Basic Crock Pot Diet


One of the things we focus on is food therapy. Dr. Ruth Roberts developed a basic crock pot diet for cats and dogs. This basic diet is for the average healthy cat or dog. It does not take into consideration food allergies or the pet’s constitution. For more information regarding whether this diet is ideal for your pet, please fill out the Pet Personality Form found on the homepage and include photographs of your pets tongue and and whole body from the side and above then schedule a nutritional consult either in person or by phone and Dr. Roberts will be able to diagnose which foods are best suited for your pet. Consults are $60 for either a phone consult or for an in office consult which is more detailed and includes a physical examination for your pet.  For example, if you have the typical Jack Russell…you know the ones that are bouncing all over the place and can’t seem to calm themselves…then you have a Fire Animal and needs to eat Cool/Cold and/or Neutral energy foods.

Please remember that the recipe below is for the average healthy pet and may need customization.  Also, the step by step process and photographs below are only 1 representation of the diet, which may vary.

The recipe is for one pet and will yield 16 cups of food.

You will need:

1 lb Turkey (it does not matter if it is whole or ground, with or without bones)

1lb White fish (Cod, Whiting, Tilapia) or Pork (white fish will stink when it’s cooking for long periods. You may either use pork or leave the crock pot out on the porch or a well ventilated room while it’s cooking to avoid the smell)

1 lb Ground Beef (chunks of beef is fine as well)

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

7 cups total of vegetables (spinach, kale, collards, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, yellow squash, pumpkin, tomatoes)

1 can of Kidney Beans (or 1.5 cups of dried kidney beans)

4 large carrots or 2 large sweet potatoes (carrots are more cooling in nature)

1/2 tsp dried Tumeric

1/2 tsp dried mustard

1 clove of uncooked garlic

1875mg calcium per 3 pounds of protein; can use calcium supplement, bone meal, or Tums

(if cooking for cats add 6000mg Taurine…can be purchased at health food stores or vitamin retail stores)

4 cups of water or broth (I use home made broth)

1 cup of uncooked brown rice

Cut your greens and veggies into bite size pieces. Fresh produce from the garden is wonderful when available. I prefer using fresh ingredients whenever possible. However, you can purchase shredded collards or pre-washed greens like kale or spinach…or you can use frozen or canned if in a pinch. Remember this diet is a step up from the commercial food you’re currently feeding…so it will be better regardless of whether it’s fresh or frozen. For the die-hards like myself, I use organic, fresh, local and homemade as much as possible. If I feel confident to eat it, then I’m confident to feed it!
I used a mixture of carrots and sweet potatoes. Just so you can see it’s okay to use both or one or the other. And Yes I left the skin on the sweet potatoes It has more nutrients! Add it to the crock pot.

Add the chopped garlic.
Add the Kidney Beans. If using canned kidney beans, drain the liquid before adding or you’ll end up with an overflow while it’s cooking. If using dried kidney beans, you can add it directly to the crock pot. OR you can soak them overnight before adding them. Many people are concerned about the gas that is produced as a result of not soaking dried beans….especially if you’ve ever experienced your pet’s wonderful gas.  While it’s true that soaking does help to remove the indigestible complex sugars (oligosaccharides) from the outer coating of the beans, it’s certainly not the primary reason to soak. The most important reason for soaking is that it allows shorter cooking times, and that preserves the most nutrients, so you get the benefits of all the proteins, vitamins and minerals in the beans and maximize their food value. But because you’re cooking it in a crock pot…the cooking time is a moot point! I would advise washing the dried beans to at least remove the accumulated surface dirt and bacteria.
Add your Tumeric and Mustard. Both located in the spice aisle of your grocery.
Add the Tums. Tums is included for the Calcium. More adventurous cooks use egg shells, and whole cow bones with marrow. Some even use Bone Meal as a replacement. If you have access to bone meal, then substitute it gram for gram. So if you’ve got 250mg per teaspoon of bone meal, you’ll need 7.5 teaspoons to make the equivalent Tums. However, if you’re not that adventurous…you can use the Tums as we’ve calculated exactly how much you’ll need per pound of meat. That is, 2.5 tablets of the 250 mg strength Tums per pound of meat. It also does not matter if the Tums are flavored or not.
Add your olive oil.
Add your liquids. I used pork stock in this recipe. I have used chicken stock, beef stock, duck stock, fish stock, turkey stock, vegetable stock, goat’s whey or water. My favorite is goat’s whey because not only is it readily available to me but it is prized as a special drink to promote health, youthfulness and long life. This is because it is more easily digested and assimilated than most foods and because its broad array of minerals and trace elements makes up for many dietary deficiencies. I digress…My point though is that it just depended on what was available at the time or what their specific health need was at the time. Today we used the pork stock left over from making the pork belly and the roasted pork.  Water certainly is fine too.
Next add your proteins. Beef, Turkey and Pork were used for this recipe.  A word of caution here is when serving the meals, if you come across any broken sharp edged bones, please remove them. Ideally, the crockpot would have softened the bones sufficiently to the point where they are edible and can break apart easily between your fingers. Sometimes, this does not happen, so please remove them. My guys are used to eating bones, so it all goes in their pot. The cats however, I do remove the bones for them. I also remove the larger cooked beef bones, because it is a point of “discussion” between my guys. So to keep the household peace…the larger bones are removed.

