How to Make Sodium-Free Dog Food

Health diet

Sodium in your dog's diet can cause high blood pressure, as well as heart and kidney disease. Also, rancid meat used to make commercial pet food can be disguised by adding salt. All ingredients in dog food are required to be listed on the labels by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Besides reading the label searching for sodium, you should be aware of what other ingredients your dog may be consuming. Meat and bone can include animal parts from any source including cancerous and decomposed tissue of animals that were dead or diseased prior to slaughter. By product meal can include intestines, undeveloped eggs, snouts, organs and feet. Animal fats in pet foods are emulsified by Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate (TSP), also used in cleaning products as a rust remover. You can eliminate salt and unknown contaminates in your dog's diet by making your own healthy sodium-free dog food. Follow these steps.

Things You'll Need

• 3 cups brown rice
• 2 cups barley
• 8 to 12 cups water
• 2 cups carrots
• 2 cups beets
• 1 cup beet tops
• 1 cup spinach
• 2 cups chicken giblets or chicken livers
• 1/2 tsp. sage
• Three cloves garlic (optional)
• Large pot with cover
• Spoon

Instructions

1. Pour 8 cups of water into a large pot.

2. Add the brown rice, beets, chicken, sage and garlic.

3. Set the stove burner to medium-high, cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to medium.

5. Add the barley, carrots, beet tops and spinach to the pot and stir.

6. Cover and let the mixture return to a boil.

7. Stir the mixture, adding more water if necessary.

8. Reduce heat to low and simmer for one and a half hours, stirring every 15 minutes and adding water as necessary.

9. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool and thicken.

Tips & Warnings

• Freeze containers of dog food in daily serving size containers.

• Some dogs do not tolerate garlic.

Resources

• More about keeping your pet healthy