homemade diet for dog with liver disease

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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Homemade Dog Food for Liver Disease Recipe (So Easy To Make!)

Liver disease, or Canine Liver Disease (CLD), is, unfortunately, a common illness when it comes to our furry best friends and can be incredibly serious.

Liver disease, or Canine Liver Disease (CLD), is, unfortunately, a common illness when it comes to our furry best friends and can be incredibly serious. Some breeds, such as West Highland White Terriers, are more prone to it than other breeds. There are a variety of reasons why your pup may have contracted CLD, including injuries, a diet that is lacking in proper nutrition, genetics, or just that theyre simply getting older. They may also have had an infection or some sort of injury or trauma in and around their liver or have been on a medication that caused liver damage. Thankfully, CLD does not have to be permanent and can be managed and even cured with the proper diet. Here are some foods that are the most beneficial for getting your pups CLD under control and a simple recipe to try.

How do I know my dog has liver disease?

Even though liver disease in dogs can be contracted for a variety of different reasons, you will see the same symptoms in every dog. CLD can lead to liver failure quickly so if you notice these symptoms, its important to get them under control quickly. Your pups liver is vital to its ability to live a long and healthy life and CLD prevents it from working properly. If you see any of the following symptoms, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian right away. Your veterinarian should always be the one to diagnose your pup dont decide they have canine liver disease on your own and try to change their diet and handle it yourself. Some of the most blatant symptoms of liver disease in dogs are:

Jaundice Youve likely heard of jaundice as it relates to often newborn babies. This is a yellowish tinge to the skin, which you will normally notice around the eyes, gums, and ears on your dog.
Hepatic encephalopathy This can include a wide variety of neurological symptoms that include seizures, confusion, disorientation, blindness, anxiety, and personality changes among others.
Gastrointestinal issues These can also present in a wide variety of ways, such as diarrhea, vomiting, decreased appetite, visibly increased thirst, excessive urination, weight loss, and changes in stool color.

What should I feed my dog with canine liver disease?

Many dog owners opt to feed their pup a homemade liver disease diet as this is the only way to know exactly what youre feeding your dog. Many commercial dog foods contain unnecessary ingredients that will not improve your pups liver condition but some are better than others. Your vet can guide you towards which ones are best. Raw food is also an option, although whether raw food is actually the best choice for your pups health is still debatable. If you do decide to change your pets diet, the change should happen slowly and gradually. Most of us have made the mistake at least once of trying to change your pups diet too fast and dealing with an upset tummy as a result.

You should feed your dog several times a day if possible, ideally, you should give them four to five small meals a day. This might be tricky if you work during the day so you may need to ask for assistance from a family member or hire someone to stop in during the day. This may seem excessive but it is ideal for dogs with canine liver disease as its easier on both their stomach and their liver.

Homemade Canine Liver Disease Diet

Keep in mind that the ideal amount of protein a pup with liver disease should have depends on how advanced their canine liver disease is. For some, an increased amount of protein is necessary but for others, it will be a lesser amount. Regardless, you should feed your dog high-quality protein and give them moderate amounts per meal. You should also avoid foods high in copper such as organ meats (e.g. beef liver), as well as salmon, pork, duck, and lamb.

Chicken, Oatmeal and Cottage Cheese

This is a pet food recipe that is easy for your pups body to process, full of high-quality protein and rich in fiber to help aid in digestion. It does not require a whole lot of prep time; however, we recommend at least doubling this recipe if you wish to have leftovers which can easily be frozen and thawed when needed. Make sure that the ingredients you use are low fat. Try to stick to boneless, skinless chicken breasts to ensure youre giving your pup lean, low-fat meat.

Ingredients

of a cup chicken
of a cup cottage cheese
cup oatmeal
cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 egg

Directions

Dice your chicken before cooking. Make sure that the pieces are small and able to be easily digested. This can be adjusted to the size of your pup. Then, cook the chicken any way you prefer (boil, bake, etc.)
Cook the oatmeal according to package instructions and boil your egg separately. Combine with the chicken when they have cooked
Add the remaining ingredients and stir.
Once completely cooled, serve to your pup. Leftovers can be stored in your fridge for four to five days while remaining portions can be frozen.

As previously stated, always consult with your vet before changing your pups diet. Depending on the stage of the liver disease, they may need a more specific diet geared to their needs. Any sort of illness in your dog should be taken seriously, and canine liver disease can become serious if not treated. Although it may seem like quite an effort to constantly make homemade food for your dog, the prep time is relatively quick and it could add really improve your dogs health. So, is it worth it? Absolutely.

