Our Nutrition Philosophy
Homemade diets to ease specific conditions
Tri-State Veterinary Hospital
Tri-State Veterinary Hospital offers prescription diets by Hills, Royal Canin, and Purina. We are confident these foods meet your pet’s nutritional needs for their specific medical conditions. With a few exceptions i.e.: pancreatitis, changes in diet should transition slowly and under the advice of your Veterinarian. Homemade diets used long term may need supplements to be nutritionally correct. We have many supplements in stock to accommodate your pet’s needs.
Always consult your veterinarian with regard to dietary changes!
What follows are a few recipes taken as excerpts from Yin & Yang Nutrition for Dogs by Judy Morgan DVM (Author), Hue Grant(Author)
Golden Paste Diet for excessive gas
Bland diet for cold diarrhea (commonly seen in weak or geriatric pets)
Bland diet for hot diarrhea (bacterial or viral infections, colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease)
Bone Broth (a soothing liquid used to nurse animals back to health following gastrointestinal upset or prolonged illness)
Summer Damp Heat (commonly causes skin infections, rashes, and itching)
These are homemade diets formulated to ease specific conditions
Golden paste for excessive gas
Turmeric is a root herb that has been studied extensively for its cancer and inflammation-fighting properties. Most of the effect is due to an ingredient called curcumin. It is a powerful anti-oxidant and Qi tonic, reducing stagnation and pain; it has been used to decrease inflammation associated with heart disease, back pain, and arthritis. Studies have shown it may decrease the risk of getting cancer, as well as helping to treat cancer. Turmeric is not very well absorbed when eaten, but the absorption is increased when it is taken with black pepper.
1 cup warm water
½ cup organic turmeric root powder
1/3 cup organic coconut oil OR 1/3 cup bone broth
½ tablespoon organic freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon organic Ceylon cinnamon
Place turmeric powder and water in a small saucepan on low heat on the stovetop. Stir until it forms a paste, usually about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the pepper and cinnamon, stirring to mix.
Add coconut oil or bone broth and stir well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within two weeks. It can be frozen. Mix ¼ teaspoon for small dogs and up to 1 tablespoon for large dogs in each meal.
Cold diarrhea is commonly seen in weak or geriatric pets. The diarrhea has minimal odor, may be gray or light tan in color, and may contain undigested food. A warming diet is needed for treatment.
Congee made with chicken and white rice works well to get pets eating if they have lost their appetite.
1 pound low-fat ground chicken or venison baked, boiled, or sautéed.
1 teaspoon ground dried cinnamon or ground dried ginger
12 ounces well-cooked mashed butternut squash or pumpkin 4 ounces
Portobello mushroom chopped or processed
If you like to feed grains, ½ cup of well-cooked long grain white rice can be added.
Mix all ingredients. Feed small quantities multiple times per day until normal stool is observed.
Hot diarrhea can be seen with bacterial or viral infections, colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
This stool will have a very foul odor and may contain blood or mucous.
A cooling diet is needed for treatment. Congee made with rabbit or pork and barley works well to get pets eating if they have lost their appetite.
1 pound low-fat ground turkey, pork, or rabbit baked, boiled, or sautéed
1 teaspoon ground fresh ginger root 12 ounces well-cooked mashed apple or sweet potato
4 ounces Portobello mushroom chopped or processed
If you like to feed grains, ½ cup of well-cooked millet or barley can be added. Mix all ingredients. Feed small quantities multiple times per day until normal stool is observed. Supplements which may be beneficial for digestive health include: ? Probiotics ? Prebiotics – FOS, fiber ? Digestive enzymes – amylase, lipase, pepsin, pancreatin, papain (papaya), bromelain (pineapple)
Diet 1
This diet would also work well for diabetes and Cushing’s disease.
Butternut squash or pumpkin would be a better choice than sweet potato for diabetic pets.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast or rabbit cubed or ground 6 ounces chicken or turkey gizzards chopped or ground
3 ounces chicken or calves’ liver chopped or processed
2 ounces beef pancreas if available
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root chopped or processed
4 ounces butternut squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato finely chopped or ground 3 ounces kale finely chopped or ground 4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms finely chopped or ground 2 ounces asparagus finely chopped or ground
This diet can be ground and mixed together, cooking at 325° F. for 30 to 45 minutes in a loaf or square baking pan, cooked on low for 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker, or fed raw. Many pets with pancreatitis will do better when the food is partially digested, so the slow cooker stew may work best. If you like to feed grains, add ½ cup of cooked barley before baking. If making this in a slow cooker, ¼ cup dry grain can be added at the time of preparation and allowed to cook with the other ingredients. These pets may benefit from the addition of fermented vegetables at one teaspoon per 15 pounds body weight per meal. Raw goat milk contains abundant probiotics and enzymes and can be very beneficial for these pets. It is low in fat (averaging 3%). It can be served alone or served with or served with meals.
Pancreatitis Diet Take Two
This diet would also work well for diabetes and Cushing’s disease.
Butternut squash or pumpkin would be a better choice than sweet potato for diabetic pets.
1 pound white fish (cod, halibut, tilapia, flounder, mackerel, sardine) baked, boneless
2 ounces beef pancreas if available, raw or gently sautéed in coconut oil
4 ounces chopped broccoli, steamed. 4 ounces mashed cooked butternut squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root grated or processed
Mix all ingredients together and serve. Good treats include freeze dried green tripe. These pets may benefit from the addition of fermented vegetables at one teaspoon per 15 pounds body weight per meal.
Raw goat milk contains abundant probiotics and enzymes and can be very beneficial for these pets. It is low in fat (averaging 3%). It can be served alone or served with meals.
