DIET FOR DOGS WITH HIGH LIVER ENZYMES

I’ve read numerous articles on what to feed a pooch with a high liver count and the overall consensus is a quality protein, simple carbs like potatoes, brown rice and fiber.  Carbohydrates that don't fully digest will produce ammonia. And as in any dog diet, the fiber should come from vegetables, which can enhance the elimination of toxins from the dog’s system.

While protein is actually hard for the liver to digest, it is also important for building new liver tissue.  Varieties of white low-fat fish have amino acids that actually help heal the liver. Dairy and chicken are also easier than red meat on their system, but a high-grade red meat will be okay for the occasional mix.  The diet should also have very low levels of sodium and fat. Sodium can cause fluid build-up and high blood pressure in the vessels of the liver.

The protein levels should be around the 20-25% mark and a little lower for older dogs.  It’s better to feed them 3 or 4 smaller meals a day so it puts less stress on the liver.  The only time you shouldn't give your dog a high protein diet is if they have been diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy, meaning the liver disease has progressed enough to affect your pet's brain.

Below is a liver-cleansing diet that I like by Dr. W. J. Dodds, DVM

Dr. Dodds recommends a formula of 2 cups of cod fillet to 6 cups of veggies and potatoes, or 25% cod fillet to 75% veggies and potatoes.

1 and 1/2  cups new white potatoes
1 and 1/2 cups sweet potatoes
1 and 1/2 cups of zucchini
1 and 1/2 cup string beans, celery or summer squash
2 cups cod fillet

Wash the potatoes well and cut them up crosswise into 2" pieces so the skin circles the potatoes. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour and remove the skins.

Wash the zucchini and cut up with string beans, celery or squash and steam or cook until very tender.

2 cups cod fillet poached in a frying pan with water until fish is white.

Mix all ingredients together until it is well blended. This will give you approximately 8 cups of food. Depending on the size of your dog, you can double or triple the recipe.

And…. as always, talk to your vet.

HIGH LIVER ENZYMES

A friend of mine has a little Schnauzer that hasn’t been feeling well.  He has some fatty tumors, which is common for an older dog, but his liver enzyme count was elevated to 1000.  Her vet told her 250 was normal for her dog.  My vet said a count of 150 is normal for Mac.  Maybe it’s because he is older and larger.

I have a senior panel run on him about every 3 months to test his levels.  He is taking Meloxicam (also known as Metacam) for his arthritis and unfortunately, that can elevate both kidney and liver enzymes.

Other possible causes can be from cancer and chemotherapy drugs, anemia, hepatitis, even bacteria from their teeth, which is probably what is going on with her Schnauzer.   Also some forms of medication, like the Meloxicam, seizure medicine, and even Prednisone will raise the liver enzymes. 

Some of the things to look for include:

• Drinking more frequently
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Chronic irregular vomiting and diarrhea
• Urinating more frequently than usual
• Depression or Laziness

Of course, you need to check with your vet but two things I use and recommend are Milk Thistle and Fish Oil (Omegas). The Milk Thistle helps stimulate new cell production, eliminate toxins and protect liver cells from damage. The Omega 3 contains alpha-linolenic acid, which can help repair and restore a damaged liver.  

There are all forms of Milk Thistle and Fish Oil at every price range you can imagine.  I buy the pills and bury them in food or a treat.  It’s the most cost effective and works for me. You may also want to check their diet. (More on that in another blog).

This is just for an elevated enzyme count, not full-blown Liver Disease, in which case they will need aggressive treatment.

FEEDING THE PUDDY CATS

After I wrote the blog on what I feed my dogs, I got an email asking what I feed the cats.  I told her I’d write about it but also joked that I fed them whatever I can get them to eat. 

As all you cat owners know, spoiled cats (even not so spoiled cats) are a little finicky.

I've done the research, read ingredients, tried different kinds, but some of the cats just weren’t agreeing with my choices.  Even the kitties are getting picky about the wet food I feed them. Now I only get them the Friskies Selects Indoor Cat. 

