January 12th 2009 3:13 am
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We went to see Dr. Dodd on my liver problems last Wednesday and boy, was she wonderful! She was so informative and thorough in her consultation and knows sooo much about liver problems in dogs. It was the best $75 mom ever spent. Sure beats the $1,000 that so called Specialist wanted to charge.
Here are Dr. Dodd's advice to us:
The liver can be cleanse in a period of around 6 weeks so with proper diet, you can rejuvenate the liver in about 6 weeks. The dog needs to be on a "pure" diet to clean the liver. Since I do not like fish, she told mom that she can use chicken meat for me.
I was put on the Liver Cleansing Diet (GARD) using about 30-40% of protein of fish (best) or chicken meat (dark or white, no skin). Boiled or scrambled eggs once ot twice a week count as part of the protein portion.
The other portions consist of grain or starch such as white long grain rice or brown rice (no basmati rice), potatoes, and sweet potatoes and cooked vegetables. Vegetables can be green beans, celery, peas, carrots, squash, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, and kale as other liver sparing foods. We are also to add Italian Flat Leaf Parsley to the veggie because it has some cleansing agent. Mom usually cooks zuchini, celery, frozen peas, carrots and green beans. Then she puree them in the blender with the parsley.
FISH OR CHICKEN MEAT ONLY. NO OTHER MEAT. NO BEEF, LIVER (CHICKEN OR BEEF), GIZZARD, TURKEY OR ANY OTHER KIND OF MEAT. NO WHEAT, SOY, CORN OR NUT. Wheat contains glutamate-aspartate which is a no no. The Liver Cleansing Diet is called GARD which stands for Glutamate-Aspartate Restricted Diet.
Mom is to feed me 3 times a day with this diet. One portion in the morning, one portion in the evening and 1/2 a portion before bed. The Liver cannot work too much so it is not good to give just one large meal a day.
As for Calcium, Mom makes a frozen frosty paws by mixing a large container of Vanilla Yogurt with 1/2 canned pumpkin (no sugar, not the pie filing) and freeze them in small paper cups or ice cube trays. Dr. Dodd told her she can continue to give them to me but watch the portions because a little to human is a large portion to us. (I am a 10 lbs Pom). Finely ground egg shells can also be used for calcium.
I also have hair loss problem and my hair is dry and lifeless so we are to add olive oil, coconut oil or coconut milk to my food. Mom added a small spoon of coconut milk to my food today and I like it.
Vitamins Supplement - she recommended Infant Liquid Multi Vitamins but find one without wheat, soy or corn.
A friend of ours sells Juice Plus for Dogs which is a food enzyme supplement. We asked Dr. Dodd if we can continue to use Juice Plus and she said yes.
Denamarin (combo of Marin and Denosyl) - once a day 1/2 hr. before breakfast.
My thyroid is also low so Dr. Dodd added Thyroxine twice a day.
Hopefully, with Dr. Dodd's help, my liver enzyme will improve in a few weeks.
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