Abnormal Labwork AGAIN! :(

[Ellie May]

LOLOLOLOL
I can't stop laughing.

Want to all go in together and host a doggie cooking show on Food Network?

These dogs don't know how good they have it.

Why are you worried about giving sugar (just plain yogurt)?
I'd think (could be wrong) Stonyfield would be okay? or maybe Activia?
You could also try sweet potato.
Or maybe she will like the cooked carrot and you could mash it and add it to her food (if mashed isn't too messy for her liking).

[Yorkieluv]

I used to give plain, nonfat Stonyfield yogurt, and Miko did fine with it

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by Yorkieluv

I homecook for Miko, and I still have to prepare each meal.

Let me elaborate:
Scoop some homecooked food onto a dish
Add his lactulose, milk thistle, vetri-dmg, probiotics
Mix it all in.
Add his protein sources (goat milk protein powder and egg whites)
Then serve.

The protein sources are added separately to ensure that he's not overloaded with protein at any one meal which can easily happen if the protein is added to the large batch of food mixture that gets frozen. You can't control how much gets scooped out even if it's well mixed. I prefer not to take the risk.

Also, if supplements (ie. milk thistle, vetri-dmg, etc.) are given on food, that has to be added and mixed to the food at each meal, so I don't know that homecooked will be any better as far as having to prepare it.

I cook only once a month or so and freeze in 2-3 day portions.

This we may have to get into someday but since lactulose isn't being used right now and Denosyl is given 1 hour before eating, she only gets Cosequin in her food every other day. If we start milk thistle, that will need to be added and if we ever go back to vitamin e and fish oil, that will need to be added. So I agree, depending on her supplements and protein situation and how many times a day you feed, you may be spending quite a bit of time.

As for the cooking itself, that is only 3 or 4 hours once a month.

[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

This we may have to get into someday but since lactulose isn't being used right now and Denosyl is given 1 hour before eating, she only gets Cosequin in her food every other day. If we start milk thistle, that will need to be added and if we ever go back to vitamin e and fish oil, that will need to be added. So I agree, depending on her supplements and protein situation and how many times a day you feed, you may be spending quite a bit of time.

As for the cooking itself, that is only 3 or 4 hours once a month.

I'll be starting supplements very soon now that I got my order, so I'd have to add them in anyway even if I continued to use the kibble. And I doubt all those will mix very well in kibble, even soaked kibble, so I'd have to make sure and give her something separately that they would mix in. I may be wrong here, but I still think home-cooking will be easier to serve once it's cooked up....no more soaking kibble and microwaving mashed potato and adding in a tiny bit of milk so it is thin and will coat the kibbles well, then mixing that into the soaked kibble....and then I'd have to deal with how to administer supplements in something they mix in. I still have to get Vita. B Complex, but otherwise I have Azodyl, Milk Thistle, Vitamin E, Lactulose, and Vetri-DMG now.

Also, I just heard back from Dr. Wakshlag and should be getting my home-cooking "recipe" soon!! Yay!!! I gave him Bella's info including lab results, that I wanted the recipe to be inter-changeable, etc..., and he said he might be able to have something for me by Thursday! (I gave him my billing info too of course )

You're right about these dogs not knowing how good they have it.....I sure hope if I ever get sick, someone is willing to take care of me like I'm taking care of her. My boyfriend was rolling his eyes about me making mashed sweet potatoes for Bella on Thanksgiving day, and I told him that she's sick and I'm taking care of her.....I'd do the same for you if you got sick too! He just smiled.

[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

LOLOLOLOL
I can't stop laughing.

Want to all go in together and host a doggie cooking show on Food Network?

These dogs don't know how good they have it.

Why are you worried about giving sugar (just plain yogurt)?
I'd think (could be wrong) Stonyfield would be okay? or maybe Activia?
You could also try sweet potato.
Or maybe she will like the cooked carrot and you could mash it and add it to her food (if mashed isn't too messy for her liking).

That would be fun! Though, the rest of the world might think we're nuts!!

