Recipes

Posted by pugpillow on: Sat Mar 11, 2006 12:03 pm
Something I'm going to add to the Melange write up is a caution that some foods contained in it are high in oxalate and should be omitted if your dog is prone to calcium oxalate uroliths (one kind of bladder stones). If anybody wants a list of foods to avoid, I can provide it.
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Posted by rtnkatoy on: Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:30 am
as quoted by Hilary fom another site; enjoy
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I'm posting this at the request of other listners.

“Melange du Matin”, otherwise known as “Breakfast Slop” *
(makes about 20 – 2 oz. meals)

1 pound ground meat of the week
2 cups of pureed veggies/fruit – high % dark green)
2 ozs. of organ parts - liver, hearts, gizzards
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, preferably organic
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of plain no-fat yogurt (containing active bacteria)
1 Tbsp. ground kelp or Solid Gold Seameal
3 eggs with shells, finely ground
a handful of fresh parsley
3-4 Tbsp of natural coconut oil
1/2 tbsp. powdered ginger (optional)
1 tbsp. bee pollen (optional)

Put all ingredients except ground meat through a food processor (a worthwhile investment if you don’t have one) and when mixed, combine well with meat. Freeze in individual portions. My pugs (weighing approximately 20 lbs. each) get 2 ozs in the morning and RAW meaty bones or wings for dinner (see below for dinner feedings).

To this “mélange”, you can add supplements such vitamin B, vitamin E, bee pollen, cottage cheese, yucca, Wobenzym, slippery elm etc. (I grind and add the vitamins, yucca and Wobenzym separately as each dog needs). I also pour the contents of a capsule of Salmon/Wild fish Oil over their portion about 3-4 times a week for an Omega-3 boost. Be watchful for allergies such as lactose intolerance (cottage cheese, yoghurt, cheese), grains (flaxseed, wheat germ, alfalfa etc.). Introduce new ingredients gradually or be prepared for throw-ups/diarrhea/constipation for a while. By the way, canned pure pumpkin (not the pie filling kind) is great to regularize bowel movements and is a fantastic food overall for dogs. Slippery elm powder is a stomach remedy.

I pour the mixture into ice cube trays (IKEA has some great rubber ones for $1.50 - 4 cubes which hold 2 oz each cube) and freeze. Serve defrosted (in my case, 4 dogs – 4 cubes). In the morning, when I take their breakfast out of the fridge, I move another batch from the freezer to the fridge so it’s ready for the next day (it defrosts well and safely in the fridge). Easy as pie!

The above recipe maximizes the value of the veggies and fruits in that they are pureed so the body can absorb the nutrients. Otherwise all those vitamins and minerals will end up on your lawn and there will be a lot more poop as it will not have been processed in the body. The only solid veggie I serve is a raw baby carrot as a treat before bed (and whenever I think they deserve a treat). I NEVER give dog biscuits as most contain grains (which many dogs are really allergic to) and sugar.

Veggies I use for the pureed mixture are spinach (preferably organic), Swiss chard, green beans, peas (not many), pure pumpkin (canned or fresh, with or without seeds), carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, squash, bean sprouts. Fruits can be melons, apples (not too much – acidic), bananas, blueberries, cranberries (not too much), melon and pear. Not grapes nor raisins as these are toxic over time.

The kelp, seameal, coconut oil, bee pollen and vitamins can be bought at health food stores and, in some cases, in grocery or big box stores (Walmart, Costco, etc.).

For the evening meal, they get either meat/poultry or fish (twice a week) or green tripe (once a week). Make sure they get a wide range of meats/poultry – choose from chicken, beef (freeze at least 72 hours to destroy bacteria), pork (same), lamb, rabbit, turkey, duck, goose, deer, venison, goat, bison, etc. Kensington Market (Toronto) butchers and abattoirs are good sources for the “more exotic” meats. Be aware some dogs are allergic to some meats – it’s trial and error. Bit don’t assume that they are allergic if they throw up a food for the first time. It takes a while for the stomach to develop the necessary digestive enzymes necessary to process raw foods, if they’re not used to it.

