Homemade dog food recipes for senior dogs and those with medical issues aren't as difficult to make as I thought they would be. If you use my tips it doesn't even take that much time! Just a note - I am not a vet. This recipe was given to me by my vet to feed to my dog that has kidney failure. It is meant to be low protein. You should not feed this (or any new food) to your dog without talking to your vet first.
If you are following the Restless Chipotle Facebook page you already know that we had a serious issue with Cuddles, our pit bull (yes... Cuddles. If you have a pit you understand why that name, I'm sure).
We aren't sure how it happened but he got a bacterial infection and his kidneys began to shut down. He spent a week in doggie ICU -- refusing to eat.
When he got home he refused the special low-protein dog food and he just got thinner and thinner. It was time for some homemade dog food recipes!
I finally started making a dog food gruel that he would eat and he began to make a comeback.
It was a long, hard road! When I took him in for his check up and talked to the vet she gave me a recipe that she approved of. You see, although we have always fed our dogs premium dog food the protein was way too high for Cuddles now.
My vet explained that even our older dogs who were healthy should have less protein than before. She said dog food recipes for Cuddles had to be under 20 grams of protein but under 10 was better.
This recipe has 6.9% protein and Cuddles loves it. In fact, our older dog does, too. He is playing and jumping around like a puppy.
The other two (yes, we have four -- 2 yorkies that moved in when my husband and I got married and my old dog which is a long haired chihuaha mix-up, and then Cuddles) like the food as well so I mix it in with their dog food.
Cuddles is a rescue dog - both of my dogs are.
We found him under our porch one day. When my son coaxed him out we saw that his chest and shoulders were basically shredded. He had been used as a bait dog -- thrown in with pit bulls being trained to fight.
I am horrified to say that there is a lot of that in my area. Anyway, my son had been wanting a pit bull and praying for one -- who am I to argue with God?
We found him on a Saturday so of course there were no vets open. I wasn't sure if he wasn't going to need his leg amputated it was so bad.
Shreds of flesh and muscle infested with maggots. I had my husband and son hold him so I could clean the wounds with cotton swabs and a copious amount of peroxide.
I was nervous because here I was digging into this dog's wounds and he was a big dog with big teeth -- even if he was skinny.
That dog never even snapped at me. He looked it me with those big eyes and pushed at my hand with his nose. That was all. I
cleaned those wounds a couple times a day all weekend long and then to my vet.They kept him overnight, put him out, scrubbed a couple of pounds of mud and dried blood off of him, then fixed him up.
Tip
When you make homemade dog food recipes for senior dogs, and those with kidney failure, it's important to use the fattiest, cheapest ground beef you can find. You want more fat and less protein.
Totally the opposite of what I do when I'm making meatballs for us, for example.
I get a big chub pack and cook all of it up at once with the eggs that go in the recipe. Then I divide in in portions and freeze it. When I need another batch of food I thaw it and add the rest of the ingredients. So easy!
The recipe calls for boiled eggs but I crack raw eggs into the nearly cooked ground beef and then cover the pan until everything is cooked and the yolks are cooked through. Then I chop them into the ground beef.
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It's very important that you use a kitchen scale to make this and to serve it. It must be done by weight.
This is similar to the kitchen scale I use and it works really well.
Escali Glass Digital Kitchen Scale is thin and accurate plus easy to clean. Just remember to put your dogs bowl on the scale and zero the scale out before measuring in the food.
Measure everything very accurately and be sure not to make any substitutions or changes. The food should be refrigerated in an airtight container and eaten within three or four days.
Also - get a good canine multivitamin like (another affiliate link) Pet MD Multivitamin plus Minerals. This is extremely important because your food will not be enriched like the commercial foods are.
Update
I am sad to update this to say that Cuddles succumbed to his kidney disease but he lasted longer than the vet thought he would. His kidneys were just very weak.
We miss him terribly but within a few months two more pitties were at our kitchen door, starved and abused. We just couldn't resist Toby and Bisous.
Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Senior Dogs
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- 1/4 pound ground beef, (do not use lean)
- 2 cups cooked white rice, (no salt)
- 1 hard cooked egg, , peeled and chopped
- 3 slices white bread, , crumbled
- 1 teaspoon calcium carbonate, (blend a bottle of calcium carbonate in the blender until it's a powder then keep in a resealable plastic bag)
Instructions
- Cook the beef until it is cooked through.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix it well.
- Feed twice a day.
- Be sure to give your dog a vitamin supplement.
