The story goes that we were told Rack, The McNab SuperDog(TM) is older. He's got kidney issues. So to help him live perhaps a little longer, we have to reduce the protein in his food so he might live.
But nobody has told us precisely what to do. Since I developed this diet for him, I have control over what goes into him. He acts like a much younger dog but has been slowing down, and slowing down his eating. At 13, he has a right.
He has pancreatis issues, so I have to "De-Fat" the recipe. It is much leaner than what I put down my own open maw.
He can't have any sort of poultry so no chicken or turkey. We believe it is a grain allergy.
He also has about half of the teeth a normal dog was born with, so he licks what you give him out of the bowl.
Since we are taking him back to the Vet for more bloodwork in about a month to see what the results are, and since we have no idea whether we are doing the right amount of restrictions, we reduced the main protein ingredients by a quarter.
Original recipe is here, and it has drifted slightly. All ingredients are as low salt as possible, no added sugar.
The Recipe as it stands is:
32 ounces boiled and strained 81% lean beef.
3 ounces green peas.
5 ounces shredded carrots.
15 ounces Butternut Squash.
15 ounces Kidney Beans.
40 ounces white rice, boiled and cooked.
This makes, for him, 10 servings. 85 ounces of food once cooked.
Meaning, 1 serving is 8.5 ounces.
The protein count from USDA.GOV is as follows:
Ground Beef: 17.5g for 100g. 1575g for recipe.
Frozen Green Peas: 4g for 85g. (From package)
Shredded Carrots: 3.5 for 100g.
Butternut Squash: 3g for can (from can)
White rice: 77g for 1100g.
Kidney Beans: 7.8g for 100g, 33g (for can)
That means it is a total of 1696g total.
Old Recipe is 1969g for beef alone, 2023g total.
If it is necessary to lower protein further, there is room. The White Rice can be substituted for more beef or for the kidney beans. Vets often recommend increasing White Rice in recipes for dogs with stomach upset.
The reduction is 326g total or 32g per serving which is what I personally try to get for each meal in a day. Half of the rice above, another 25% of the beef. It is a 20% reduction in protein.
Give or take a fraction.
I'm not a dog. Although some may think so.
So I will wait to see what the vet says. Further reduction in the beef is possible, and the beans can be reduced as well.
Take the advice for what it's worth. I am rolling the dice here, and hoping for the best. I'm not a vet, and canine nutrition is decidedly different from human. Your mileage may vary.
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