IMPORTANT: These are examples of what some of the ME dogs get. DO NOT USE any of them unless you discuss with your veterinarian. Each of our dogs is different so what works for one may well not work for another.Â
Nutritious Bone Broth:
Bone broth is loaded with super amazing amounts of glucosamine, it’s also packed with other joint protecting compounds like chondroitin and hyaluronic acid. Moreover, the glycosaminoglycans from bone broth are resistant to digestion and are absorbed in their intact form. Apparently they act like hormones, stimulating cells called fibroblasts, which lay down collagen in the joints, tendons, ligaments, and even the arteries. It also helps detox the liver, the master organ of detoxification. The dog’s liver is under assault daily as the poor dog lies on carpets and floors treated with chemicals, walks on grass that’s been treated and sprayed with poisons, consumes foods with toxic and synthetic ingredients, and suffers through toxic dewormers, flea and tick preventives, drugs, antibiotics, vaccines and more.The liver was never meant to suffer this onslaught and its capacity to detoxify is limited by the availability of the amino acid glycine. Guess what has tons of glycine? Bone broth! The lining of the intestines contains millions of tiny holes that allow the passage of digested nutrients to enter the body. Stress, poor diet and bacterial overgrowth can cause more holes to open or to become bigger…this is called leaky gut.
The problem with those big holes is that things can pass through that aren’t meant to, including undigested food matter, toxins and yeast. The body will notice those undigested food particles as foreign invaders and start to attack them. This is how allergies and food sensitivities develop.Bone broth is loaded with a gooey substance that can plug up those leaky holes: gelatin! Great nutrition for our sick dogs. Have you ever had a dog with terrible diarrhea and had trouble getting him back on solid food? Or a dog who is convalescing and doesn’t have a great appetite but you know he needs more nutrition? Bone broth to the rescue!
Studies conducted in the 1800’s showed that when there is plenty of gelatin in the diet, the body’s need for protein from meat sources can be reduced by as much as fifty percent! Bone broth is also an excellent source of important minerals and can bolster the immune system (think chicken soup)!
Bone broth is also loaded with glycine, which aids digestion by helping to regulate the synthesis of bile salts and secretion of gastric acid. How to make it??? So easy.
– Â Purchase Beef Marrow Bones and Turkey necks from the butcher
– Â Add to my huge crockpot with about 2 inches of water over the top of the bones …add one tablespoon of Raw apple cider vinegar
– Â Cook in the crock pot for 24 hours on low – this helps draw the minerals out of the bones more thoroughly
– Â Lemon juice may also be used
– Â Strain it all so all you have left is the broth
– Â Once chilled, skim the excess fat off the top of the broth if you wish (there may be less than you expect)
– Â The remainder is your broth
–  If it has a jelly-¬like consistency when it’s cold you’ve done a good job of it
– Â You can freeze this broth in small containers (even ice cube trays) for easy dispensing or you can store it in your refrigerator for about four days
Gelatin Squares:
Combine:
– Â 6 cups water
– Â 4 cups unsalted beef or chicken broth
– Â 6 packages of Knox gelatin
Simmer until hot. Pour this over:
– Â 4 cups of dry kibble in a 9×13 pan.
– Â Let the kibble soak up as much of the liquid that it can then use a potato masher to get a oatmeal consistency.
Refrigerate until gelatin sets.
Cut into 6 squares is 6 meals at 3 meals per day. Slice gelatin squares into bite size pieces and hand feed. This recipe is also providing the vast majority of her liquid requirements. There is little chewing involved and the gelatin helps the food to slide down with ease.