Georgie is 10 ½ so I buy the Science Diet Longevity for her. It’s recommended for cats over 7 and since older cats have a propensity for weak kidneys, this is a good food for that. It does have by-products but they are washed and since cats eat birds, mice and other gross things they catch, this has to be at least 100 times better.  Okay....  it’s the only senior food she’ll eat.

Brolio, all 23 lbs. of him, gets Natural Choice Indoor Healthy Weight.  Yes he is fat but he is also just a big cat. His paws look like a dog’s and his head is bigger than Melinda’s.  His tail is even 3” longer than the other cats. It’s high protein, low carb. with no by-products. 

I have been feeding the kitties Purina Kitten Chow. To be honest, when I first got them, I bought a huge bag of this because it looked like the best food Wal-Mart had. I was there and needed something quickly. But I think the only cat currently eating this is Georgie so I probably won’t buy it anymore.  I’ll try some small bags of kitty food when this is gone to see what they like.

I buy Purina Cat Chow Naturals for Bonita.  This dry food is always gone first and since Wal-Mart can’t even keep it in stock, I guess my cats aren’t the only ones who really like it.  You can buy it at PetSmart too, which I do but it’s more expensive.  I think it's a pretty decent food. It doesn’t have any by-products, it's high in protein, which is good for cats, with chicken and salmon (even though they aren’t the first ingredients). That would be Chicken meal, which is ground-up chicken without the bones, feathers, feet, etc. It’s all cooked and cleaned with most of the water and fat separated.  

In other words, everybody is eating everybody else's food.  And.... Did I tell you I might become a vegetarian after writing this????? 

WHOOPS!

Dog Gone it, I caught Midnight again.  And here I was bragging on how smart they are.  Luckily I was home so she was only in there for a few minutes.  I tried everything yesterday. I even made myself a tuna sandwich and poured the liquid over the tuna. 
So today, I put some tuna inside the cage and a small bowl outside.  I figured once they tasted, they’d go in to get more.

It worked. Just with the wrong cat.  I think I might have to move the cage to a new location, although I see Cowboy eating dry food right next to the cage.  If he/she was the only one eating from my house, I would try not putting any food out except in the cage but it’s not fair to make the other cats go hungry. I sure wish I could trap that little bugger. 

JELLY BEAN

Jelly Bean still reminds me of Shorty most of the time.  She still hides under the bed but comes out a little more now.  She has finally ventured downstairs to the office but usually runs right back up again.  Yesterday, she was brave enough to nap on the bed all by herself – in one of Shorty’s favorite places: right on my pillow.  This is a picture of her with Shorty overlooking her.  I put that picture on my wall because it was a place he loved so much.  I need to get a print made but I just thumb tacked this up and Joey took one of the tacks out.

Speaking of Joey, he is going to be a handful.  I was putting up new weather stripping on the kitchen door that goes out to the garage.  The little brat ran out twice. Luckily, the garage door was shut. I had to go out and get him.  Finally I put him in a crate until I finished.  And when I let him out, he sat at the kitchen door and meowed.

I just don’t want to let him out. I’ll never forget when a car hit Baby Ruth, even though this is pretty much like a dead-end street since it’s across from the lake.  And there are all the other cats outside that might try to beat him up.  I’ll have to keep my eye on him. 

TRYING TO MAKE THE BED

Most days I give up.  It’s all I can do to get the covers pulled up to the pillows.  Aaahh!  For the love of my Kritters.  Just lots of laundry, dusting and vacuuming!  

Still didn’t catch Cowboy today, even with the chicken, nip and tuna that I put out when I saw the chicken wasn’t working.  That little trap was over-loaded with good smells.

I named the last cat, Cowboy, because of its saddle. I have no idea whether it’s a boy or girl but it’s white with a silver saddle and a Raccoon tail. Probably the prettiest cat out of all of them. Midnight (Charley’s mom), and Cowboy come out about the same time every night at dusk and sometimes I sing to them. That’s about the only time they don’t seem so afraid of me and run off.

