This is hard but I need to write it and I have to deal with what's real. I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and find everything is better, as much as there is this defiant part of me that keeps hoping that will be the case. Her time is getting way shorter. I know that. Her favorite food... my mixture of brown rice, carrots, peas, and tuna fish. I want her to be happy in the end. I've upped the tuna to adding a whole can, each time i feed her... and that's on top of the base gruel which already has tuna in it. And even as old as she is, her coat is still as shiny as a mink. She comes in now all the time and looks at me and whimpers. I asked the vet if she was in pain... of course he gave me a two minute round of BS and didn't answer the question. It is what it is.I know that. This one is gonna be tough though. Some of you have maybe been there before. For now though... one more day, one day at a time.
I was wondering about safe spices, saw this. Why we switched to homemade dog food Recently, I shared a blog post about our dog's health issues and why we decided to make the switch to a diet that is made up of 100% human grade food. In our experience, the switch was easy, cost effective, and so much healthier for our dogs than a traditional doggie diet of processed kibble! The homemade dog food recipe that I make for our dogs combines lean ground sirloin, wholesome brown rice, fresh vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and tender herbs. This healthy, vibrant alternative to traditional dog food has given our 11 year old dog, Hooch, a new lease on life! Since making the switch 8 months ago I have been so inspired by the improvements we have seen in Hooch! It's pushed me to continue to research different ingredients that might help even more. I'm excited to share my first Homemade Dog Food Seasoning blend with you and your pup! I really hope you will benefit as much as we have. There are 5 dried herbs in my Homemade Dog Food Seasoning blend, let's break down why I chose each of them.... Basil This dog-approved leafy herb, well-known for its delicious role in pesto, has antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. We began incorporating basil into Hooch's food to help alleviate symptoms of arthritis because basil has a high concentration of beta-carophyllene, which also makes basil useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease. Other benefits of basil for dogs include lifting their mood, decreasing stress, and reducing anxiety. While very rare, some dogs can be allergic to basil, so incorporate slowly into your dogs diet and work up from there. Dill Dill is part of the parsley family and a sprinkle of this delicious herb could benefit your dog in all sorts of ways! If your dog is a living vacuum cleaner like our Rebel – picking up any food they see that has fallen on the ground! Or if the garbage can is your dog's idea of a buffet line; it’s a good idea to keep some dill on hand. Dill is known to be a digestive aid, helping with gas, nausea, cramping and appetite. As an added bonus, dill works wonders as a doggie breath freshener too! According to Herbs for Pets by Gregory L. Tilford and Mary L. Wulff, dill’s breath freshening action comes from its antibacterial powers that work well in the mouth for foul breath caused by bacteria and gingivitis. Parsley First and foremost, when it comes to parsley for dogs, you want to feed the curly variety whenever possible and watch those serving sizes, as parsley does contain a toxic compound called furanocoumarin which can be dangerous in excessive amounts. In smaller servings, however, parsley does your dog way more good than harm! Believe it or not, dried curly parsley can be hard to find, here is a quick an easy way to dry curly parsley in your microwave at home... DIY Dried Curly Leaf Parsley Place 1 paper towel flat onto a microwave safe plate. Lay out curly parsley bunches in a single layer on the paper towel, then add another paper towel on top. Microwave 1 minute, then in 15 second increments until dry. After the leaves are dry and crunchy, remove and discard the stems. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. Parsley, an excellent source of flavonoids, antioxidants, and vitamins, is often added to dog treats as a breath freshener and can be used to also soothe the stomach. Initially, I started incorporating parsley into our dogs food because I learned that it can help to relieve the swelling and pain from arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. However, I wish I had started adding parsley into our dog's diets a long time ago as it also helps to flush toxins from the body which supports kidney health. As we discussed in my homemade dog food post, our 11-year old dog Hooch was diagnosed with kidney disease last December. I can't help but wonder if we could have avoided that diagnosis by switching him to a real food diet with ingredients like parsley much sooner in his life. It is important to note, the positive effects that parsley can have on the kidney's is only preventative and will not reverse the progression of kidney disease if your dog has already been diagnosed. In fact, you should not be giving any parsley to a dog that is prone to developing kidney stones, because parsley contains high amounts of oxalates. Our Hooch does not have kidney stones, so we still incorporate small amounts of parsley at this time, but as his condition progresses we may opt to eliminate it from his diet. WARNING: Spring Parsley (a member of the carrot family) looks almost identical to parsley but is toxic for dogs and cats. Rosemary There’s a reason rosemary essential oil is so often used as a natural preservative in dog food, it is a great pathogen-fighter against common food bacteria, meaning it can help keep food from spoiling! And those pathogen-fighting capabilities extend to your pet’s body too, where it can help fight against various bacteria and fungi! Since rosemary contains antioxidants it is a great ingredient to add to your pup's food to combat age-related illnesses like cardiovascular disease and cancer. While big name dog food brands use rosemary essential oil, I personally only recommend using dried rosemary at home as essential oils are SUPER concentrated and can have adverse effects if not portioned correctly.Herbalist Gregory L. Tilford, co-author of Herbs for Pets wrote "Rosemary is generally safe when used appropriately, however, the essential oil, which is often used in very small amounts as a natural food preservative is very strong and concentrated. In small amounts it will lend a calming, relaxing effect, but if fed in too much abundance it can produce the opposite – a nervous system stimulant effect that may exacerbate nervous system disorders, like epilepsy. All said, as long as the oil is not used in concentrations greater than 1 percent of the entire composition of a food or supplement product, it can be used quite safely.” Oregano Feeding your dogs small amounts of oregano can help cleanse your dog’s body from toxins due to its strong antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Oregano packs more than 40 times the value of antioxidants found in apples and is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K coupled with Omega-3s, calcium, iron, manganese, and dietary fiber which are all essential in your dog's diet! Oregano is a key player in this Homemade Dog Food Seasoning Blend because it can help to reduce inflammation and swelling as well as alleviate pain and improve mobility in joints. All which is very important if I want my sweet Hooch to move around easier and still give me ten like the picture below! How much Homemade Dog Food Seasoning Blend should I be adding to my dog's meals each day? Start small by adding a little sprinkle (a pinch for small dogs, a ½ teaspoon for larger dogs) of these herbs to your dog’s food each day and work up from there. Adding dried herbs like these is a safe way to give your pups a little boost in nutrition, freshen their breath, and heck it probably will make their food a little more flavor-able too!