Meals For An Ailing Pup

Gracie's first post-op breakfast. She was ravenous.  

The vet's instructions came through loud and clear: for the first week after having a couple cracked teeth removed, Gracie needs to eat a soft food diet. 

Now that's not a tall order for a girl who loves food as much as Grace does. Pour a half cup of warm water onto her usual kibble, give it thirty seconds to soften up, and boom. She's good to go.

But you know, there's nothing like a ailing pup to bring out the Florence Nightingale in me, and I've found myself deeply committed to mixing up some custom meals for my girl that feature far more variety than she usually gets, and lots of soft textures. 

Here are some of Gracie's favorite meals for the days she's not feeling her best:

{For reference, Gracie normally eats 2 cups of kibble, twice a day; an apple after dinner, and a handful of assorted dog treats throughout the day.}

For a post-op upset tummy:

1 C dry kibble

1 C cooked white rice

1/2 cup warm beef broth

Mix well and let sit for a minute until kibble is soft, serve warm but not hot.

For a previously upset but now recovering tummy:

1 C dry kibble

1 C cooked white rice

1/2 C warm beef broth

 

Plus one or more add-ons, depending how hungry she seems to be:

1/2 can pumpkin puree

1/2 C browned ground beef

1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter

Mix well and let sit for a minute until kibble is soft, serve warm but not hot..

For a healthy tummy and a sore mouth:

2 C dry kibble

1/2 C warm beef broth

1/2 can pumpkin puree

1/2 C cooked green vegetables; Gracie likes zucchini, peas, green beans, broccoli.

Mix well and let sit for a minute until kibble is soft, serve warm but not hot.

Once the pill touches the peanut butter, I work fast to get the whole package into her mouth. Some pills have a bitter taste, which quickly spreads to the peanut butter. My previous dog, Ranger, mastered the art of detecting a icky pill and spitting out the entire mouthful onto the floor. 

For taking pills:

1/4 slice bread

1 teaspoon natural peanut butter. 

Plop the peanut butter on the bread in a little heap and bury the pill inside. Fold the bread over and squeeze all four corners together so it doesn't unfold. Pop into the darling's mouth ASAP. 

You never saw a dog sit so still. 

For a special treat:

1 teaspoon natural peanut butter

We offer this treat to Gracie on a small spatula and delight in watching her go to town. 

My dog intuitively understands how to eat with a spoon. Which kinda blows my mind.

For dessert:

1 C natural applesauce

Spooning the applesauce into Gracie's mouth is great comedic fun, but also satisfying and a whole lot neater is to let her lick it out of a medium sized bowl, held at the level of her mouth by a loving human's hands.

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Good dog, Gracie! You'll be healed in no time, and then I'll have to find some other sick dog to spoil.