Introducing Peaches

As mentioned in an earlier blog, my husband and I rescued Peaches from Noah's Ark. My other 3 Shih Tzu's passed to Rainbow Bridge, and I just had to have another one. Noah's Ark said they had a Shih Tzu, so we went there to check her out. She was in a cage with about 4 other dogs. They put her in my arms and led us to a small room and left us there for about 30 minuets.

This baby was sick and shaking and my heart went out to her. They came in to see if we wanted her, and the lady told us the price was $13,000. I couldn't put her back in that cage, so we bought her, took her home and then the horror began.

We immediately took her to the vet and found that she had pneumonia, kennel cough, and a sever upper respiratory tract infection. The vets were miracle workers. She was on a nebulizer for 3 months, 3 times a day and by the grace of God, she got better.

I'm sure all the animals in Noah's Ark had the same thing and most of them probably died. All of the Noah's Arks around here closed down shortly after that.

She did have a difficult time breathing, so I would press up on the ethmoid sinuses (the bridge of her nose above the nasal cavity and between her eyes) to open her air ways. This occurred for years. Then all of a sudden it went away. She is fragile from being sick for so long, and she never grew up. She's like a baby to this day.

Then one day, when we took her in for a check up, they gave her a blood test, and the results were wicked. She had a liver disease, and the vet didn't think she had long to live, which scared me to death. I immediately went on a quest to find out what I could do to help her. Thank God for the internet.

I found that you cannot give a dog with liver disease dry food because it stresses an already damaged liver. They cannot digest it, plus it contains preservatives and fillers, and carbohydrates that can cause the liver to leak enzymes into the bloodstream.

Canned food is just as bad. It also contains preservatives, along with chemicals, and other ingredients that tax the liver. The lining of many cans also contains bisphenol A (BPA), which can contribute to liver problems.

The quality and digestibility of food is very important for managing liver disease. Everything in a dog's food with hepatic disease should be as gentle as possible for their body to digest.

The use of an appropriately formulated FRESH diet can prolong survival times and improve quality of life in dogs with liver disease.

By the way, Peaches, will be 10 years old Dec 11, 2024. And she is a very loving, playful and funny lil doggie.

The menu below can help your doggie with liver disease live a healthier, happier, longer life.

Menu For Pups With Liver Disease

Homemade Dog Food for Liver Disease Recipe

My late husband and I started feeding this recipe to Peaches years ago. With exercise, tender loving care and weight management, He liver enzymes went down. And she loves it.

So here's the first recipe on the menu.

Ingredients

3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup cooked, diced chicken
1/2 cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal
One boiled egg - chopped in little pieces
1/2 cup canned pumpkin

Directions

Boil the chicken until thoroughly cooked, let cool slightly, then shred it.
Boil the egg in advance and cook the oatmeal.
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together.

Note:

I don't put the chicken in the mix, I shred it at dinner time, heat it up along with the mixture and serve it The choice is yours.

You can put some in the fridge in a sealed container that will last a few days. You can freeze the rest.

Peaches weighs 13 lbs and gets about 1/3 cup of chicken and 1/3 cup of the mixture once daily. She also gets breakfast once a day a few small treats twice a day, and a little fresh home cooked turkey once a day.

Eggs And Yam's Delight

2 eggs
1 tsp olive oil
2 oz Sweet Potato
2 oz Golden Potato
1/2 cup Mexican squash

Fry eggs in olive oil. Boil and mash the sweet potato.
Cut up the squash, top it with a little olive oil.
Bake at 350°F until done.
Place everything on top of one another on a plate.

That's all folks.

Doggie Soup Recipe

This soup is my very own recipe, and Peaches loves it. It isn't necessarily just for doggies with liver problems, but it is very healthy and good for them and easy to digest. Your doggie will LOVE it too.

Ingredients

2 large Chicken breasts
3 cups water
1 cup finely chopped steamed broccoli
1 cup finely chopped steamed carrots
1/2 cup white rice - cooked
1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree (No additives).

Instructions

Boil chicken breasts in water until all pink is gone. Take chicken out of the pan and shred (reserve broth in pan). Put shredded chicken back in reserved broth.

Add broccoli, carrots, and rice to broth and stir. Add Pumpkin puree and stir again.

Simmer for about 5-10 minuets or until desired constancy.

Put in containers. You may freeze this soup if you like.

Turkey and Brown Rice Stew

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey (lean) or grind fresh turkey.
1 cup brown rice (cooked)
1/2 cup green beans (steamed and chopped)
1/4 cup of pumpkin puree (unsweetened)

Directions

Cook the ground turkey in a pan, do not add oil.
Cook rice until soft.
Steam green beans until tender.
Mix the turkey, brown rice, green beans, and pumpkin puree.
Let mixture cool before serving.

