Hi everyone!

Well, today is 3 weeks post amputation for us (left forelimb) and my Zeus has OSA. We start our first round of Carboplatin this Thursday, so I am nervous for that!

However, I've already met with a nutritionist at the University of Florida (where we're having everything done) and he is going to work side by side with us during chemo and will modify the plan every two weeks. Whether it's before, during, or after chemo, I think this plan and supplements are awesome. The goal is to get his immune system to 150% and use cancer killing natural supplements. 

He charged $160 for the consultation and plan. I would be happy to share this with anyone who can benefit from it and save you some money! (check my notes at the bottom of this)

Here's the plan: (this is copied and pasted)

We discussed home-prepared diet strategies generally. We would advise that you start with a specific recipe in order to assess his tolerance to the specific nutrients. After a week or so on the diet, we could change the ingredients included within the diet while maintaining a similar nutrient profile. The following is the daily recipe which we recommend. We have calculated his calorie requirements at about 1,200 per day. (Zeus is a 55lb pit bull)

PER DAY (I divide into two meals)

12 ounces of chicken breast cooked with skin (measured before cooking)

4 ounces of salmon fillet (can be canned if necessary, measured before cooking)

1/2-1 cup of mixed vegetables (focusing on carrots, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cauliflower, green beans)

4 ounces of sweet potato

1/4 cup of brown rice (measured dry)

2 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon of coconut oil

1 teaspoon of calcium carbonate powder (you can use oyster shell calcium or purchase a pure calcium carbonate from NOW foods or similar brand)

1/2 teaspoon of iodized salt

1/2 tablet of Source Naturals Mega-One vitamin (available at amazon.com and other retailers)

You can make multiple days worth of food and freeze as necessary.

Medication Recommendations:

Please continue to give carprofen (Rimadyl) as needed.

Please continue to give all other medications as directed by the oncology group.

Supplement Recommendations

Natural Factors Curcumin: 600 mg capsule

Give 1 capsule by mouth twice daily with food. This supplement is a natural anti-inflammatory without any known contraindications for concurrent use with carprofen (Rimadyl) and chemotherapy agents. Side effects are rare, and generally limited to vomiting or diarrhea. Call us if these occur.

Artemisinin: 100 mg capsule

Give 1 capsule by mouth twice daily with food. This is an extract from a plant which has been shown to have activity against canine osteosarcoma cell lines. The clinical trials are still pending. The product works by causing damage to the cancer cells, and it should have a synergistic effect with chemotherapy. However, we have used this herb in other cases of osteosarcoma with few side effects. Some sensitive animals, however, have vomited shortly after administration of this product. Call us if this occurs.

Mush Medicinal Mushroom Blend: Powder

Several varieties of mushrooms contain sugar-like compounds which stimulate various parts of the immune system. We recommend that you give 1 teaspoon of powder twice daily mixed with food. Side effects have not been noted in our experience, but if they were to occur they would likely be diarrhea or vomiting.

Boswellia Extract: 500 mg capsule

Boswellia (frankincense) contains compounds suggested to reduce inflammation in arthritis. It may provide a natural alternative to long-term carprofen administration. Please give 1 capsule by mouth daily.

*** I have also added Essiac Tea (Caisse's tea) twice per day on an empty stomach. I mix 1oz Essiac Tea with 4oz chicken broth (left over from cooking the chicken) and give it 30 min before breakfast and 30 min before dinner. 

TIPS: 

Zeus is a 55lb pit bull. He was 61 lbs prior to amputation. I am giving both Zeus and my other dog, Pennie, this meal plan everyday. I've been giving it since Friday. I have it split into two meals, use a food scale and quart sized ziploc bags for everything. I add the butter (I'm using organic ghee), coconut oil, salt and supplements all at meal time. Just the food is pre mixed.

When buying the supplements, look at whether they are tablets, liquid, or capsules and the strength so that you can give one tablet versus two. I bought a pill cutter/crusher and that is helping a lot. The curcumin I open up and  sprinkle on his food. The artmeisinin and mushroom blend (by host defense, called Stamets 7) are both liquid. The boswelia, multi-vitamin, and rimadyl (Rx) I crush and sprinkle on his food as well. The calcium carbonate is also called Bone Meal Powder and that's a powder form. 

Also, this past weekend Whole Foods was having 25% off of their supplements and I purchased a discount card for $40 that got me an additional 20% off supplements, so I got 45% off! I bought double of everything. They did not have the mega one vitamin, artemisia, or calcium carbonate (bone meal powder), so I purchased those elsewhere.

This sounds overwhelming at first, and believe me it was, I cried on Friday trying to do it all. I can give you more tips if you'd like, just let me know. 

I hope this helps anyone struggling with what to feed their Tripawd!  

Heather