Meat and bones (wings/thighs, neck/backs/spines etc.) should always be served RAW, never cooked. Cooked bones splinter and can choke and kill your dog. Bone is important for the calcium content and to keep their teeth free of tartar. Except for marrow bones (too big to swallow), they eat boney things up completely and the crunching sound takes some getting used to. They love marrow bones which keep them busy for quite a while, trying to get the marrow/fat from the inside. Don’t worry about the fat on the bones; unlike for humans, the fat is good for dogs and is processed easily by their digestive system. Bones and raw food are messy and awful-looking so fee them outside or confined to a cleanable space. Once they’ve chewed the bones clean, I allow them indoors – but not in big bed!!!!! which Denver is still fighting me on inside

Here’s what I’ve fed mine so far:

chicken: any part - wings, thighs or backs (carcasses), breast or leg meat, organs; I get ground bones/meat from the butcher for the basis of the breakfast slop for 99 cents a pound
turkey: any part - wings, thighs or backs (carcasses), breast or leg meat, organs; I keep watch if they’re eating raw turkey bones as they tend to be large and sharp after chewed for a while, even when uncooked.
pork: button bones or pork spines (also messy); ground pork (also used for breakfast slop)
beef: marrow bones, heart, stewing beef, ground beef (also used for breakfast slop), etc.
lamb: stew bones
rabbit: meaty bones and meat
goat: meaty bones

Once a week they get green tripe. It is a truly great source of nourishment, loved by dogs, but beware - it stinks !! You have to be dedicated to this as you buy the whole stomach and have to cut it up in small portions for small dogs like pugs. Not pleasant but worthwhile for your fur-babies.

About twice a week they get fish, preferably fresh or frozen whole. The heads and innards contain valuable oils and nutrients that fillets and canned fish don’t provide as well. I buy frozen whole sardines at the grocery store for $2.99 a bag and serve one each, including heads. I also buy Pollock fillets which are cleaner and not as smelly. A good mix of fish is also recommended. If I’ve forgotten to defrost some meat,y ir fish, I will serve canned fish (jack mackerel, sardines), rinsed well to get rid of excess salt. Just make sure you buy the fish canned in water or brine and not some other sauce!

If serving a mixture of kibble and raw food, it is vitally important not to serve them at the same meal because the digestive rates are different. Kibble takes between 8 and 16 hours to digest (does that give you a hint about how hard it is for their bodies to process?). Raw takes 4 to 6. As the body is going about digesting the raw, it stimulates enzymes to help break down the food. If there is kibble in the system also, there are not enough enzymes to break it down over the long-term and so the body robs the dog’s storehouse of enzymes resulting in a weakened, malnourished dog. I’ve given up kibble completely because I’m serving a balanced raw diet. Balance is crucial.

Sometimes for a treat, I give them cooked chicken livers (maximum 2 because they are so rich and too many will cause diarrhea). I cook a large batch at a time and freeze them. I spread them on aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and bake at low heat until they look like leather (about 30 minutes, turning once). Then I put them in the fridge without a lid for a couple of days so that the consistency is like leather (which they love), then transfer them into a plastic container for freezing and using as needed.

If you’re new to raw feeding, keep a look-out for constipation or really hard stools and feed pure pumpkin and/or cooked chicken livers to loosen things up. Their bodies will adapt over time. Very hard stools may suggest you’re feeding too much ingested bones. It may take a few weeks for you to see a difference in your dog. In the meantime, your pup may be expelling toxins from previous food and meds. This can show up in eye goo, etc. Be patient and give it at least a month or better, two months. In my experience the results of raw are fantastic – better overall health, shinier coat, better weight control (even though they’re eating more), fewer stools and elimination of allergies. I love it!

BTW, there is more and more evidence that vaccinating a dog every year is unhealthy and can even precipitate allergies. Now many vets will only vaccinate every 3 years and give you a certificate that their shots are up-to-date if they have been vaccinated within 3 years.

* can be used for the second meal of the day, but don’t give as both meals on a regular basis – they need bones for their teeth