your Canine]. I also do not recommend dog and cat foods found in discount stores that have been stored for long periods of time in their warehouses. Temperatures vary widely and food gets rancid quickly. Often they are transported in trucks that are not temperature controlled. Note the shelf life ... years! Also, be careful about where you store your own kibble [near a window in the hot sun, a hot car, heated floors, etc.]. Keep the bag closed tightly, or best, keep the food in a sealed container. Store in cool, dry area. Buy only what you can use in 3-4 weeks max.
MEAT RECIPE -
Put 5 lbs RAW MEAT (chopped or ground) in a large caldron. I like to mix a combination of chopped chicken with bones, ground turkey, and small chunks of beef to get a good balance of different nutrients. Add ground lamb or bison if you can afford it. Internal organs should not be used extensively as they are the "filters" of the body, so small portions of beef heart can be added to this mixture [i.e. one heart].
Add your veggies - It's very important to always use a Food Processor and puree, thus the veggies will be easier for your canine to break down and digest. [Avoid onions, grapes, raisins, cashews, avocados and macadamia nuts as these foods are toxic to canines.]. If you do not have a food processor, then grate the veggies very finely, and/or cook them al dente. You can use:
Carrots, broccoli, cabbage, celery, or zucchini. Just a bit, as too much fiber can cause stomach upset. For instance, to the 5 lbs of meat, I use about 1 to 1 1/2 cup of pureed veggies. All must be finely grated if you don't have a processor.
NOTE: Yams, pumpkin and root vegetables are really great for your canine, an excellent source of easy-to-digest fiber, along with many B vitamins. Wash well and then bake [don't overcook] and added to the meal when serving. You can also buy pumpkin in the can (make sure there are no additives). About one heaping tablespoon per meal.
Substitute other veggies in same quantities. Any leafy greens [parsley, dandelions, mustard greens, spinach, chard] chop up and add fresh at each feeding as they get slimy and go bad quickly. Go easy on these greens as sometimes they cause gas. Again, you only need to add about one tablespoon [for large dogs] or one teaspoon [small dogs] in the meal.
Note: Spinach and chard have oxalic acid which inhibits absorption of calcium. Do not feed spinach or chard regularly. Kelp [seaweed] is also good sparingly as contains iodine and can inhibit absorption of iron. Dandelion greens are THE BEST if you can find them. They contain vitamin A which helps fight infections. They also act like estrogen in the body so they are a nice, gentle hormone replacement for spayed or neutered canines. Be sure they were not sprayed with herbicide or fertilizers. Always wash vegetables well, or place in water with lemon juice to help remove any toxic chemicals. Organic is always best.
Also in Food Processor [or mince finely] - garlic (sans the paper). When first starting your dog with garlic, use only a few cloves [to the 5-lb. meat mixture] until your dog gets used to it or he may not like the odor. Observe him over the next few days to make sure there is no allergic reaction. The next time you make the mixture, add a few more cloves until you are putting a minced half bulb into the 5-pound mixture. Make sure it is ground fine. Some canines develop allergies to large amounts of garlic, so you want to keep the total amount to the equivalent of 1/4 clove of garlic per day in their meat meal. Mixing a half bulb into the 5-lb. recipe will supply about this amount. I often alternate, mixing garlic into the recipe every other month to avoid developing sensitivities, or you can leave it out altogether if you prefer. I have been feeding all my animals garlic periodically for years as it is a great anti-parasitic herb, as well as being anti-inflammatory and an immune-system booster. Therefore it's great for those older dogs with arthritis. Important to Note: garlic is also a blood thinner, so if your dog is on any medications that thin the blood, eliminate the garlic.
One squirt of Braggs Liquid Aminos - Non GMO! which you can find in the Health Food department of most grocery stores - is cheaper than soy sauce without the chemical preservatives. This replaces any electrolytes the dog may have lost to loose stools, diarrhea or simple dehydration, and also supplements amino acids... and it tastes good! Go easy as it is still high in sodium, so add only when needed.
Mix all this together. To keep fresh, freeze what you won't use in one week. It is now known that freezing plastic [or heating it to 86 degrees or more] releases dangerous, carcinogenic toxins. I personally freeze all my foods in ceramic, glass, or brown or waxed paper whenever possible. Freezing meat has it's benefits as well as downfalls. Freezing raw meat for 4 weeks or longer helps kill parasites. But it also loses a lot of it's flavor, nutritional content and "life energy." Never freeze food that you will be feeding your canine for longer than 6 weeks.
A NOTE ABOUT FIBER: Raw veggies should be determined by the dogs needs, so consult your holistic veterinarian. They are essential for minerals and electrolytes, but if your dog is ill he may need more veggies than meat, or visa versa. Normally for a healthy canine, there should be about 15-20% total fiber foods [pureed]. You can pick up a small Food Processor for about $30, and believe me, after cutting and chopping up veggies for 15 years, I don’t know why I waited so long to get one. Cooked pumpkin, baked yams and sweet potatoes are a wonderful source of fiber, and high in the B vitamins that fight cancer, and most dogs love them.