I was trying to go lower in sugar because I thought dogs shouldn't have much if any actual sugar....at least I was told that for my cats. I guess it's added sugar that I wanted to avoid...lactose is sugar, so I guess it would depend on the ingredients more than the actual sugar content (which admittedly I didn't look at on the other, just the Greek Goddess yogurt after I saw it was lower in sugar). Plus, Greek Goddess yogurt....that's just more fun and perfect for my sassy little lady!!

[Ellie May]

Hard to say what would end up being easier but canned would probably be. Of course, if you're going to get sick in the process, that's no good either.

Homecooked is better for her anyway.

I wouldn't be worried about the sugar content in plain yogurt.
Actually, for Ellie I let the kinds with added sugar slide too (like vanilla and berry). I don't think it will hurt anything.

[bellasmomok]

That's good to know....I like the flavored Greek Goddess yogurts for me (yum!), but I tried Bella's plain.....yuck! lol She likes it just fine, though, but I'm glad to know we have other options. The flavors they have are: pomegranite, fig, vanilla, and honey....that's all I've seen. I loved the pomegranate and the fig.....I wonder if pomegranate is ok for dogs, either in general or liver compromised.

I printed out a list of foods and their purine content last night (I don't think I'll be only going with the lowest of low unless she gets sick....I am of the belief that you have to have some animal protein in your diet in order to get all the amino acids you need to be healthy, but we can be smart about the animal proteins we choose and/or how often she gets them is my thinking!) Anyway, there were a couple of fruits/veggies that I noticed had a pretty low purine content.....apricot, asparagus, avocado, banana, blueberry, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, dried figs, kiwi, lettuce, cantelope, mushrooms, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, dried plum, potato, pumpkin, raspberry, spinach, summer squash, strawberry, tomato....and also cheeses and yogurt.

I know that bananas, blueberries, broccoli, dried figs, pineapple, raspberry, spinach, and strawberries are pretty high in manganese.....

Anything wrong with the others (in blue)?? (I know tomatoes are supposedly bad for dogs, but I thought that was just the plant?? Is that wrong?)

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

LOLOLOLOL
I can't stop laughing.

Want to all go in together and host a doggie cooking show on Food Network?

These dogs don't know how good they have it.

Why are you worried about giving sugar (just plain yogurt)?
I'd think (could be wrong) Stonyfield would be okay? or maybe Activia?
You could also try sweet potato.
Or maybe she will like the cooked carrot and you could mash it and add it to her food (if mashed isn't too messy for her liking).

I'd love to be on that cooking show! Lady gets so many supplements for other issues, too, it takes me forever to fix her meals. I'm so tired when I'm finished all I can fix myself is a Lean Cuisine in the microwave.

Lady gets a spoonful of Dannon plain yogurt with her little meal before bed. There really isn't that much sugar in such a small amount. She's a diabetic so her blood sugar would spike if there were, but I've had no problem with it. You want to avoid the yogurt with artificial sweeteners as they can be toxic for dogs. Many of the flavored yogurts have them so you have to read labels carefully.

I buy the frozen organic blueberries for a treat.

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by bellasmomok

That's good to know....I like the flavored Greek Goddess yogurts for me (yum!), but I tried Bella's plain.....yuck! lol She likes it just fine, though, but I'm glad to know we have other options. The flavors they have are: pomegranite, fig, vanilla, and honey....that's all I've seen. I loved the pomegranate and the fig.....I wonder if pomegranate is ok for dogs, either in general or liver compromised.

I printed out a list of foods and their purine content last night (I don't think I'll be only going with the lowest of low unless she gets sick....I am of the belief that you have to have some animal protein in your diet in order to get all the amino acids you need to be healthy, but we can be smart about the animal proteins we choose and/or how often she gets them is my thinking!) Anyway, there were a couple of fruits/veggies that I noticed had a pretty low purine content.....apricot, asparagus, avocado, banana, blueberry, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, dried figs, kiwi, lettuce, cantelope, mushrooms, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, dried plum, potato, pumpkin, raspberry, spinach, summer squash, strawberry, tomato....and also cheeses and yogurt.

I know that bananas, blueberries, broccoli, dried figs, pineapple, raspberry, spinach, and strawberries are pretty high in manganese.....

