My dad's immune power veggie puree helped my IMHA
Is your dog overweight, lethargic, or plagued by persistent medical conditions? If so, your dog’s heath problems likely have a correlation to commercial dog food, treats, and other calorie sources consistently consumed over their lifetime. Despite extensive research going into the production of reputedly “nutritionally complete” pet foods by major companies, the correlation between chronic, potentially preventable diseases and ingestion of highly processed pet foods is increasingly becoming apparent.
In my clinical practice, I see obesity, endocrine abnormalities (hypothyrodism, diabetes mellitus, etc), and inflammatory conditions of the joints (osteoarthritis, other), digestive tract (inflammatory bowel disease, other), and skin (allergic skin disease, other) correlating with long term consumption of these foods.
Fortunately for dogs belonging to health conscious owners, commercially available, highly processed foods are increasingly shunned. Whole food options are being home prepared or purchased by canine caretakers seeking better nutritional alternatives to conventional canned or dry dog foods.
As my training is in both Western (conventional) and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), I look deep into the potential inciting causes of disease from both perspectives. Ultimately, many effective methods of preventing and treating most common diseases stem from food energy.
One simple way to vastly improve your dog’s diet is to reduce consumption of highly processed pet foods and incorporate whole food sources. The easiest way to start is to replace a portion of your dog’s existing diet with raw or cooked fresh vegetables. Veggies pack a moisture, nutrient, and fiber rich punch to kick start your dog’s depleted body. Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and spinach are my first line of cruciferous ammunition. The can be used singularly or in combination. Other options include asparagus, kale, spinach, beets, and squash.
For my canine patients, I recommend specific vegetables based on their warming, cooling, or neutral energetic capabilities. Warming (Yang) food energies help to move blood and heat up the body. Cooling (Yin) food energies moisturize and reduce heat.
As for preparation, I suggest lightly steaming the veggies in filtered water until they are soft but still maintain their vibrant, healthful color. Post-steaming, puree the vegetables until smooth in a blender or food processor. The puree can be put in individual or multiple serving containers for refrigerator or freezer storage. The mix can be easily combined with your dog’s existing diet, as it will coat the surface of dry, canned, or other food formats.
I practice what I preach, as my own dog, Cardiff, eats a home prepared diet of steamed, pureed cooling and neutral vegetables along with commercially available cooling protein (meat) patties. I also eat some of the puree that I make for Cardiff, so we both reap the health benefits.
The ultimate goal is to feed your dog foods that are as close to being in the format that nature made them. This April Fool’s day, make the effort to “April fool” your dog into eating a more healthful diet!
Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/PatrickMahaney) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/patrick.mahaney) to connect with me regarding healthful food choices for your dog.
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Comments
Cardiff - I wish you would smile for the camera. You look a little bewildered, but still totally adorable.
Um, dogs are CARNIVORES. As a veterinarian, you should totally know this. "The ultimate goal is to feed your dog foods that are as close to being in the format that nature made them." Should read: "made FOR them." As in, whole prey, please, or at least raw meaty bones (emphasis on MEAT) with appropriate amounts of organ meats. Anyway, how is pureeing vegetables keeping them in their original format? And if you did feed whole veggies, your dog would get no benefit. Because he's a CARNIVORE.
If you insist on a vegetarian diet for your pet, please get a rabbit or some other herbivore.
There are ethical, humane, eco-forward sources of meat. It's not all factory farmed. Factory grain farming is certainly more detrimental to earth and animals than a biological rotational grazing system for cattle!
Please feed your dogs and cats meat. Not kibble, not veggies. Give them MEAT in the FORMAT they were designed to eat - whole! Look in your dog's mouth and tell me it wants veggies.
Hi Nicole,
Thank you for leaving your comment. Dogs are actually omnivores and require a variety of food energies, not just meat. My dog does eat protein from meat in addition to the vegetable puree, which is mentioned in my article.
I don't advocate vegetarian diets for dogs or cats, yet many dogs have improvements in health problems when a higher percentage of their diet comes from vegetable sources.
Dr. PM
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