One of my favorite songs is “Ride Em’ Cowboy”.  One verse starts out… “Midnight was a champion, he’s the only bronc that I couldn’t ride”.  Some of you oldies may know it – Paul Davis wrote it and recorded it in ’73 and Juice Newton later recorded it in the 80’s (my favorite version).  Funny thing is, I didn’t even realize it had both of their names until I started singing it one night. Since it’s always been one of my favorite songs, it’s the song I usually sing to them.

I’m wondering if part of the problem is the cold weather so the food is “refrigerated”, and they can’t smell it.  It was warmer when I caught all the other cats. I’m not sure; I’ll just keep trying. It’s supposed to be above 60 both Thursday and Friday so I’ll try again.

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THIS?

Joey loves it when I do laundry.  I sort the clothes and almost don’t want to wash them for a while because he has so much fun playing in them.

I have been trying to catch that last cat for a few weeks now.  I’m going to try again tomorrow.  My new strategy will be chicken since I’ve been using tuna and that’s not working. I will then put a towel in the bottom of the trap with catnip on it and maybe a little more on the towel I cover the trap with. 

Wish me luck. I’ll be glad to have this behind me.  I think they are smarter than we give them credit for.  It’s amazing that I haven’t caught the same cat twice.  

ADEQUAN – INDUCTION PHASE OVER

While I can’t call this is a miracle drug, it HAS improved Mac’s mobility.  Some days, I can’t tell quite as much but other days, while his leg is still kind of crooked, he has more pep in his step and has actually been running a little in the fenced area.  He’s still very slow when we walk but there have been a few times when I have had to keep up with him.  That hasn’t happened for a long time. 

The next step is to give him the shots every 10 to 14 days. I think I’m going to start out with every 10 days unless I feel like he has improved even more. But of course, I will check with my vet.  And I’m so happy; the shots don’t bother him a bit. 

I have been buying the Adequan at VexRxDirect (www.vetrxdirect.com).  The price is $103.99 but you get $10 off your first order. On follow-up orders, they offer $5 off orders over $100. That also includes free shipping. If you order over $150, you get $10 off and over $200, a $15 discount so I will probably start buying 2 at a time.  This is a prescription drug so you can fill out the form when checking out and they will call your Veterinarian. 

COOKING FOR DOGS

I’m not an expert by any means but I think I’ve mastered the art of cooking for my dogs.

And it’s very easy and economical.  In fact, organic canned food is around $2.50 per can. I would use 2 a day with all of my dogs.  Instead, I buy whatever lean meat is on sale, throw it in the crock pot, add either fresh or a bag of frozen veggies, some water and turn it on.  Sweet potatoes are great too, they are full of nutrients.  Occasionally, I’ll add brown rice but dogs don’t digest grains as well as they do meat and produce. A lot of dog food companies use it as a filler because it’s cheap. And obviously, this is healthier than any processed food. 

I can buy chicken thighs for $.79 a pound. I’ll even buy the boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99 a lb.  By the time you cut off the skin and debone, it probably averages out.  Regardless of the meat, I always debone, trim fat and skin, if applicable. 

Kroger has a “Manager’s Special” section in the meat dept. for meats that are getting ready to expire. I head there first and stock my freezer if I can. I try to use a large variety of meat, even liver because different types and cuts of meat all have different nutrients. 

The other night, a friend and I made a kale dish so I cut up the stems and added it to the crock pot the next next day.  Depending on how much you cook, it should last quite a few meals. I feed my dogs twice a day so I always have 2 different mixtures, one for each meal, just to give them variety.  I just warm it up, add a little extra warm water and pour it over their dry food. I can even put Mac’s pills in his dish and he doesn’t even know it. 

Sometimes I’ll fix them scrambled eggs with spinach and a piece of turkey bacon for a little treat.  But since that’s processed and salty, I don’t do that very often.  Usually, just the eggs and veggies.

I can actually get Melinda, Mac & Jazz to eat bananas, apples, carrots and brocolli so I will give them as snacks. They all love watermelon but it’s so messy. I have to give it to them on the deck and then hose it off after.  Just be creative.

