Homemade Gruel for Dogs With Cancer

Cancer is the term for a group of diseases that are caused by abnormal cells dividing uncontrollably and invading other body tissues. Cancer can spread because it travels through the blood and lymph systems. Canines can suffer from a variety of different cancers, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma, mast cell tumor, adenocarcinoma, mammary cancer, transitional cells and hemangiosarcoma. While there are many different types of treatments available for dogs with cancer, nutrition is often the first defense used by dog owners.

  1. Essential Nutrients

    • According to Dr. Gregory Ogilvie, creator of Hill's Science Diet for dogs with cancer, dogs need a diet that consists of 10 percent simple sugars, 20 percent complex sugars, 20 percent high quality digestible proteins and 50 percent fats. He stresses the importance of "starving" cancer cells by depriving them of simple sugars. When choosing a recipe for homemade gruel, be sure to find a balanced diet that is based on these principles.

      Make sure the food you serve to your pet is as fresh as possible. Therefore, making one or two servings at a time is ideal to keep the food fresh and get the maximum nutritional benefits.

    Simple Sugars

    • Remember to keep simple sugars to a minimum when preparing your dog's gruel. You are aiming for 10 percent simple sugars. Choose high quality ingredients that offer additional nutritional benefits, such as cooked carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, butternut or acorn squash, beets or turnips. Cut or chop the items into small pieces; use a food processor to chop foods to help your dog digest them.

    Complex Sugars

    • Complex sugars should come from grains you add to the dog's food. Use brown or long-grain cooked rice, cooked oatmeal, baked or mashed potatoes, or cooked millet when preparing dog food. Because these foods are soft and small or easily digested, they are ideal for adding to homemade dog gruel.

    High-Quality Proteins

    • The high-quality protein portion of homemade dog gruel means that the meats used in the food should be of good quality rather than only scraps and organ meats. Instead, use a blend of organ meats along with other proteins, including canned fish, chicken, lamb, beef, lean pork and venison. Don't use prepared meat products, such as hot dogs or sausages, because they contain fillers and your goal is to create a balance of nutrients for your dog's optimum health. Grind or chop meats when adding them to the gruel.

    Fats

    • The majority of fats in the canine cancer diet should come from meat, such as the fats in sardines, liver, ground beef or pork back. When preparing meats for your dog's homemade gruel, the foods must be cooked first. If oil is needed for cooking, use olive oil for additional nutritional benefits.

    Other Ingredients and Flavorings

    • Another important aspect of homemade dog gruel is that it be appealing. Dogs with cancer may not have a good appetite, so it is important for you to make the food taste good and be something your dog will want to eat. Add a small amount of garlic to the food (the equivalent of one clove for small dogs and two cloves for large dogs), a teaspoon of ginger, and a dash each of ground mustard and salt substitute.