Foodie Friday -- October 10th

 Welcome to the October 11th Foodie Friday, where good food is always on the menu.

 

We've had human and canine medical issues this week, so I'm posting just a little early tonight.

The human has a herniated C-3 disc and has an appointment with a neurosurgeon. The disc is pressing on the spinal cord, so surgery is likely.  A bad fall or car crash could cause the cord to snap.

 "Please don't write about me on your blog!" the human said.

So you didn't hear it from me.

 

As for the other emergency, my diabetic Yorkie, Zap, spent 30 hours at the emergency vet hospital--a bout of vomiting sent Z into very early DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis), which is life-threatening.

 

Since the DKA was in the very early stages, the treatment (fluids, fluids, and more fluids) was successful. An infection often kicks off DKA, but the vets couldn't find *anything*.

This is Z's second episode of DKA, the first incident occurred a few years ago, when he was diagnosed. The vet told me that sometimes there just isn't a reason for DKA.

If you have a diabetic dog, the early stages of DKA are ketones in the urine and "acetone breath."

Zap only had a small amount. He was active and afebrile.

 

I'm a registered nurse, but I didn't feel competent to treat him at home by pushing fluids. Also, Zap had a rapid heartbeat. Dr. Will (my husband) said that a rapid heart rate can be due to dehydration. Since Zap had begun vomiting in the middle of the night, we felt very helpless. At 8 am, we rushed him to our local vet. The doc did blood work, and he was worried that Zap's kidneys might be in the early stages of failure. He sent us straight to an emergency vet hospital--that was the longest 1 hour drive in my life. It turned out that Zap's BUN and creatin levels were due to vomiting/dehydration. His kidneys are fine, thank goodness.

He was sent home with antibiotics (the vets were pretty sure that Z had a covert infection...somewhere) and anti-nausea pills.

 

 

We picked up Zap late this afternoon, and he didn't really perk up until he was home.

He probably didn't eat very well at the hospital, which can affect blood glucose levels. Food and insulin must be matched.
I'll give updates right here, tonight and tomorrow.
Update 1: Zap's blood glucose dipped low tonight, and I rubbed Karo Syrup on his gums. He's okay now.
 

Before the health crises, I had barbecued two pork tenderloins and served them with grilled garlic toast. The tenderloins were marinated with Jack Daniels and honey. You can find premixed marinades in bags at the grocery. I added grated apples to the marinade.

Very easy and tasty.





 

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 Thanks for visitin'!

Note: On this Monday, October 14th, the Novel Bakers will return with Apple Week! 

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Treats for Your Diabetic Pooch

One of my Yorkies, Zap, was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. Every twelve hours,

I test his blood glucose level, feed him exactly 1 cup of a prescription diet, and determine how much insulin he needs.  Because Z is a brittle diabetic, and his blood glucose can plunge very low, he gets a snack every six hours. Sometimes he gets tired of broccoli, so I make diabetic dog biscuits.

Zap's father, Murphy (left), doesn't have diabetes.

Nor does Mister.

These Yorkies are serious foodies.

Mister has been known to jump onto the kitchen table the moment his humans

have left the room. Once, he wolfed down Dr. Will's steak.

Mister developed a collapsed trachea after a surgical procedure,

and this condition worsens when he gains weight.

 Murphy is almost thirteen years old and tends to be portly.

All three boys can benefit from diabetic-friendly biscuits and cupcakes.



What You'll Need:

Diabetic Dog Biscuits

                                                                    Yield: approximately 50 biscuits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 eggs

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

Into a bowl, add eggs and pumpkin. Whisk until smooth.

Add:

2 tablespoons dry milk. Stir.

Add:

2 1/2 cups brown rice flour

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Blend.

Place dough onto a (brown rice) flour-smeared cutting board. Roll out 1/4 to 1/2" thick.

Cut into strips or use a cookie cutter.

Place "bones" on a baking pan. Place pan in oven and bake 18 minutes. Turn biscuits.

Continue baking another 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Since mixing bowls and ingredients are already on the counter,

it's a good time to make canine cupcakes.



Healthy Peanut Butter-Carrot Cupcakes for your Pooch

                                                           Yield: 1 dozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 cup shredded raw carrots

1/2 cup organic (sugar free) applesauce

1/4 organic or natural peanut butter (smooth; no sugar added)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 c. whole wheat flour

Blend ingredients.

Line a cupcake pan with liners and add batter.

(It won't rise very much, so go ahead and fill to the top.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.

Note: you can ice the cupcakes by blending 8 oz fat free cream cheese and 4 tablespoons sugar free

applesauce. This is a bit rich for my Yorkies, so I skip this part.

Because a diabetic animal needs to be fed the same amount of food at the same time of day, it's imperative that you consult your veterinarian before adding these treats to his/her diet.
Your vet will explain how to calculate calories and the dog's weight--and he/she will also know
which foods will be acceptable for your animal's personal health history. 





Note: Before making these treats or serving them to your pet, consult your veterinarian.  

Printable Recipes are available HERE.

Resources:

Wholeport's Colorful cupcake liners

Meri Meri's "Woof" cupcake topper set

dog-themed cookie cutters

cookie cutter sets

dog breed cookie cutter set

Brown Rice Flour ($2.56 for 24 oz)

Publix Grocery-- Natural Peanut Butter (deli)

 Disclosure: Wholeport provided green and red patterned cupcake liners.

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