Anything wrong with the others (in blue)?? (I know tomatoes are supposedly bad for dogs, but I thought that was just the plant?? Is that wrong?)

We don't use things like pineapple here because they are acidic.
Tomatoes are controversial. I'm thinking the people who say it is the plant itself would be correct because Ellie's nutritionist never said they were toxic (I go a short list from her). I rarely give it though becuase I'm unsure and I don't know how it would set.

[Ladymom]

Avocados are toxic to dogs. So are mushrooms. Green parts of tomatoes are toxic also, so it's best to avoid them altogether.

25 Human Foods Toxic To Dogs

Toxic Foods for Dogs

[Yorkieluv]

That cooking show sounds like a lot of fun!! But I have to agree that people would think we are completely nuts!!

Eggs are a complete protein and so is goat milk protein powder yet they are both low purine foods and also safe for liver compromised dogs much more so than any kind of meat. Most veggies/fruits are also low purine.

I stay away from anything that's too acidic...not just for liver compromised, but for dogs in general. I also stay away from mushrooms. Like Ladymom posted, they're toxic.

Here's a link to the ASPCA about pomegranates:
ASPCA Blog: Ask the APCC: Are Pomegranates Harmful to Dogs?

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by bellasmomok

That would be fun! Though, the rest of the world might think we're nuts!!

I was trying to go lower in sugar because I thought dogs shouldn't have much if any actual sugar....at least I was told that for my cats. I guess it's added sugar that I wanted to avoid...lactose is sugar, so I guess it would depend on the ingredients more than the actual sugar content (which admittedly I didn't look at on the other, just the Greek Goddess yogurt after I saw it was lower in sugar). Plus, Greek Goddess yogurt....that's just more fun and perfect for my sassy little lady!!

Hmm, I think my family already thinks that.
But then when they have dog questions, guess who they ask?

[Ellie May]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

I'd love to be on that cooking show! Lady gets so many supplements for other issues, too, it takes me forever to fix her meals. I'm so tired when I'm finished all I can fix myself is a Lean Cuisine in the microwave.

Lady gets a spoonful of Dannon plain yogurt with her little meal before bed. There really isn't that much sugar in such a small amount. She's a diabetic so her blood sugar would spike if there were, but I've had no problem with it. You want to avoid the yogurt with artificial sweeteners as they can be toxic for dogs. Many of the flavored yogurts have them so you have to read labels carefully.

I buy the frozen organic blueberries for a treat.

Ellie's vet says Ellie eats better than her and her kids.

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

Hmm, I think my family already thinks that.
But then when they have dog questions, guess who they ask?

i love that- same here- my aunt thinks i'm totally out to lunch when it comes to Layla- but they have a chocolate lab puppy- when they have a question- they call me! not so out-to-lunch after all

[bellasmomok]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

Avocados are toxic to dogs. So are mushrooms. Green parts of tomatoes are toxic also, so it's best to avoid them altogether.

I'm not too sad about avocados being toxic....neither me nor my boyfriend like them anyway. Good to know about the mushrooms--for some reason I kind of figured they would be bad.

Originally Posted by Yorkieluv

That cooking show sounds like a lot of fun!! But I have to agree that people would think we are completely nuts!!

Eggs are a complete protein and so is goat milk protein powder yet they are both low purine foods and also safe for liver compromised dogs much more so than any kind of meat. Most veggies/fruits are also low purine.

I stay away from anything that's too acidic...not just for liver compromised, but for dogs in general. I also stay away from mushrooms. Like Ladymom posted, they're toxic.

Here's a link to the ASPCA about pomegranates:
ASPCA Blog: Ask the APCC: Are Pomegranates Harmful to Dogs?

I was wondering if egg would be considered a complete protein since it is basically an animal protein....so that's good to know!
Hmmm...I read what the ASPCA had to say about pomegranates, but I thought they were basically talking about every part of it except the fruit. Really, the only time I'd consider giving her that is in the Pomegranate flavored yogurt I buy for me.....unless I should just not chance it at all??

Do you think apricot or kiwi would be considered too acidic?
Also, I LOVE asparagus and eat it just as often as I eat broccoli (which she shouldn't have I guess ), so it would be great if she could have that occasionally??