homemade dog food recipes for high liver enzymes
Recipes for Dogs Liver Disease
In our experience, a homemade diet made with REAL WHOLE FOODS is an absolute must for dogs with a failing liver. Our recipes for dogs liver disease may behelpful for your dog.
If your dog has hepatic encephalopathy OR is storing copper in the liver, DO NOT USE THESE RECIPES. You can contact us here for a private consultation for a special diet for either of these forms of liver disease. IF YOU ARENT SURE, ASK YOUR VET BEFORE FEEDING THESE.
Can Raw Be the Answer?
Many believe that feeding a raw diet can help stabilize a dogs liver Enzymes. While this is the complete opposite of what youll find here, I dont believe that its not possible. Im a huge fan of a raw diet and I recommend them all the time, however, this page is dedicated to feeding a home-cooked diet for dogs diagnosed with elevated Liver Enzymes.
Dog Liver Disease Homemade Dog Food Recipes
The recipes below are what weve used for several of our own dogs when their liver enzymes werent too extreme and they werent diagnosed with copper storage or hepatic encephalopathy. You have to be very careful with this disease.
This means that having your dogs blood work done routinely (every 6 months); including a complete liver profile is critical. If the liver enzymes remain stable, then you can continue with the diet; but, you have no way of knowing this information unless you have the blood work done on a regular basis.
The following homemade recipes for liver disease in dogs are for a weeks worth of food and based upon our own dogs weight which was approximately 70-75 pounds at the time they were developed.
Also, youll notice that there are no veggies included in the recipe and this is because our lab at the time had IBS and veggies can often cause a soft stool problem.
Recommended products if your dog has liver disease:
Dessicated Liver
Liver Disease Tonic
Recipes for Dogs with Liver Disease
The following recipes are the property of YourOldDog.com and are meant as a courtesy to our visitors. The recipes ARE NOT public domain and not permitted to be shared anywhere on the internet or copied and pasted on anyones website or shared in eBooks, etc. without the written consent of YourOldDog.com
If your dog has elevated liver enzymes which could be due to ammonia in the blood (Hepatic Encephalopathy) or he or she is vomiting bile, this recipe is not ideal. Detoxing your dog first is the best thing to do for a dog with any type of liver issues PERIOD! This recipe can possibly be slowly incorporated later. See the link at the beginning of the page for immediate guidance.
Again, do NOT feed this recipe if your dog has copper storage disease or hepatic encephalopathy. If youre not sure, ask your dogs vet if your dog has excessive amounts of copper in the liver. If you still dont know, treat your dog like he is storing copper and use the above link for immediate help a private consultation and a personal protocol including a meal recipe for your dog.
Most often traditional veterinarians will want to place a dog with liver disease on a prescription diet such as Hills LD. We do not recommend these types of diets at all. Homemade recipes for dogs are good for the health of dogs.
**NOTE: Since brown rice contains 50% more arsenic than white rice, there is a method that you can use to significantly reduce arsenic levels in any rice if you choose to:See Dr. Lees article here.
#1 Fish & Ground Beef Recipe for Dog with Liver Disease
Ingredients:
- 8 Cups of well-cooked brown rice (1560 grams)
- 7 Cups peeled, cooked and mashed sweet potato (1000 grams)
- 3 Cups cooked and chopped chicken livers (420 grams)
- 7 large hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 2 Cups poached, flaked, boneless haddock, cod or other whitefish (not tuna, shark or mackerel)
- 18 ounces regular ground beef, cooked in a little water but not overly browned
Preparation Method:
- Mix together and allow to cool completely. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fish oil.
- Next, YOU MUST and I repeat MUST add the following supplements in order to balance the diet:
- Calcium: Include 8-1/2 level teaspoons of pure calcium carbonate powder to the recipe.
- Iodine: Add 6 kelp tablets (take apart and sprinkle over the mixture).
- Zinc 50mg: Finely crushed and sprinkle THREE (3) through-out the food.
- Manganese 10mg Caps: Add TWO (2) finely crushed caps.
- Copper 2mg: Sprinkle SEVEN (7) of the capsule throughout the food.
- Coconut Oil: THIS SHOULD BE ADDED DAILY and NOT ALL ONCE -Add 1/2 teaspoon daily to your dogs food.
Using your hands, mix the food really good so that the supplements are mixed evenly through the food. Divide the food into 7 even batches and place in a freezer bag and freeze. Pull a bag out of the freezer the day before. Divide the bag into two meals for your dog that day.
#2 Chicken and Salmon Recipe for Dogs with Liver Disease
Again, if your dog has elevated liver enzymes which may be due to excess ammonia levels in the blood (Hepatic Encephalopathy) or he or she is vomiting bile, then detoxing your dog first is the best thing to do for any form of liver issues PERIOD! The recipe may be used later once your dog is stabilized. Use our link above for immediate help in stabilizing your dogs condition.
Ingredients:
- 7 Cups well-cooked brown rice cooked very well (1365 grams)
- 2 Cups (measure out 2 cups of raw Quinoa) then cook (340 grams)
- 3 Cups peeled, cooked and mashed sweet potato (600 grams)
- 9 Cups lightly cooked ground chicken with fat (990 grams)
- 3 Ounces poached liver finely chopped
- 2 6 oz cans low sodium sockeye salmon (170grams per can)
Preparation Method:
- Allow this mixture to cool and stir in one tablespoon of fish oil. Add all of the following supplements.
- Calcium: Eight and one half (8.5) LEVEL teaspoons and sprinkle evenly over food. *Again, it should be noted that Lulu was given 1 cup of cottage cheese daily effecting the amount needed in the recipe.
- Iodine: Sprinkle SIX (6) capsules evenly over the food.
- Zinc 50mg: Finely crush and sprinkle FOUR (4) evenly over food.
- Manganese 10mg: Finely crush and add ONE (1) evenly to food.
- NO COPPER NEEDED
- Coconut Oil: THIS SHOULD BE ADDED DAILY and NOT ALL AT ONCE -Add 1 teaspoon daily to your dogs food.
Using your hands, mix the food really good so that the supplements are mixed evenly through the food. Divide the food into 7 even daily portions and place them in individual freezer bags. Freeze and pull out what you need the day before. The bag is for two daily meals.
**Please be sure to read both of our articles on Dandelion Root and Burdock Root which are very powerful herbal tools for your dogs liver problems.
Copyright June. 2012, Janie Knetzer, YourOldDog.com
Editors Note: The blog post was originally published in September 2011 and completely revamped and updated for accuracy in November 2019.
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.