Homemade Dog Food For Liver Disease

Canine Liver Disease (CLD) is rather common in dogs. Some breeds are more susceptible to it than others. However, the symptoms and effects of the disease are the same for every dog. CLD is a big problem since its compromises the functioning of your dogs liver. This disease can become serious. However, it can also be brought under control and even cured. One of the best ways of dealing with CLD is diet control. Today, were going to talk about homemade dog food for liver disease patients. In this article, we shall identify food items that are beneficial for a dogs liver and how they can be used to fight CLD.

Before we get into curing and managing CLD, lets develop an understanding of the disease itself.

What is Canine Liver Disease?

The name introduces the disease quite well. CLD affects the functioning of a dogs liver in various ways. Some cases are mild and only slow down the liver. Others can be more serious and may even result in liver failure. CLD is usually terminal, meaning that the disease continues to become worse. Fortunately, being able to spot the disease on time and making an effort to fight it can save or extend your dogs life.

The liver is responsible for keeping the body free from external waste and toxins. These toxins enter the body through the food that your dog eats. Normally, they arent a big problem since the liver regularly flushes them out. However, a dog with CLD will have a poorly functioning liver. As a result, their liver wont be able to expel waste and toxins effectively. This leads to a buildup of harmful substances in the body that can be life threating in the long run.

The liver also produces bile; a substance that aids in the bodys digestive system. A poorly functioning liver also means that your dogs digestive system wont be able to break down food effectively.

While CLD is a serious disease, theres hope in the fact that the liver is capable of repairing itself. The liver has a superb healing ability that is often promoted to cure CLD. CLD is classified as one of the top 5 non-accidental dog deaths. However, this disease is quite curable as well. As long as your dog gets the right kind of nutrition and medication, you can expect them to overcome this disease easily.

How to Cure Canine Liver Disease

There are two things that you must do to cure CLD:

Provide proper medical care
Devise a liver friendly dog diet

It goes without saying that proper medical care cannot be managed by yourself. You need to frequently take your dog to a vet for checkups and medication. We cannot stress enough on how important medical care is when it comes to CLD.

Developing a liver friendly diet for dogs is also important. You need to provide your dog with food that promotes their recovery. We recommend that you keep your vet in the loop when planning out your dogs diet. Whether youre planning a specialized homemade diet or a regular one, discussing the idea with a vet can help you out. You can figure out exactly what kind of food you need to provide your dog to fulfill their nutritional needs. If youre new to the concept of homemade dog food, then you might want to go through our guide on the topic.

How Does Homemade Food Help Fight CLD?

There are many benefits when it comes to homemade meals. The major ones being; fresh, quality ingredients, no additives and chemicals, and complete control over what goes into your dogs belly. Dogs with liver disease needs to be fed meals that:

Reduce stress on their liver and provide nutrition that boosts liver regeneration.
Provide the dog with balanced nutrition to maintain their health.
Prevent the buildup of harmful substances in the body by using selective ingredients.
Use food items that help minimize the effects of toxins already present in the body.

Now, a dog with liver disease will have a limited diet. Theres a list of food items that fall off the menu since they promote toxin build up. One common misconception about CLD is that dogs cannot be fed protein if their liver is unwell. This misconception stems from the fact that some protein sources encourage the buildup of ammonia in the body. Ammonia can be quite harmful if its buildup is left unchecked. However, having CLD doesnt mean that your dog shouldnt have protein. In fact, protein is an essential nutrient that your dog needs to heal faster. Instead of prohibiting protein from their diet, you should go for protein sources that produce lesser ammonia. Keep in mind that while protein shouldnt be banned, its quantity should be reduced.

You also need to reduce the amount of fat that your dog eats. The liver plays an important role in the bodys ability to breakdown fat. You want to reduce the amount of fat in your dogs diet and also cut back on protein. Make sure that what protein you do give to your dog comes from quality, easy to digest sources. Ideally, you want quality proteins that are combined with essential amino acids as well. Lastly, you want to increase the amount of fiber that your dog eats. Fiber helps the digestive system. Also, most sources of fiber are rich in nutrients that boost your dogs health as well.

It goes without saying that any pre-packaged dog food cannot meet such selective dietary requirements. This is why homemade food is the best option. Now, before we finally start going through some homemade dog food recipes, lets take a look at some food items that youd want to include in your dogs diet.

