Posted on 15th Mar 2010 @ 1:38 PM

How to help your sick dog get better - faster.

Proper pet supplements and easily digestible, nutritious dog food can help your pet recover quicker and increase appetite.

When Dogs are sick - they can lose their appetite
A side effect of traditional radiation therapies, for both human beings and animals, is loss of appetite. This can be a real problem for dogs who are suffering from serious illness because, unlike people, they do not understand the need for nutrition and will not eat if they don't feel like it. It is up to their owners to ensure their nutritional intake is adequate not only to maintain a normal level of health but also to fight illness.

If your dog has a serious illness, you need to adjust his diet so that it is easier to digest and does not contain anything that could place more stress on his body such as commercial dog food with their often toxic ingredients. You will need to nurture your pet like you would a sick child. Therefore you need to choose his diet and nutritional supplements very carefully. There are foods you should include in your dog's diet and foods you should avoid if he has any form of illness.

Help for a sick pet - good food and the right supplements
Traditional treatments can cause nausea and vomiting so it is important to exclude foods that can make these symptoms worse. Simple carbohydrates should be limited or avoided altogether because they can add to nausea and vomiting. Your dog's diet should include easily digestible protein and an adequate amount of amino acids including arginine, cystine, and glutamine. It is also very important to include regular amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids in his diet.

K-9 Omega, fish oil softgels or capsules that accelerate cellular repair and reduces metastasis.This can be done through supplementation or by adding some fatty fish like tuna or salmon to his meals. Omega-3 fatty acids are very important components to immune system strength.

Other pet supplements that aid recovery:
Vitamin E 400 iu per day
Selenium 100 mcg per day
Beta-carotene - or raw carrots, grated, if the dog likes them
Grape seed extract
Quercetin

Herbal supplements boost nutrition and aid in quick recovery
Probably the easiest way to be absolutely sure your dog is getting all the essential nutrients he needs is to add an herbal pet supplement to his diet such as those offered by K9. K9 has a range of herbal and dietary supplements to support your dog's health, but the one of particular benefit to dog's with serious illness is K9 Critical Care. It works best with K9 Transfer Factor, a supplement that identifies and targets the mutated cell.

Excellent results have been obtained with this herbal supplement combination. Even if your pet is not eating as much as you would like, a good delicious and nutritious dog food plus herbal supplements will give your dog every assistance to fight the illness and recover his health.

It is not difficult to cook a quick and easy meal for a sick dog:

Pet mix can be used with cooked or raw meat. The ingredients in PetMix do NOT need to be cooked only re-hydrated. Normally I put my 5 pounds of meat and a gallon of water in the crock pot and let them cook overnight. Then I empty the meat and broth into a large bowl and add the pet mix. And add the other to the remaining meat and crock in the crock pot. I let them sit together until cool.

For a raw meat diet, just boil one gallon of water - add pet mix and turn off the heat - let sit until hydrated. Mix with raw meat and store. Meat should be cut into small pieces.Sometimes I add raw carrots, yogurt or eggs to my pet mix.However, dogs with an illness may need a bit of digestive help by having any raw veggies shredded and steamed.
Lightly cooked meat along with the PetMix will make it easier for a dog with a poor appetite to eat his food. This is not only because he can chew it and swallow it more easily but also because cooking releases an attractive aroma which can entice your pet to eat.

We know you love your dog which is why we developed the Birkdale PetMix and K-9 line of herbal pet supplements. Even if you choose to feed you dog other dog food or dog supplements ( but why would you?)- give them an extra big hug from us!