Always give supplements fresh ... [do not mix in recipe and freeze]
WHEN FEEDING A HOME-MADE DIET - It's important to add calcium [bone meal] if you are NOT feeding raw bones. Protein powder, digestive enzymes, bone meal, vitamins and supplements are essential. See Dr. Pitcairn's recipes in his book and how to make "Healthy Powder." You can find the right kind of Bone Meal as well as Missing Link at a quality pet-supply store. Follow directions on the label. Note: Do not use Bone Meal from oyster shells or egg shells over a long period of time.
Vitamins and supplements - Give Probiotics regularly. Give proteolytic enzymes on occasion or if healing. Older or rehabilitating dogs, or dogs with arthritis can get enzymes daily. It is good practice to add some Fish Oils or Cod Liver Oil daily. You can find some great supplements on the Only-Natural Pet Store [click on banner below]. If your dog has any liver disease, do not give Cod Liver Oil but use 100% Beta Carotene as your source of Vitamin A instead. It's nontoxic.
I also use Puritan's Pride when ordering some of my herbal remedies, omega oils and supplements. "Human" supplements are less expensive, better quality, and I can take them too! Just do the research so you know the right ones to give your canine and how much. When buying digestive enzymes for your pets, make sure there is no Hcl (Betain Hydrochloride). When buying a multi vitamin, avoid those that contain iron.
Don't give your dog or cat cold or frozen food. Always warm meat mixture with hot water, or in microwave for about 30 seconds (1/2 lb meat) or 1 minute (up to 1 lb. meat) depending on the volume, before mixing with the dry kibble, enzymes or vitamins. If you already mixed the meat with kibble, Do NOT put in microwave as the kibble will turn to little, indigestible rocks. It will also kill the supplements. Warm mixture by pouring a little hot water on food, or let the food sit for a while to bring to room temperature.
If you are introducing the raw meat to your dog or cat for the first time, use about 10% meat mixture to 90% kibble and canned diet that they have been used to eating. After a few days, if their stools are still firm, gradually add more meat mixture and less kibble until you are serving about 75% meat mixture/25% kibble or canned. Remember to change over to a better-quality dog food if needed. If you wish to use a 100% natural-food diet, then vitamins, bone meal, and enzymes must be added to complete the diet nutritionally, as well as changing types of meats and body parts regularly to get a variety of nutrition. With cats, feed less dry food and more wet food to prevent kidney damage. Dry food is very harmful to cats when fed exclusively. Read more information on this in Dr. Becker's newsletter.
I am not fond of feeding most commercial pet foods, but if you choose to feed a diet solely of premium high-quality commercial dog food [either dry food or canned] you may notice loose stools or diarrhea. This is often caused by a bacterium that the pet food manufacturer adds to the food, called Interococcus Faecium. It is very robust and can overpower the flora in the dog's digestive system. Chronic diarrhea can lead to many health problems, so you want to add Acidophilus and Bone Meal [or raw chicken with bones] to the commercial food to help stabilize stools. It is actually better to mix the commercial food with My Turkey Recipe, rather than feeding the pet food as the only food source. [We also urge you to contact pet food manufacturers and ask them to omit Interococcus Faecium from their formulas as the formulas usually contain other probiotics.]
Regarding Grain - I have omitted using cooked grains in my meat recipe. Grains convert to sugar. Sugar leads to many health issues. Parasites love sugar. Sugar creates inflammation. Sugar enhances pain. Sugar leads to diabetes. Typical Cushings Syndrome is excessive heat .. sugar creates heat. A small amount of brown rice, millet or quinoa can go a long way, so if you feed these grains, a teaspoon [cooked] per meal is plenty. Always be aware of what you are feeding your canine friends. Use a grain-free pet food product. There are plenty of carbohydrates in my meatless meal, and if your pet is suffering from arthritis, Cushing's Syndrome, pancreatitis, or just needs to avoid carbs - substitute veggies, eggs, sardines, mackerel, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, etc. for the creamed corn and DO SOME RESEARCH... The information is out there!
IF you need to add grain for any reason to the 5 lb. meat mixture ...
Cook -1/2 CUP COOKED MILLET or brown rice, or quinoa. [Millet is easier to digest than rice and less expensive] NOTE: If you are feeding kibble that contains grain, along with the meat mixture, then do not add rice to my Turkey Recipe. If you are using a grain-free kibble, 1/2 cup of cooked grain in the 5-lb. meat mixture is fine once in a while. Baked Yam is actually a better substitute for grain and can be added fresh to the meal instead of adding to the mixture.
Some of this information has been gleamed from these websites. For more information on health updates and pet food recalls ...
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls
http://healthypets.mercola.com with Dr. Karen Becker