Cover the crock pot. Set it on the Low setting and let it cook for at least 8 to 12 hours. I usually start this around 6 pm and leave it overnight, before moving on to the next step.
8 to 12 hours later…Add 1 cup of brown rice. Yes, the photo below shows barley, but I've since stopped using barley and prefer the brown rice as it causes less inflammation.  If you are on a completely grain-free diet, simply skip this step.
Mix up the cooked food and the brown rice with a potato masher or the back of a cooking spoon.
Let the food steam for an additional hour. Turn off the crock pot and let it cool.
You can either portion out the food into individual meals or leave it in the crock pot. Refrigerate once cool. You can also freeze batches and reheat them as needed. To take the chill off the food, add some warm water to each meal. Mix in any herbs you may be giving with the warm water and food.

To fill the crock pot, use approximately 40% protein, 25% carbohydrates and 35% vegetables by volume in the crockpot. Always add 2.5 Tums (of the 250 mg strength …do the math if you can’t find 250mg) per pound of meat.

Feed 1/8 to 1/4 cup twice a day for cats and dogs under 10lbs of lean body weight.

Feed 1/2 to 1 cup for up to 50 lbs of lean body weight.

And 1 to 1.5 cups for dogs greater than 50 lbs.

If your pet is heavy, start low. If your pet is thin and active, go medium to high, and adjust based on how the pet responds. Always change food gradually, mixing in 50 % of the old diet with 50% of the new diet. Phasing out the old diet over a course of 1 to 2 weeks.

This may look like a lengthy process, but it takes 15 minutes to prep and then the crock pot does the rest. I have a few clients who cook and portion the meals. They do these in bulk, (sometimes puree all the ingredients, mixing it all together to look like a giant meatloaf), bake them in the oven, portion out each meal in ziploc or vaccum sealed bags and freeze them. You can get creative and make muffins using the same recipe and a muffin pan. You can also puree all the ingredients or not. It all depends on the amount of time you’d like to invest in cooking for your pets.

Some of you may be saying…this looks/sounds/smells good enough to eat! Well..it is…just add a pinch of salt and you’re on your way to another wonderful crock pot meal

There is an additional list of energetic ingredients for substitutions and treats. However, scheduling a nutritional consult with Dr. Ruth Roberts to get the correct energetic foods prescribed for your pets if ideal. Some pets suffer from food related allergies…again, another reason to discuss any change in diet with your veterinary food therapist.  To determine what constitution your pet is,  you can complete the Pet Personality page online at www.sundogcatmoon.com

Enjoy!

The below messages are archived from a blog that once existed.  They are provided here for additional information

36 Responses to Dr. Ruth’s Basic Crock Pot Diet for Pets
  1. Nefesh says: May 18, 2010 at 6:17 pm Perfectly done!! Thanks for the very specific pictures!

  2. Ruth M. Roberts, DVM says: May 19, 2010 at 8:44 am Well done – a great synopsis on how to do this – seems daunting at first, but it actually takes less than 15 minutes to load the crock pot once you get a rhythm going.