FEEDING THE PUPS

I’ve read so many articles on feeding dogs: different brands, ingredients, organic, raw, grain-free, prescription, low gluten…It’ll make your head spin. Veterinary opinions differ on whether a raw or dry food diet is better.  It’s about 60/40 – with dry food first.

I’m not ready to go raw, I’d be afraid they wouldn’t get all of the right nutrients and when you have senior dogs, you have to take that into consideration. So for the time being (not saying I won’t change again), I’ve decided to feed them a combination of Avoderm Senior and Blue Wilderness Grain Free. All of them but Jazz will be over 8 this year. I also cook for them but more about that later.

The Avoderm Senior is great w/plenty of antioxidants, avocado, no by-products, and quite a bit of the Omegas and Glucosomine/Chondroitin. Very important for an aging pooch (very important for an aging anything).  Avoderm is made by Breeder’s Choice and they have never had any class action suits or recalls. Surprising how many pet food companies have.  My vet suggested that I try Hills J/D (Joint Disease) for Mac to see if it improves his mobility and I might (even though it has by-products), but I want to wait until the Adequan has a chance to work so I will know where any improvement comes from.

At first, I was hesitant about grain free, even though most of the reviews and articles are so positive. I was afraid it would be all protein, which can be hard on a senior dog’s kidneys.  They need extra fiber for gastrointestinal health. But the Grain-Free Healthy Weight Chicken is 9% fiber.  Most commercial brands only have 4 or 5% fiber. 

The fiber comes in the form of carrots, parsley, blueberries, cranberries, barley grass, sweet potatoes, peas and the list goes on.  It doesn’t have any by-products and the first 2 ingredients are meat.  Always a good sign with dry dog foods. 

 

CAT STATS

When I started trapping and fixing feral cats, I was curious how often they went in heat, had litters, etc.  I knew some of it from rescue/shelter work but was also quite surprised by some of the stats.

Female cats can go in heat and have their first litter as early as 4 months old, although 5/6 months is more common.  They are usually in heat for 7 to 21 days and if pregnancy doesn’t occur, they can go in heat as soon as 2 days later.  And kitties are not like humans, they do not go through menopause, they can have babies until they die.

Female cats can become pregnant at any time during the year, especially in mild climates.  In climates where there is usually a hard winter, they can become dormant. 

For instance, in Tennessee, since our winters are usually pretty moderate, our “safe” season is usually in January.  But there’s always the exception.

The average pregnancy for a cat is usually around 2 months and (this is scary), they can have 5 litters in a year. The average litter is from 3 to 6 kitties.  And they can go back in heat a week after giving birth. 

You can spay them while they are nursing but it’s humane to wait until the kitties are eating dry food on their own: About 6 weeks.  You’d just have to make sure they were  separated from any male cats not neutered.   It takes about 2 weeks after spaying for the milk to dry up.  You can also have them spayed if pregnant.  I guess it would be kind of like an abortion but it’s better than contributing to the cat overpopulation problem.  Not to mention, the way they reproduce, you’d have to make sure they were all fixed before you could adopt them out.  I’m a little mixed on this but I put an ad on Petfinders and there are 15,000 cats up for adoption in a 100-mile radius from my zip code.  I so strongly believe in Spay/Neuter. 

I’ve also read quite a few articles on cats and breast cancer.  There have been tests that show that having a female cat spayed before her first litter can reduce her risk. The same with neutered male cats. It reduces their risk of testicular cancer.

CHARLEY IS WITH HER MOMMY

I let Charley out of the crate this morning.  Her mommy wouldn’t leave the garage last night. She hid under the car and I wasn’t trying to get her out, just befriend her.  She was howling like it was the end of the world. I would have thought she was in heat if I didn’t know better.  So I just let her stay.  I went out this morning, opened the garage door and she went out for a while but came back. I cleaned Charley’s litter box, gave her fresh water and I tried to soften her up with some tuna, which she ate, but she still wouldn’t let me pet her. 

