Making homemade food
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I've tried making homemade food for my two basenjis in the past, and it was a hit and miss with their stomachs. Sometimes they would be going for a few months with very solid poop and then their stomachs get upset all of sudden and I had to change ingredients or supplements. They are now 15 and 16 and are eating Dr. Harvey's hydrated food mixed with ground turkey. It's easy to make, has all the supplements and lasts about a week in the refrigerator. It works really well for both and no more upset stomachs.
I typically use 4.2 cups of dry mix rehydrated with boiling water, then mixed with to 2.6lbs of cooked ground turkey (buy in bulk at costco) and 3 tbsp of coconut butter. It lasts for about a week, for twice a day feeding for two dogs.
https://www.chewy.com/dr-harveys-canine-health-miracle-dog/dp/36110
Basenji Forums Staff
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@alex Wow Alex, can't believe that your kids are 15 and 16! When did that happen....
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@tanza time flies, I setup this forum in 2006 we got Chance around that time, then shortly after came Kiya, because you know it turned out they are pack animals.
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@alex I wonder if I can do this turkey and my dehydrated The Honest Kitchen?
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@chenke I tried honest kitchen and unfortunately it did not sit well with their stomach, so I personally would not try it again, but it may work for you. Also, I think the honest kitchen already has protein/meat in it, at least the one I bought. I
Basenji Forums Staff
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@alex - Same with me, my one Basenji can't digest alfalfa at all, she will barf it immediately.... and all honest kitchen has alfalfa in one form or another, I believe..... But if your Basenji does well with Honest Kitchen, it is a good food and you really can just add whatever you want. Mix it up, veggies, meat added whatever. Honest Kitchen will have the need amount of protein, carbs. Raw eggs are a good source of protein... I don't use much rice and especially brown rice if they are having tummy issues. Brown rice is harder to digest.
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@alex yes it already has the protein, might be too much
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Hi everyone, please help, I have sat here reading all the post about kidney disease, which my guy, now 13 years old has. I took him to see Dr. Dodds and did the whole blood panel thing, she said "no chicken of any type in anything" and so I changed his diet to dried lamb formula by Open Farm and cooked white turkey breast and cow liver and white rice, he is no longer eating! She did suggest I put him on Azodyl, but two days of screaming and diarrhea I discontinued it.
I am starting him on grass fed beef with amino B Rx vitamins, grizzly krill oil, cranberry RX. Any other suggestions is very helpful...there are so many opinions here!
His phosphorus level is 4.6 and his creatinine is 63. I don't see where on his blood report it tells me what "stage" of kidney failure he is in.
I will also pick up the TUMS today. Thank you for any and all comments or suggestions. -
@branch Turkey and Chicken are much the same. Give your Vet a call and see if switching to Turkey is "okay".
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@elbrant - I have many times commented that Vets (not all but many) are not really taught about feeding... they typically recommend what is sold/placed in their practice....
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@tanza I was just thinking that if the Vet specifically said, "no chicken", it would probably apply to other common poultry entrees.... just a thought.
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@elbrant - Thanks, I didn't catch that it was Dr Dodds that said that, I was referring to regular Vets not Dr Dodds that has done research.
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At age 13, I should think it was simply important that the doggie should eat something it enjoyed and could cope with rather than some special diet it either didn't like or which made it ill.
When one of mine was 14 and his kidneys started to pack up and he lost weight, the vet put him on a Hill's special diet - which he hated and refused to eat. So the very sensible, hands-on elderly vet told me, just feed him whatever he will eat, at his age. Make him happy.
So I put him back on the same diet as all the rest of the pack - he went back to eating, and even regained some of the lost weight before, in the end, events caught up with us and he was pts.
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@branch When a senior dog that I adopted was diagnosed with kidney disease one of the foods I tried was Dr. Harvey's. I sent the company an email with questions and Dr. Harvey (the person) telephoned me to talk. Had me send him the vet report to help determine the best diet for my girl. The food was excellent quality. Unfortunately this Basenji had eating issues. Both Dr. Harvey's and the Honest Kitchen food ended up all over the walls, floor, her, my other Basenji. It was an amazing mess so I had to stay with prescription kibble.
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@senjisilly said in Making homemade food:
Dr. Harvey (the person) telephoned me to talk
That speaks so highly for him!
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Back when I fed barf, it was easy. But with current research after research finding no real benefits, plus contamination risks with my liver, I was not sad to stop when Cara proved that she could not tolerate even a wing or well anything.
So I looked at actual nutritionists info on what and how to feed homemade. Once my head quit spinning and my eyes refocused, I paid hommage to those who can manage it and moved on. So I'm no help, but good luck.
For feeding amount, start with bowl down at most 15 minutes. If the pup gains right, you're set. If too fat or too thin, adjust the amount. While folks can give you estimates, their metabolism, activity level etc are not the same.
My adult 24 pound basenji loved food and would gain weight smelling it. My 23 pounder felt eating was a waste of time, but I could hand feed her double the amt her poor niece ate. So watch for a tuck from overhead and get periodic bloodwork to make sure no deficiencies..
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Hello,
I recommend reading:
Early Kidney Disease - Difficulty Getting Her to Eat
at https://basenjiforums.com/topic/15616/early-kidney-disease-difficulty-getting-her-to-eat/13
What may guide your path:
Kidney values relative to normal.
Is there proteinurea?
For homemade, read DogAware and accompanying websites.
Good luck!