  3. Evita says: July 8, 2010 at 11:07 am Awesome post Ren!

  4. Tolliver Blakeley says: August 4, 2010 at 7:16 pm I was told by other veterinarians that garlic is toxic to dogs.

    • mypersonalchef says: September 5, 2010 at 6:53 pm Yes I have heard that too Along with a few other half truths and myths.
      One raw clove of garlic is safe for a 50lb dog to eat every day. Larger quantities can cause toxicities and cats are much more sensitive to garlic and onions. The amount listed in the crock pot recipe is safe for both cats and dogs.
      Another half truth that floats around the animal community is grapes! Rumor has it that grapes are toxic to dogs. This rumor emerged out of two case studies where 2.2lbs of grapes were consumed by two 40lb dogs. So the question remains…was it the quantity or the pesticides on the grapes that killed them? And do we make a medical decision based on two dogs?

  5. Robn Brown says: November 28, 2010 at 9:59 pm Thanks for the great information and recipe. Our 6-yr old black pug is making a wonderful recovery from HGE thanks to the knowledge imparted here.
    Gas has always been an issue with him so I’m using red lentils and old fahioned oats rather than kidney beans and barley. He gets three 1/3 C feedings daily; polishes the bowl clean; bounces around like a pup, and; has stopped his low grade itching.
    Thank you again and gods blessings.

    • mypersonalchef says: January 17, 2011 at 10:36 am Hi Robin,

      Sorry for the late reply…I forget my password sometimes and let it slide …BUT Great to hear about your pug!!! You’d probably want to stay away from broccoli and cabbage as well It constantly amazes us that once the diet is changed a WHOLE host of other chronic issues disappear!!! Any where from ear issues, itching, skin allergies…the list goes on. The other great commonality is the “bouncy” joy these guys exude when it’s meal time We’ve got a 5 year old Brittany Spaniel who has back issues and walks on three legs for the most part. He places the fourth leg every now and then (mostly more often than not due to laser treatments and acupuncture)…but I’m digressing. He gets so excited about meal time. He jumps up and down, spins around and can’t focus on anything else other than the food that is about to make it’s way to his bowl. We make them sit and wait while we put the bowls down and step away before giving the “ok” to eat…the drool…the bulging eyes…the intense staring at the bowl!!! You can’t help but laugh Our cats also clamor around the counters when it’s meal time. We keep two squirt water bottles close by to keep them at bay while we dish the portions out.
      All the same …thank you for the update. Let us know if you have any questions.


  6. rebecca says: January 17, 2011 at 8:48 am Is there a fish based recipe ? My cocker spaniel has food allergies and needs a cooling diet. Any help would be appreciated.
    thanks

    • mypersonalchef says: January 17, 2011 at 10:26 am Hi Rebecca,

      Yes! You can substitute the proteins for fish. However, not all fishes are cooling. Cool to Cold fish include: Clam, Whitefish, Deep Sea Fish, Cod, Shark. A Neutral temperature fish include Sardines, Catfish, Mackeral, Herring and Eel. The Warm to Hot temperature would include Shrimp, Lobster, Anchovy, Salmon, Tuna, Mussel, Crab.
      The above diet is based on Neutral temperatures. But you can replace the Turkey, Pork and Beef with any of the Cool to Cold temperature fish. Just ensure you have 40% protein, 25% carbohydrates and 35% vegetables by volume in the crock pot.
      Just in case you are interested, here’s a list of other Cool to Cold ingredients you can use to substitute any of the vegetables or carbohydrates or to use as treats:
      Duck, Duck egg, Egg White, Oyster, Rabbit, Turkey, Yogurt, Alfalfa, Apple, Amaranth, Banana, Bitter Melon, Blueberry, Broccoli, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, Gingko, Kelp/Seaweed, Kiwi, Lettuce, Mango, Shitake Mushroom, Orange, Pear, Persimmon, Spinach, Strawberry, Tomato, Watermelon, Daikon radish, Barley, Brown Rice, Chrysanthemum, Flax Seed Oil, Green Tea, Honey, Millet, Mung Bean, Sesame Seed, Sesame Oil. Soybean Oil, Salt, Tofu, Whole Wheat.
      Let me know if this helps.
       
  7. Louise Burden says: May 23, 2011 at 8:18 pm My male cat is 5 years old and weighs about 27 pounds. He is an inside cat and gets very little exercise – sleeps most of the time and loves to eat I have been giving him 3/4 cup of dry food once a day in the morning and 1/4 sm can of food at night. How much should I give him of your crockpot recipe?