Midnight came back, went under the car and was meowing really loud again. So I walked out of the garage into the driveway to see what she would do. Sure enough, she went up to the dog crate where Charley was.  I have already taken her other 4 babies so I decided to let Charley out. I opened the crate and they ran off together.  I’m sure they are both traumatized because they haven’t come back to eat all day, even on the porch. 

But I did leave fresh food, water and litter in the dog crate should they get brave enough to want to sleep there.  And there is a warm thermal bed.  But for some reason - they don't like me.  haha!  Wonder why???

ANOTHER GIRL

Hard to believe that out of all the cats I have trapped and fixed, there has only been one boy. It’s a terrifying thought to think they all could have had multiple litters. Exponential. 

I have decided to name her Charley, short for Charcoal.  She was sweet on the way home but I had to pick her up with a towel to move her into the dog crate. I noticed there was an extra towel in the cat carrying crate as well so I have a feeling she might not have been agreeable at Fix for Life either.   I’m going to try and tame her for two days and if it works, try my best to coerce my friend into taking her on Sunday when she comes over.  I haven’t decided my tactics yet. But it will include food. 

If not, I will let her out.  I can’t bring any more kitties into the house.  But maybe if I can at least pet and hold her, she won’t be so afraid of me.

LAST KITTY TRAPPED – MIXED EMOTIONS

I finally caught the last little baby kitty. Even thought it has grown a lot and has more of a wild cat attitude, you can tell by looking in its eyes, it still has the scared look of innocence.  As many as I have caught and just from becoming more familiar with feral cats, it’s not really hard to tell the difference.

I’ve already called and sent an email to everyone I can think of to try and adopt it out. That is if I can tame it.  But because it’s still only about 3 months, I think I can do it. 

I felt bad for the mommy.  She was standing guard over the trap until I came out and she got scared and ran away.  I covered the kitty up with the towel, put her in a dog crate and closed the door but didn’t lock it. I went out later, the door was pushed open and the towel was off the trap. I think mommy, Midnight, came in and tried to rescue her baby. 

I didn’t put any food out except the tuna in the trap.  Yesterday, I made the mistake of putting dry food in the bowl and tuna in the trap thinking one would surely smell it and go in. WRONG!  So today, I tried a different approach.

While I’m going to make every effort I can to find her a home, I won’t feel so bad if I can’t. They are together all the time and I’m sure mommy will miss her baby.

Only one more cat to go after this!

REINCARNATION OR A MESSAGE FROM HEAVEN?

I’ve never really thought too much about it.  But maybe the book “The Art of Racing in the Rain” planted a seed.  I don’t think I believe in it but there are so many similarities and character traits between Jelly Bean and Shorty. 

Jelly Bean, the little kitty I was trying to adopt out, has the sweet disposition and personality of Shorty. She is shy, reserved, so gentle, a little scared, and hides under the bed. She is the only cat I can give medicine to without getting bitten.  Everyone that’s been here knows Shorty’s #1 spot was under the bed. 

When she comes out, she lies across one stair, just like Shorty always did if he wasn’t under the desk.  All the other cats boss her around. All the dogs bossed Shorty around.  Shorty died October 19^th.  Jelly Bean, while I can’t say the exact day, was born right around that time.  I caught the first 3 kitties November 13^th and they were a little over three weeks old. 

She was the last of the kitties that I caught.  Shorty was the last of the dogs I caught. I caught her with a trap. While I didn’t catch Shorty with a trap, I had one out there because I had a hard time catching him.  I had decided early on to keep Arthur (Shorty’s sibling) because of his personality.  That’s how I felt about Joey.  But yet it was Shorty who ended up having the tender side that melted my heart.  And now Jelly Bean.  She wants to come up on the bed but waits until everyone is asleep and then comes up. But as soon as anyone moves, she hides again. It’s Shorty all over again. Hopefully, she’ll come out of her shell like he did.  She wasn’t abused so I’m sure she will.

I know a lot of you don’t know the story.  I still plan on telling it… when I’m ready.  I’m just grateful for over 200 readers, I don’t know how you found me, who most of you are, or even where you are (except 18 in Russia and 14 in Germany) but I thank you for reading my words and wish each of you a Happy New Year!