If you have a dog with allergies, you're not alone. This is becoming a very common issue that many owners are dealing with. This Squash Mash recipe uses limited ingredients and ground turkey as the protein source. It is a suitable homemade dog food for allergic dogs in most cases, but be sure to check with your veterinarian before switching to this diet.
Allergies are a sign that your dog's immune system may be overreacting to an ingredient in his food. Practically every type of commercial pet food has at least one ingredient that could cause an allergic reaction.
Some of the most common food allergens for dogs include:
- wheat
- corn
- soy
- chicken
- beef
- eggs
If you believe that your dog is suffering with allergies, food or otherwise, you need to seek assistance from your veterinarian. Do not try to diagnose the condition yourself. While you're going through the trial-and-error process to determine what is causing the allergy, your dog will continue to suffer.
Your veterinarian will exam your pet and listen to your concerns. If they believe that allergies are the culprit, they'll perform a blood test to determine what your dog is allergic to. It's best to do this testing when the allergy is in full swing in order to get the most accurate results.
Once your vet figures out what your pup is allergic to, they can help you create recipes or find dog food for allergic dogs that excludes the allergen and meets all of your pet's nutritional needs. Before switching to this recipe (or any other dog food for allergic dogs), you need to discuss it with your vet. They will be able to tell you if the meal meets the right nutritional requirements or recommend supplements to add to the food to make it balanced.
Squash Mash Dog Food for Allergic Dogs Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds ground turkey
- 1.5 cups DRY jasmine rice
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1.5 cups butternut squash (chopped)
- 1.5 cups carrots (chopped)
- 1/2 cup peas
- 4 cups water
Instructions
This homemade dog food for allergic dogs can be made in a slow cooker. If you don't have a lot of extra time to prepare meals for your dog, using a slow cooker may be helpful. Slow cooker recipes only require a little bit of prep work, and there is no need to tend the food while it's cooking.
For this recipe, all you have to do is add the ingredients listed above to the slow cooker and turn it on. Most slow cookers are programmable, but if yours isn't you'll have to keep an eye on the time. This meal should cook on low for about 6 hours.
If you work outside the home, this recipe is a great alternative to meals that you have to prepare daily. You can put the ingredients in the slow cooker before you leave for work, and by the time you get home pup's food will be ready. Plus, you can make the food in bulk, so you only have to cook a couple of times per month.
As soon as this dog food for allergic dogs has cooled, you can feed it to your canine companion. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and they’ll keep for 8-12 weeks.
The recommended serving size for this recipe is about 1/2 cup for every 20 pounds of body weight per serving, and it should be served twice a day. Keep in mind that more active dogs may require more calories every day, while lazier pups might not need as much.
As I mentioned above, the best thing that you can do is work with a veterinarian or trained canine nutritionist when feeding a homemade dog food diet. They can help you evaluate this (or any other) homemade recipe to ensure it will be nutritionally balanced for your dog.
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