Congestive heart failure (CHF) is not a disease, but rather a stage in the development of other canine heart problems. It is especially linked to chronic valve disease. CHF is a term that describes the heart's inability to pump enough blood to other organs and the rest of the body. If your dog suffers from this condition, perhaps this dog food recipe for congestive heart failure would be a good option for him.
It is estimated that the majority of CHF cases are caused by valvular insufficiency. However, there are multiple other causes including cardiomyopathy, narrowing of major blood vessels, and rhythm irregularities.
Early symptoms of congestive heart failure in dogs include breathing difficulty, coughing, tiring easily, and an increased respiratory rate. As the disease progresses, you may notice these other symptoms: fluid buildup in the abdomen, changes in tongue or gum color to a shade of blue, weight loss, and/or fainting.
The treatment for congestive heart failure in dogs will depend on the heart problem that is causing it. Typically, a low-sodium diet is recommended to decrease fluid build-up in the abdomen. Your veterinarian may also prescribe a number of medications or recommend surgery to repair your pet's heart.
MORE: Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs – 10 Things You Should Know
Dog Food Recipe for Congestive Heart Failure
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 2 lbs. lean ground turkey
- 14 ounces canned tuna (in water)
- 1/2 lb. chicken gizzards
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup COOKED white rice
- 1 sweet potato
- 6 ounces of frozen peas
- 6 ounces frozen cauliflower
- 6 ounces frozen broccoli
- 1 apple
- 3 tbsp. coconut oil
Directions
This dog food recipe for congestive heart failure does involve a good amount of prep work. The first step is to boil the chicken gizzards and eggs (in separate pots) for 10 minutes.
Next, brown the ground beef and ground turkey in a large skillet. Once browned, drain all fat from the meat and rinse the cooked meat thoroughly.
Put the chicken gizzards, eggs, sweet potatoes, peas, cauliflower, broccoli and apple into a food processor. As you'll see in my video, you may need to dice half of the ingredients at once in order to make room for the rest. Once the ingredients are completely diced, pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
Add the cooked beef, tuna, cottage cheese, rice and coconut oil to the bowl. You may need to melt the oil slightly in the microwave for easier mixing. Mix all of the ingredients together, and your dog food recipe for congestive heart failure is finished.
The recommended serving size for this recipe is about 1/2 cup for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. This is just a suggested serving. In order to find out the correct portion for your dog's nutritional needs, consult your veterinarian.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. You can also make a larger quantity of this dog food, and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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