The Dog Cancer Survival Guide (68 page)

Do not add any of the fresh optional additions to this Base Mixture. Also, do not add the digestive enzymes. It is better to wait until you serve the food to chop and add these ingredients.

In another large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, salt substitute and fatty acids (krill or fish oil). Some dogs will eat the capsules of krill oil or fish oil whole, while others will need the capsules opened and emptied into the mixture.

If you are using calcium citrate instead of chicken necks, grind the tablets with a mortar and pestle, or other grinding implement. (I have calculated the correct dosage for the brand I use, Citracal Maximum, as twelve tablets). Add to the cottage cheese mixture. Mix well.

Add cottage cheese mixture to the meat/rice/ vegetable mixture. Mix thoroughly.

For flavor, consider adding a splash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, balsamic vinegar or a little of the pan juices from the cooked meats or water from canned tuna.

Store entire mix in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Use as needed, twice a day.

If you use a commercial dog food as part of this recipe, keep it to one quarter to one half (¼-½) of the overall portion. I particularly recommend Halo foods, although other good choices might be found in dehydrated and frozen dog foods. Add the commercial food in Step Two, when you add the supplements and the enzymes and scale down the helpings of homemade food in proportion to how much commercial food you are using.

Start this step about forty-five minutes before mealtime to allow for prepping and assembling ingredients and letting the digestive enzymes work.

Dish out a portion of the Base Mixture appropriate for your dog.

If your dog is using Apocaps, give them on an empty stomach between mealtimes (at least an hour before or after, but preferably four hours before or after), as the label recommends. The same advice applies for artemisinin. See
page 170
for details on how to schedule these supplements. You can use the Base Mixture as the snack for her supplements.

Depending upon which healthy options you are adding to your dog’s meal, mince garlic, ginger, berries, herbs, and sardine. Add them to the serving and mix well. If using, add the coconut oil and mix well.

This is a good time to add any supplements or vitamins that can be served with meals, including the multi-vitamin. Grind tablets into powders using a mortar and pestle, and, if needed, open capsules. Add all to the serving. You can also add pills and capsules whole, if your dog will swallow them that way (just make sure they are gone at the end of the meal).

Mix the digestive enzyme powder into the food, using the dosages recommended in the sidebar on
page 207
. Heat can inactivate the digestive enzymes, so if the food is hot, cool to room temperature or below (you can put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes), before you stir them in. Mix very well to distribute the enzymes evenly throughout the food. Allow the food to sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature (or slightly cooler) to let the enzymes pre-digest it.

After thirty minutes of pre-digestion, give your dog his meal.

NOTE:
If you are giving Apocaps or artemisinin with the meal (for example, if your dog has a sensitive stomach), open the capsules and add the powder to the meal
after
the enzymes have worked for thirty minutes. Remember to mix well before feeding your dog.

When you feed your dog, make sure to take at least a moment or two to enjoy your dog while she enjoys her meal. As we’ve discovered, your attitude, mood and emotions may impact your dog’s attitude, mood and emotions. In turn, her mood and emotions may impact her ability to heal. High quality moments like sharing an enjoyable meal cement the bond between the two of you, and feeling your love and enjoyment is very important for your dog while she deals with cancer. Leave the dishes for when she’s finished.

If your dog has disease or damage of the liver, kidneys, pancreas or any other organ or bodily system, the diet outlined in this chapter may need to be modified.

For example, if your dog has a liver issue, the relatively high amounts of fat in this diet may need to be reduced. If your dog is allergic to dairy, you won’t be able to feed him cottage cheese. Everything depends upon your individual dog’s health.

This diet is ideal for most dogs with cancer. If your dog cannot tolerate an ingredient or it isn’t good for her, or if your vet tells you not to feed it, exclude it. I have included as many healthy options as possible, so that you can find a way to give your dog a balanced diet, even if you can’t do absolutely everything I recommend.

I recommend you consult with your veterinarian directly. Go over the diet and get her feedback about what to include and exclude.