I don’t share this with just anybody (haha), but here’s the recipe I use for my Penny, an 11-year old Beagle who is allergic to beef.
Mix together 3 pounds ground turkey, 4 – 6 cans drained tuna, 1 large can drained sweet potatoes, and 1/2 – 1 cup uncooked oatmeal. That’s all there is to it. It provides all of the basic nutrients, but may be a little low on calcium, so I let her have the shell whenever I use an egg. Bones are out because they typically come from cows, i.e. beef.
As far as how much to feed, you’ll have to experiment a little to see what keeps your dog at a healthy weight. You should be able to see a defined waistline when you look down at your dog from above, and you should be able to feel, but not see ribs through the fur. The hip bones should not be overly prominent. For some breeds, like Greyhounds and Vizslas, you may be able to see the ribs and hips, as well as feel them. If your dog is already at a healthy weight, start the raw food at the same amount as whatever you have been feeding, then adjust as needed.
How did I know my dog was allergic to beef? Trial and error. She started scratching herself all the time and was clearly miserable. It was strange because she seemed to do fine with commercial food until she was about 10 years old, then for some reason, she started itching. After trying different medications from the vet, as well as steroid shots, I took her off of commercial dog food and tried different ingredients until she stopped itching. When I mentioned what I was doing, my vet said, “Oh, yeah! About one-third of dogs have a beef allergy.” (That would have been really helpful to know when I first started!)
One caveat: Penny thinks cat poop is a delicacy, so I had to take my cats off of beef, too, to get her itching totally under control. In fact, now that I think about it, she’s not as interested in the litter boxes now that they are eating chicken and turkey. That seems kind of paradoxical, that she would go after what she shouldn’t have, but there it is. Correcting her diet has allowed her to get off of her allergy meds and has made her much more comfortable as she lives out her golden years.
Do you use any special diets for your dog? What have you found works best?
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!