Pancreatitis Diet Take Two This diet would also work well for diabetes and Cushing’s disease.
Butternut squash or pumpkin would be a better choice than sweet potato for diabetic pets.
1 pound white fish (cod, halibut, tilapia, flounder, mackerel, sardine) baked, boneless
2 ounces beef pancreas if available, raw or gently sautéed in coconut oil
4 ounces chopped broccoli, steamed. 4 ounces mashed cooked butternut squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root grated or processed
Mix all ingredients together and serve. Good treats include freeze dried green tripe. These pets may benefit from the addition of fermented vegetables at one teaspoon per 15 pounds body weight per meal. Raw goat milk contains abundant probiotics and enzymes and can be very beneficial for these pets. It is low in fat (averaging 3%). It can be served alone or served with meals.
Bone Broth is a strong rejuvenating potion high in minerals, amino acids, glucosamine, and many more valuable nutrients. The benefits of bone marrow are endless, having an influence not only over the collagen of bones, ligaments and tendons, but also DNA and RNA synthesis, and adrenal function. From a Chinese medical perspective bone marrow broth boosts the Kidney Qi and Jing. Kidney Jing is made up of the Yin and Yang of the kidneys, with the Essence being the fundamental foundation of life. Bone broth can be served alone or mixed with meals. It can be used for cooking grains and vegetables or re-hydrating freeze-dried food. Bone broth is a soothing liquid that can be used to nurse ill animals back to health following gastrointestinal upset or prolonged illness.
Raw bones with marrow – chicken, turkey, rabbit, beef, pork, or ox tail (I use 2 to 3 medium sized beef bones) 3 inches ginger root sliced – warming, Qi tonic, resolves stagnation 2 ounces parsley chopped – Blood tonic 4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms – drain Damp, Yin tonic 2 stalks chopped celery – cooling, drains Damp ¼ cup organic raw apple cider vinegar – helps pull the minerals and marrow from the bones 3 cloves garlic chopped (omit if your pet has a history of hemolytic anemia) - warming, drains damp, resolves stagnation, transforms phlegm 6 quarts water Place all ingredients in a large soup pot or slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 12 to 24 hours. (12 on the stove at simmer or 24 in the crock pot on low.) Allow to cool. Remove bones and discard. Never feed cooked bones. Strained vegetables and any meat can be added to meals. Place broth in the refrigerator and allow the fat to rise to the top. Skim fat and discard. Bone broth can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week and frozen up to twelve months. Freezing in ice cube trays is a great way to have single servings readily available. Warm before feeding.
Summer Damp Heat commonly causes skin infections, rashes, and itching. Cooling, draining foods can be added to the diet to combat this condition. These include:
Barley, millet, or wheat if including grains in the diet Pork Duck Rabbit Cold water fish – sardines, mackerel, cod Kangaroo – drying but warm Celery Asparagus Turnips Broccoli Cabbage Squash Cucumber Zucchini Mushrooms Apples Pears Clams
Diet to Treat Skin Damp Heat
1 pound pork or rabbit cubed or ground
3 ounces pork or chicken liver chopped or ground
4 ounces butternut squash finely chopped or processed 4 ounces mixed green vegetables including cabbage, broccoli, kale, turnip, watercress finely chopped or processed
4 ounces Shiitake or Portobello mushroom finely chopped or processed
2 stalks celery chopped or processed
2 teaspoons flax seed oil
This diet can be ground and mixed together, cooking at 325° F. for 30 to 45 minutes in a loaf or square baking pan, cooked on low for 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker, or fed raw.
If you like to feed grains, add ½ cup of cooked barley before baking.
If making this in a slow cooker, ¼ cup dry grain can be added at the time of preparation and allowed to cook with the other ingredients.
Good treats include cucumber, celery, broccoli, and sardines.
Recipe 2
1 pound rabbit cubed or ground baked, boiled, or raw (bones can be included if feeding raw)
4 ounces beets boiled and mashed
4 ounces mixed raw romaine,
Cabbage and sprouts finely chopped
4 ounces pumpkin or butternut squash boiled and mashed
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Mix all ingredients together and serve.
If you wish to add grains, add ½ cup cooked barley.
Good treats include cucumber, apple, pear, celery, and freeze-dried lung.
Recipe 3
1 pound white fish (cod, tilapia, flounder, sardine, mackerel, anchovy) baked and de-boned
8 ounces yellow squash finely chopped or processed
6 ounces string beans finely chopped or processed
4 ounces Shiitake or Portobello mushroom chopped or processed
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Vegetables may be processed, mixed with coconut oil, and served raw or may be sautee’d in coconut oil. Serve vegetables and fish together. If you wish to add grains, add ½ cup cooked barley. Good treats include cucumber, apple, pear, celery, and freeze-dried lung.
Ginger Cookies with Cinnamon Cream together: ¾ cup butter ¼ cup molasses 1 egg Combine: 2 ¼ cups almond flour 2 teaspoons dry ginger ¾ teaspoon dry cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing well. Roll into 1 ½ inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 2 to 3 dozen.
Cranberry Applesauce Coconut Cookies 1 cup applesauce (organic, no sugar, or make your own by cooking peeled apples in a small amount of water in a saucepan on the stove.) 1 cup lightly chopped cranberries 2 cups coconut flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 egg Mix all ingredients together. Drop by rounded teaspoons on parchment paper on cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days days or freeze and thaw as needed.
Sesame Kale Chips 1 bunch kale, large stems removed 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon sesame seeds Lightly toss pieces of kale in organic olive oil and sesame seeds. Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake at 300° F for 10 to 15 minutes, rotate the pan and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes until edges are brown, but not burnt. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet. Store Store in airtight container.