Doggie Detox Diet

John's Natural Dog Training Company

Doggie Detox Diet

"Detoxification is a normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph and skin."

Many dogs are having difficulties these days with allergies - most often diet related. The phone calls I receive on this subject alone have increased ten-fold in the last 2 years. Of course owners have no where to turn but their veterinarians. Unfortunately, most dogs are then put on a prescription diet and drugs (steroids) with very limited results. These dogs rarely ever look healthy and vibrant. Of course we worry too about long-term use of these drugs on our dogs overall health and longevity.

The detox diet below can be used short or long-term. It can be time consuming. I often recommend it to wean dogs off of prescription diets and medication which will usually take about 2 to 4 weeks. Then, you can keep your dog on it, if need be, or gradually switch to one of the prepared premium dog foods I recommend. You can even use both. The choice is yours. See our dog food recommendations below the recipe.

Detox Recipe

Poultry (or lamb) and Rice Diet

1/2 pound organic poultry or lamb meat (raw weight), cooked (lamb may be lightly cooked and raw on the inside)
2 cups organic brown rice, long-grained, cooked (cook with organic, no sodium meat broth for flavor)
1 cup lightly cooked mashed organic vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, summer squash, broccoli) Suggestion: Grate carrot and peas into rice when cooking
1 teaspoon Flax Oil (Barleans)
1 1/2 teaspoon Pure Bone meal

Optional - 1/2 cup organic grated apple, raw carrot or 1/4 cup thawed frozen blueberries - add into rice during last 10 minutes of cooking. Can substitute Organic sweet potato or potatoes for rice for extremely sensitive dogs.

Supports the caloric needs of a 50 pound dog. Adjust accordingly.

You may also use Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Lamb, Beef, Liver (once or twice a week OK), or Cottage Cheese for protein. (Organic of course)

Why Organic

It has been my experience that many dogs who have been allergy tested and have had a positive result to being allergic to chicken or beef, when fed organic, have had no problems. It could be that some dogs are sensitive to antibiotics and steroids. Who knows for sure. With organic, you are getting food sources free of these things as well a pesticides! So, don't skimp during detox - it is well worth it.

Things to know

Please understand that during detox your dog may look worse before he/she looks better. Flushing out your dogs liver is a wonderful thing but for some time now it has been overtaxed. Changes will take place. Hang in there. However, if your dog begins excessively vomiting, has diarrhea for more than two days, stops drinking water for more than a day, or experiences seizures, please consult your vet right away. These are highly unusual circumstances but you should be aware of them just the same.

Information provided on this site is not a substitute for veterinary care. See your vet before you begin a complementary natural health care plan. The statements on this Web site have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Center for Veterinary Medicine, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

After the Detox

As I stated previously, you can keep your dog on this diet, switch to a kibble or raw food diet, or do a little bit of both. While I do not normally recommend feeding any other diet with raw, with the detox diet you can mix as long as you undercook the poultry or lamb. Leaving it mostly raw will not disrupt digestion when mixed with a raw diet. There are a few thing to avoid when making the switch to a kibble diet. I never recommend you feed your dog anything but a premium, wheat-free, human-grade brand. The commercial brands you find in the pet stores will not usually fit the bill.

Home Prepared Meal Recipe

(As usual I always suggest you use as much organic or natural ingredients as you can afford. The results are worth it.)

The diet I recommend combines raw meat with cooked eggs, veggies, and rice. Here is a basic diet for a 65-pound dog; the amounts here are for a three-day supply.

■ 1.25 lb ground turkey

■ 1.25 lb ground beef (80 percent lean)

■ 1 can jack mackerel

■ 4 large eggs

■ 1 cup brown rice

■ 1 large potato or 1 sweet potato

■ 1 cup/can vegetables (any kind but use low or salt free and organic if possible)

■ 2½ Tbsp NOW bone meal (this provides 3,500 mg calcium)

■ ½ tsp NOW potassium (provides 1,460 mg potassium) optional

■ 2 Tbsp sunflower or safflower oil (organic is best)

For variety, a 24-ounce carton of cottage cheese can be substituted for a can of mackerel or a pound of meat but only substitute once or twice every few weeks. And of course other meats such as venison, pork, chicken, etc. can be used instead of the beef or turkey. Organ meat can be added into the diet in small quantities as long as it is fresh and raw and your dog likes it. Liver should only be given twice a week in very small quantities - usually best fed separately as snack or treat. This recipe makes enough food for three days. It can be frozen in meal size portions. It’s easy to prepare:

1. Cook the rice. Then mix in the oil, potassium, and bone meal.

2. Bake the potatoes and chop them up in their skins.

3. Lightly fry or scramble the eggs - no need to overcook.

4. Mix all ingredients and place in a square or rectangular plastic container.

5. Score into six equal portions for twice a day feedings.

Give a human One-A-Day-type multi-vitamin/mineral daily (One Source Advanced Multivitamin & Mineral from Wal-Mart provides 15 mg zinc, 3 mg manganese, and 45 IUs vitamin E used to meet NRC guidelines).

Provide your dog with a frozen raw marrow bone two to three times a week for excellent teeth cleaning and chewing pleasure.

Please visit my GRAIN FREE DOG FOOD PAGE There you will find my picks for the best grain free kibble diets on the market today. Or, if you prefer to go RAW, as I feed my dogs, please visit - www.barfproducts.com

Here are are few other products you could try if you prefer not to go raw, home prepared or grain free;

Also, snacks and training treats should be wheat-free, preservative free and as organic or human-grade as possible. Believe or not, treats are often a major contributor to allergy flare-ups. A frozen, raw marrow bone is perhaps one of the best treats to give your puppy or power chewer. They can be found at any of the natural food store chains.