Written By Empress Of Pearl
Sarah Anderson Dec 8, 2024
Introducing Peaches
Peaches my little Shih Tzu was rescued from Noah's Ark when she was a baby. She was litterally deathly ill with pneumonia, kennel cough, and a sever upper respiratory tract infection and has had a lot of health problems since then.
About 4 years ago she was diagnosed with liver problems, her enzymes were sky high, that's when I began my quest to find out anything and everything I could to help this litttle adorable girl.
First of all, 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. In addition, the lining of many cans contain 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 liver 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 problems.
The menu below can help your doggie with liver disease to live a healthier, happier, longer life.
Sample Diet:
Breakfast: 1 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup chicken, 1/2 cup green beans
Lunch: 1/2 cup sweet potato, 1/4 cup turkey, 1/4 cup peas
Dinner: 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup salmon or cod, 1/2 cup broccoli
Menu For Pups With Liver Disease
The first recipe on the menu is:
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.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup cooked, diced chicken
1/2 cup cooked steel-cut oatmeal
1 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
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 tsp olive oil
2 oz Sweet Potato
2 oz Golden Potato
1/2 cup Mexican squash
Directions:
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
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.
Take the turkey out of the pan and let cool.
Cook rice until soft.
Steam green beans until tender.
Mix together 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 dogs 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.
Creamy Cottage Cheese And Egg Mac
Ingredients:
1/2 box cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
1 tbsp. low-calorie cottage cheese
1 cup carrots (chopped)
Instructions:
Cook the rice and macaroni according to the instructions on the packaging.
When the eggs are cooked, chop them and then combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Serve Warm
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
Ingredients:
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, and 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.
You can store it for up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze it up to 2 months.
Gourmet Fish Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Yukon Gold 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 their are many debates on if they're supposed to be cut in half or not. The problem is, she hates the taste and when the pills are cut in half they are so sharp on the edges, I was 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 them and put it in their food, but it must be done immediately after crushing. They're to be given 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 Peaches 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 is suppose to help with liver conditions by inhibiting enzymes that damage liver cells. It may 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.