    • mypersonalchef says: May 23, 2011 at 9:21 pm Hi Louise,
      Sounds like you’re currently feeding him too much. I know it doesn’t sound like much. But for the crock pot recipe, you’d want to feed him 1/4 cup twice a day. I will strongly advise to fill out the Pet Personality form on the Sun Dog Cat Moon website: http://www.sundogcatmoon.com So you can know if the foods you are feeding him are appropriate for his constitution. Foods work the same way in animals as they do in humans…In that, some foods can cause “inflammation” or not get absorbed as readily as others. These can include corn, wheat and soy. I’ve found the Pet Personality form to be very helpful in narrowing which foods to avoid and which to focus on for optimal health. Keep me informed of his progress.+

  8. Julia says: June 8, 2011 at 8:05 pm I would like to add fiber via canned pumpkin. How much can I use in the crock pot recipe?

    • mypersonalchef says: August 8, 2011 at 1:22 pm Hi Julia,

      I’m not sure if you got my response to your question on Canned Pumpkin to your pet’s diet?
      I submitted responses three times, but haven’t seen them come on on the blog. So I’m just double checking to make sure you got the response.

      Are you feeding it to a cat or a dog? How much does your pet weigh?

      The Crock Pot Diet has a lot of fiber in it already and so the addition of pumpkin to it may be overkill. However, as a general rule of thumb, you can substitute one cup of pumpkin for one cup of green vegetables. We usually recommend it for anal gland issues…as the addition of more fiber to the diet helps bulk up the stool for it to help express the anal glands naturally.

      However, if you’re looking for just fiber in the diet…then the Basic Crock Pot Diet has a lot of fiber in it already.

      I hope this helps.
      Renata

  9. Marilyn Sweeney says: August 7, 2011 at 5:05 pm Do you just feed once a day? Does it matter which time of day?

    I purchased the items listed today and was going to cook tonight, but then realized I didn’t get the pork, so will wait until tomorrow. I bought chicken instead of turkey, will that be OK?

    I’m currently feeding Hills CD and it is costing me a fortune! Found a great deal on 2 17.6 pound bags (that arrived yesterday), so will mix the crock pot food with the CD until it is all gone.

    Thanks for you help,

    Marilyn

    • mypersonalchef says: August 7, 2011 at 7:46 pm Hi Marilyn,

      It’s meant to be fed twice a day, ideally for breakfast and dinner. Scheduled feedings are great because you can monitor your pets’ intake, as well as know if they’re eating or not. Eating or not eating is usually an indicator of whether your pets’ feeling well or not.

      Did you complete the Pet Personality form from Sun Dog Cat Moon? If so, what element is your pet? Reason I’m asking is that if you have a hot-natured pet or a FIRE animal, then feeding a hot-energy food like chicken, is not a good idea long term. But will be better than what you’re currently feeding.

      I’m assuming you’re feeding Hills C/D dry? If your pet has a urinary issue, then dry food is not going to be very beneficial to their system. In general, dry food/kibble is not very beneficial period! However, by adding warm water or mixing it in with the Crock Pot food, then you’re introducing moisture to the diet and the system. The body has a hard time breaking down dry kibble, which in turn makes it difficult for the kidneys and urinary tract system to function optimally.

      I’d feel more comfortable directing you on ingredients if I know what TCVM pattern your pet has. The Crock Pot Diet is based on Neutral to Cooling energy ingredients. Here’s a link to the Sun Dog Cat Moon website: http://www.sundogcatmoon.com If you haven’t already completed the Pet Personality Form, please feel free to do so. The diet is based on medical evaluation of each pet and can be customized to fit your pet’s nutritional and energetic needs.

      I hope this answers some of your questions.

      Renata

  10. Marilyn Sweeney says: August 8, 2011 at 12:01 pm Thanks for your response – yes, I did fill out the Personality Profile for both of my dogs – how soon before I hear back from them or was there something that I was supposed to see when I was on there? I’ll go back to that website to see if there is information as to what elements they are. As you said, anything I give them will be better than just what they are eating right now. I’ll make up a batch tonight after I’ve purchased the pork. Do you ever give pets dairy products – maybe cottage cheese?

