Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic

Some of our clients prefer to make food for their pets.  This is time consuming but if you have the time can be rewarding.  This is also an alternative for pets that are finiky.  These are basic guidelines and may need modification depeding on your pet’s medical conditions and dietary needs.

Basic recipe for home made diets, using the following grains, meats, and vegetables:
-Grains: Brown rice, barley, or corn meal
-Meats: Beef, rabbit, chicken, turkey, beef hearts/liver, or chicken gizzards
-Vegetables: Broccoli, squash, carrots, string beans (A mix of fresh vegetables is recommended)

For an Adult dog the mix of the food should be as follows:
25% meat/protein source
50% grain source
25% vegetable source.
For example give 1/4 cup of meat, with 1/4 cup of mixed vegetables, with 1/2 cup of grains.

Younger dogs require a higher protein level then a grown animal.
30% meat/protein source
60% grain source
10% vegetable source.

All the food sources may be cooked and kept in the refrigerator and fed daily. A new batch of food should be made at least 2 times per week.

Vitamin Supplementation:
- Recommend Standard Process Canine Whole Body Support (This can be purchased here at Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic), or a good quality commercial vitamins and mineral supplement.
- Add extra vitamin C the form of sodium ascorbate to the diet. Puppies should get 250 mg of vitamin C daily, as should small dogs, 500 mg daily for medium size dogs, and 750 ml daily for large dogs.
- Fatty Acid oil supplement is also required- Eicosaderm is a supplement that can be obtained at Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic that has a good combination of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. An alternative, is using cold pressed olive oil- 1 teaspoon for small dogs, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons for large dogs. Cod liver oil or fish oil can be used in addition to olive oil as it provides a good source of vitamin A and antioxidants which help in arthritis conditions- use 1 teaspoon for medium size dogs.
- Kelp powder or other sea weeds as a seasoning to one meal daily- use about 1/4 teaspoon.

Another options for your pets diet is to have the diet formulated on line, based on your pet’s needs and tastes. The following websites offer diet formulation for a fee:

WWW.PETDIETS.COM
WWW.BALANCEIT.COM

Dr. Rowena D’Monte

The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic

7311 E Thomas Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

www.TSVCpets.com

480-945-8484, open every day from 7 am- 9pm

Tips on Giving Your Pet Oral Medication from the Doctors at The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic.
Cats
1. When giving a medication in pill form, first wrap it in deli meat, tuna fish, a pill pocket, or any treat that your cat will enjoy
2. Capsules are easy to break open and mix with wet food (a/d) or tuna fish.
3. For tablets, try hiding it in wet food. Be sure to ask before crushing up any medication as some should not be crushed!
4. If the above options do not work, you will have to force the cat to take the medication. Place the pill (throw the pill to the back of the throat) on the inside of the back corner of the mouth (as far back as you can get it) and then hold your cat’s mouth shut while they swallow. It usually slides down easier if dipped in a small amount of butter. You make also use a piller to get the medication to the back of the mouth.
5. If the medication is in liquid form, you can sprinkle it on their food or mix with their food, which your cat sometimes will eat without noticing. This will usually need to be a very tasty food such as a/d, tuna, salmon, beef jerky, deli meat, liverwurst, etc.
6. If you free feed your cat, you will need to give the liquid directly. Draw the medication up with a syringe and place the tip of the opening to the corner of your cat’s mouth. Place the syringe between the lips and slowly squirt the medicine into the mouth (not too quickly as to gag the cat, but quick enough she doesn’t have time to pull away). This may take a few tries because your cat will most likely pull away or struggle, until they understand what is happening. You can also hold the scruff, tilt the head back, and squirt the liquid in the side of the mouth. Giving them a treat or water chaser after medication, helps the medication go down and makes the next time easier.

Dogs
1. When giving a pill, simply wrap it in a very small piece of “Human” food (deli meat) or dog treat, and follow the “treat” with a much larger treat immediately. This will cause them to rapidly swallow the first treat with the medication as they anticipate the larger treat that follows.
2. When giving a liquid let your dog smell it first and then squirt it in on the side of the mouth. Remember to hold the mouth closed until you see a good swallow (about 3-5 seconds). Then give a treat after the medication as a chaser.
3. Pills may be given with a small amount of butter, followed by a treat.
4. Pills may be given with a small amount of peanut butter (since peanut butter is sticky it sometimes causes the medications to get stuck in the mouth).
5. A small hole may be punctured in a marshmallow and the pill may be given in this mechanism.

* If they refuse to swallow, holding their muzzle shut and blowing on their nose or rubbing their throat usually encourages them to swallow.

* At The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic we can flavor most medication here with our flavoring system to make it more palatable. We can mix both pills and liquid into a variety of flavored liquids your pet will enjoy. Ask us about Flavor Rx Mandarin orange, chopped liver, grilled tuna, crispy bacon, salmon, mom’s banana bread and other flavors.

* We can also give many medications in injectable forms. Ask about Convenia, this injectable antibiotic only needs to be given once every 2 weeks.

* Call us anytime that you have questions about medicating your pet!!!

* Call to verify that the particular medication that you are trying to administer to your pet can be given with one of the things or methods that are recommended in this handout.  Some medications cannot be mixed with certain food, medications, or methods.  Some medications must be given at certain times of the day.  Some medications are sensitive to heat, cold, etc.  If you have any questions consult your veterinarian on a particular medication or disease.

Dr. Bill Langhofer, The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic

TSVCpets.com

Open 7 days a week from 7 am – 9 pm.  Yes we are open on Sunday!!!

Many pets will not eat the commercially available diets when they are in kidney failure.  To make a home-made kidney diet for your pet, you may use the following ingredients and guidelines for mixing and creating the diet. Begin by feeding 1/2 cup twice per day and then increasing or decreasing diet based upon weight changes to maintain an appropriate weight. A new diet will need to be made every 5-7 days to prevent feeding spoiled food.  This is the recommended amount for an average size cat.

>> White meat chicken, chicken gizzard, plus 2 hard-boiled eggs, with a touch of clam juice or chicken broth: 20%

>> Kidney beans: 10%

>> Well-cooked white/basmati rice, polenta, barley: 60%

>> String beans, squash, asparagus, kale: 10%

All of these should be mixed together and cooked.  After cooking the mix should be refrigerated or frozen until feeding.  A batch should be remade at least every week.

Other supplements that may be recommended by your veterinarian, and may be added to the food after cooking :

Fish oil.  Pet tinic. Epakitin.

Dr. Darren Wright, Veterinarian at The Scottsdale Veterinary Clinic, a pet clinic that is dedicated to the whole health of your companion in the Phoenix, Arizona Area.

480-945-8484

TSVCpets.com