Cottage Cheese and Rice Meal

Ingredients

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup white rice, cooked
1/4 cup boiled broccoli, chopped

Directions

Cook the white rice and let cool.
Steam the broccoli until soft then mash them.
Combine the cottage cheese, rice, and broccoli.
Serve fresh and refrigerate leftovers.
You can freeze the rest.

Egg and Oatmeal Scramble

Here's a good breakfast for a doggie with liver disease.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal
1/4 cup of cooked zucchini, chopped
1 tsp olive oil

Directions

Cook the eggs in olive oil and scramble until fully cooked.
Prepare the steel-cut oats according to package instructions.
Steam the zucchini until soft.
Combine everything together for a complete, liver-friendly meal.
Let cool before serving.

Fish and Oatmeal

Ingredients
1 cup of white fish (cod or pollock)
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (whole oats or steel-cut)
1/4 cup cooked spinach (chopped)
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil

Directions

Steam or bake the fish without oil.
Steam the spinach until soft and chop into small pieces.
Mix the fish, oatmeal, and spinach together.
Add flaxseed oil.

Serve warm and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Doggy Pasta Salad

1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 box cooked elbow macaroni
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 tbsp. low-calorie cottage cheese
1 cup carrots (chopped)
1 cup broccoli florets (chopped or mashed)

Instructions

Cook the rice and macaroni according to the instructions on the package.

When the eggs are cooked, chop them, then combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

Stir well until everything is equally combined. Let cool.

Liver Boosting Meal

This recipe boosts liver functioning and regeneration. You can add supplements to it to make it even more beneficial. However, supplements should only be given if your vet prescribes them. Even without supplements, this recipe will fill your pooch's belly with superb nutrients.

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless Chicken breasts
1 red bell pepper
4 cups water or chicken bone broth
3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil
2 cups low fat cottage cheese

Directions

Shred the chicken finely.
Slice bell pepper and remove all the seeds.
Add pepper, chicken, and rice to water or bone broth.
Cook on low heat until broth is almost completely reduced.
Add flaxseed oil into the mixture.
Add ​cottage cheese and mix well.
Serve while warm.

Store it for up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze it.

Fish Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white potatoes
1 1/2 cups purple sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups of squash, peeled and seeds removed
1 1/2 cups string beans or celery
2 cups cod fillet (or pollock)

Directions

Peel the potatoes, chop and simmer until thoroughly cooked.

Wash and chop the quash, string beans or celery and steam them until very tender.
Discuss adding celery,with your vet, especially if your dog has advanced liver disease).

Drain and mash the potatoes.

Bake, steam or poach the cod in a little water.

Mix all ingredients together until well blended.

Serve warm and freeze the rest in an air tight container.

Feeding Instructions

Feed about 1/2 cup of food for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day. So, a 25-pound dog would eat about 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup in the evening.

For smaller dogs, feed half these portions.

Some dogs, like working dogs and very active breeds, will need more calories than this. Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many.

Smaller, more frequent meals spread throughout the day are preferred for dogs with liver issues.

Consult with your veterinarian for guidance on portion sizes and specific food recommendations for your dog.

Supplements

You should consult your veterinarian before giving your dog any supplements.

There are many supplements that can help with liver disease in dogs, but I only give Peaches two:

S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe): This supplement helps support liver health by increasing glutathione levels. It can also help with detoxification and cleansing the liver.

My vet recommended SAMeLQ Chewable Tablets. However, the pills are huge and they're not supposed to be cut in half, but my vet said I could. The problem is she hates the taste and the pills are so hard and sharp on the edges when split, I was always afraid it would cut the inside of her mouth. But these supplements did wonders for her high enzyms.

Then I found K9 Select SAM-e supplement for small dogs. These you can crush and give them to your pup, but it must be done immediately after crushing. You're suppose give them on an empty stomach, but I crush them and put them right on top of her eggs or oatmeal in the morning. I saw a difference in her right away.

Probiotics: This can help with liver disease, as well as other conditions like allergies, diabetes, and obesity. I give her 1 tsp plain Greek Yogurt once a day.

Another one that is supposed to be good is Milk thistle (I haven't given this to her). This supplement can help with liver conditions by inhibiting enzymes that damage liver cells. It can also help with inflammation and provide antioxidants.

Conclusion

Making Homemade food for your dog with liver disease can be very supportive. A liver diet tailored specifically for your dog can provide numerous benefits for their liver health and overall well-being.

Remember to introduce new foods gradually and monitor your dog’s response. Not all dogs tolerate certain foods the same, so it is important to observe any signs of allergies or digestive upset.

Cheers to the health, happiness and longevity of your precious, priceless, beloved pup.