Sources of Fiber And Carbs

Whole Wheat Grain (in bread form)

Oatmeal

Pumpkin

Grounded vegetable skins

Barley

Sources of Quality Proteins

Fish

Lean chicken meat (with the skin)

Eggs

Yogurt (low fat)

Cottage cheese (low fat)

Sources of Fat

Omega 3 fatty acids. Can be found in salmon oil and fish oil (cod liver oil shouldnt be used)
Fat from animal meats (in moderate quantities)

Red meats shouldnt be fed to dogs with liver disease since they produce a higher amount of ammonia.

Recipes For Homemade Food For Dogs With Liver Disease

Eggs And Chicken Mash

This meal certainly doesnt look appetizing. However, it can make your dogs day with a variety of flavors that it offers. The recipe uses quality protein sources that can be easily digested. It also includes fiber and carbs, making it a great mix of beneficial nutrients. This meal is really easy to make and is best served fresh.

Ingredients

1 egg (boiled)

cup of oatmeal

cup of cottage cheese (low fat)

cup of cooked chicken

cup of pumpkin (pureed or canned)

Preparation

Cook, boil, or bake the chicken and then chop it into cubes.

Boil the egg and dice it into smaller pieces.

Take the oatmeal and cook it as well.

Now take all of the ingredients, add in pumpkin and mix them in a bowl.

Bring the meal to room temperature before you serve it.

Low Protein Veggie Cakes

This recipe cuts back on protein and focuses more on green ingredients. Youll find a number of veggies in this recipe that provide carbs, fiber, and additional nourishment as well.

Ingredients

1 cup of mixed vegetables (zucchini, squashes, sweet potatoes, starchy vegetables, etc.)

6 tablespoons of salt-free chicken broth.

2 and cup of whole wheat flour.

1 and cup of cold water

Preparation

Bring your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for preheating.

Cook all your vegetables and mash or puree them.

Add chicken broth to the veggie mix and then add flour.

Now steadily add cold water and mix until you form a dough.

Flatten out the dough and cut into smaller portion. Lay out these portions onto a baking tray.

Place the tray in the oven and bake the dough for 25 minutes.

Cool the cakes before you serve them or store them.

Doggy Pasta Salad

This is a rather simple meal that can be prepared at a moments notice. It includes quality ingredients and is easy to digest. The amount of ingredients can be doubled if you have a bigger dog.

Ingredients

package of any pasta.

2 eggs (hard boiled).

1 cup of brown rice.

packet of frozen broccoli.

Eggshell or bone meal for calcium (only if the vet approves it)

packet of frozen carrots.

Preparation

Cook the pasta, brown rice, and vegetables.

Chop the eggs or mash them and then add them to a bowl.

Place the rest of your ingredients into the bowl and mix everything.

Bring the meal to room temperature and then serve it to your dog.

Liver Boosting Meal

This recipe makes use of ingredients that boost the livers functioning and regeneration. You can also add various supplements to it to make it even more beneficial. Keep in mind that supplements should only be given if your vet prescribes them. Even without any supplements, this recipe can fill your dogs belly with superb nutrients.

Ingredients

1 Lb. of boneless chicken thighs.

1 red bell pepper.

5 cups of water.

2 cups of white rice.

1 Brazil nut.

2 and teaspoons of eggshell (crushed or powdered).

3 tablespoons of sunflower seed oil.

2 cups of cottage cheese (low fat).

Preparation

Dice chicken into tiny cubes (about inch cubes).
Slice bell pepper and remove any seeds from it.
Add the bell pepper, chicken, and rice to 5 cups of boiling water. Let the mixture cook at low heat until water is almost completely reduced.
Take eggshell, sunflower seed oil, and any supplements that youve been prescribed and blend them into a fine mixture.
Add the blended mixture into the cooked rice, bell pepper, and chicken mixture. Add cheese and mix well.
Serve the mixture while its lukewarm. You can also store it for up to 5 days.

These dog food recipes are easy to make and are designed to carry as many useful nutrients as possible. They only make use of easily digestible ingredients, making sure that your dogs meals dont stress out their liver. A proper diet is essential when it comes to fighting CLD. It gives your dogs body the relief and nourishment needed to heal. Also, while a proper diet is necessary, you shouldnt forget about proper medication.

A proper diet will help your dogs liver heal and de-stress. Proper and timely medication will keep the disease from worsening. Make sure that you regularly visit your vet and follow whatever guidelines that they give you. With the right care, your dog will continue to have a comfortable and joyful life.