Notes
5 pounds feed 1/4 pound
10 pounds feed 1/2 pound
20 pounds feed 1 pound
40 pounds feed 1 1/2 pounds
60 pounds feed 2 pounds
80 pounds feed 2 1/2 pounds
100 pounds feed 3 pounds
Michelle
Thank you for the ideas. My senior is super picky and I am preparing meals for her but she won’t eat all that rice. If my ratio of rice is greater than the protein she won’t eat it. Any ideas to substitute rice?
Marye
I'm not sure. Rice is very low protein and low gluten... some sort of gluten free starch - but be sure it's ok for dogs. Ask your vet?
BEVERLY BARNEY
I have an older dog just diagonsed withe the kidney failure. so I saw the you tube video for this one and then another you did with pumpkin. parsley apples vegs etc. so which one is better? why 2 of them? is this the original? i am confused to which to use
Marye
I didn't do a you tubevideo - that must be someone else.
kimri smith
Thanks for the recipe, my Airedale loves it. A question though how do I make larger portions so I can refrigerate and also do you drain the ground beef after cooking?
Marye
Multiply the ingredients.
Annie
I'm confused as to how this recipe is low protein diet because I understand that eggs and beef are high in protein. ????
Marye
Even on a low protein diet your dog needs some protein. This has a lot of rice and carbs to make it filling on the least amount of protein possible - at least that's what my vet says. Always consult your vet.
Sindy Scott
Thanks for posting recipe do you have any more
recipe I can use because my fur baby does not like the kidney failure dog food I got from the vet. The only way she will eat it if I mix it with some table food.
Marye
No I'm sorry, I don't.
Penny Harveson
I add water and to the prepared food. I let it soften a bit and she is more likely to take it. Failing that, I give her just some of the juice from a tin of tuna in spring water. Tinned fish has always been a favourite, I give her just enough to flavour the food, not to add extra protein.
Danny and Nancy Robinson
My 10 year old pit has just been diagnosed with cistine stones and needs a low protein diet thank you so much! Can I ask why cuddles passed
Marye
The kidney failure eventually caused his kidneys to shut down despite all we did.
Jessica
I'm read in a previous post that Cuddles passed away. I'm so sorry. Your family is wonderful for adopting him and giving him the amazing life he deserved. There's no doubt he is healthy and happy in heaven.
Marye
Thank you Jessica - we've since been adopted by 2 pitties that were skin and bones when they showed up. We miss Cuddles but we love Toby and Bisous.
Sinikka Dickerson
Where to purchase Calcium Carbonate
Marye
you should be able to find it at the health food store or Amazon.
Lindsay Maccallum
Thank you for this recipe. My dog has just been diagnosed with kidney failure. I know the prognosis isn't good but wa t her to have some food that helps her as long as I have her
Marye
I'm so sorry. I hope she has a long life ahead of her despite the prognosis
Rhonda Mills
Marye,
My fur baby has kidney failure also. She is losing weight because she barely eats the k/d dog food from vet. I am printing your recipe to take to my vet to get his opinion. How is your Cuddles doing? I was so happy to run across this recipe. Thank you so much for posting it!
Marye
You're welcome. Cuddles passed away. We miss him terribly.
Anne R Mason
The calcium carbonate. Is it 250 or 500mg? Thanks
Marye
I used 250 but check with your vet
Judy
Why the white bread? Thank u for this - my 14 y’o border collie mix has a bladder issue and on 2nd round of abx - but she’s dx’d with stage 1 kidney disease. Prior to that I was making her chix breast with brown rice for two months due to high triglycerides and high liver numbers. Those have come down but the vet advised against the chix for too-high protein. SO thank you for this!!! I will try it. She loves green beans, brussell sprouts, brocc, pumpkin. will let u know how this recipe does for her - she is not eating the K/D hills. She also has valley fever and is on max dose for 4 years now of the fluconazole.
Marye
because that's what my vet told me to do. Other than that I don't know.
Tracy Marsh
Thank you for making a post like this.... Not many animal owners understand that low protein is SOMETIMES a good thing.
I am so touched by yours and Cuddle's story. He looks like such a sweet boy... As I know all Pitt bulls to be.
Our dog, Chance was a rescue, too. When we adopted him he had a very bad bladder infection and it went undetected sadly. At the age of 4 he started to experience kidney issues because of this. Even though he was neglected by his previous owner to a shocking degree, he would hold his pee in and refused to soil in the house... He is our everything. The sweetest, kindest, gentlest dog I've ever met and loves everyone.
Now at 8 he has just undergone a TPLO surgery because his crutiary ligament was ruptured. He is being a picky eater and is loosing weight quickly. There's no canned food I feel good about feeding him that I can afford. Your recipe is going to save our family.
My sincerest gratitude.
Marye
I hope all is well. 🙂