    Thank you,

    Marilyn

    • mypersonalchef says: August 8, 2011 at 12:42 pm Hi Marilyn,

      You should hear back from the clinic fairly soon. I’ll make sure they contact you today. Dairy products are okay in small quantities. So Cottage Cheese and Yogurt are good. Dairy can produce a lot of phelgm or inflammation if given on a regular basis. However, if you have a source for raw milk or even goat’s whey, then you can add it to the crock pot. Again in small quantities….like a cup or two of raw milk or 2 to 3 cups of goat’s whey. I’m not sure what resources you have at your location. There should be a local farmer’s market in your area…they may know where you can source either product. (If you want that is ) I think Thornhill Farms in McClellanville is closest to you…they may know sources as well.
      The Crock Pot Diet will also help with Jack’s anal gland issues. Basically an increase in his fiber intake will help bulk up his stools so he can express them naturally.
      They will also both have some weight loss while on this diet.
      Let me know how they do!

      Renata

  11. Marilyn Sweeney says: August 8, 2011 at 1:02 pm Sure will – thanks so much!

  12. Marilyn Sweeney says: August 11, 2011 at 12:58 pm I received the information from the Pet Personality profiles and Jessie has been identified as Wood while Jack was identified as Fire. Can you make any suggestions as to what the two of them together can eat and what to avoid? I understand that Jack should have cool foods, but am not sure about Jessie (Wood). By the way, they love the cooked food! I have quite a bit of CD left over, so suppose I’ll be doing half CD and half cooked food for quite awhile.

    Thanks for your help!

    Marilyn

  13. Veronica says: August 21, 2011 at 3:09 pm Can I shorten the cooking time by setting the crockpot on high for 5-6 hours? What are your thoughts on this?

    • mypersonalchef says: August 24, 2011 at 10:50 am You can give it a try There are some trains of thought that the slow cooking puts less heat energy into the food and creates a more digestible flavorful format. As we all age, we have less ability to digest things well. So with slow cooking, animals with digestion issues are better able to absorb and utilize the food efficiently. I know when I’ve tried it in the past, I didn’t get as desired a result as I would with the longer lower setting. One of my Food Therapy instructors at The Chi Institute, Dr. Bruce Ferguson, is a strong believer in the slow method. But I’d like to know how it works out for you if you do.

      • Veronica says: August 24, 2011 at 11:09 am It seemed to work well on the high setting, but I may go back to using the low setting since my dogs tend to have digestion issues. It took about 5-5.5 hours on the high setting and the pups LOVED it just as much as when I cooked it on the low setting last time. Thanks for responding!

  14. Veronica says: August 24, 2011 at 11:06 am One more question…….How long does this recipe last in the refrigerator after it is cooked? I’m a little hesitant to use it for too long just in case bacteria begins to set in.

  15. Patti says: September 19, 2011 at 1:22 pm Is there a crock pot kidney diet for dogs? My 11 year-old 65 lb. Yellow Lab has Chronic Kidney disease and the low protein diets the Vets are feeding her are not going over well.

    • mypersonalchef says: September 19, 2011 at 3:12 pm Hi Patti,

      I’d highly recommend you submit the Pet Personality Form located under the Sun Dog Cat Moon home page: http://www.sundogcatmoon.com
      Dr. Roberts will be able to help you figure out what is needed for your pet’s nutritional needs.
      The Basic Crock Pot diet is a Neutral Energy based diet and with all food changes, I recommend you consult Dr. Roberts befoer making any changes.
      But to answer your question….YES there is a diet. BUT you will need to complete the Pet Personality Form so both Dr. Roberts and myself will have a more informed background towork with.
      Dr. Roberts is also great with email contacts….so I will forward this to her and she will be expecting your completed form, so she can guide you towards a better diet for your Lab.

      Renata

  16. AMANDA says: November 15, 2011 at 8:41 am Hi!
    As suggested I filled out a personality form and then never heard back? Should I fill it out again? Thanks-

    Amanda

    • mypersonalchef says: November 17, 2011 at 10:37 am Amanda,
      I have forwarded your information to the clinic. They had a staff change, the person who had been responsible for responding to the forms is no longer employed at the clinic….so please expect a call from the clinic either today or tomorrow.
      Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns. I apologize for any inconvenience.
      Renata

  17. Amy McGuffin says: November 15, 2011 at 9:28 am Hi, I am a small animal veterinarian, and I just met a client who is using this recipe as the their pet’s diet. They came in because their pet (a very lean, underweight Pit Bull mix) has been losing some weight recently, and all else is apparently healthy. I wanted to calculate how many kcals per day this pet is receiving, and came to this website to try to figure it out. Do you have any idea? They are currently feeding 1-1.5 cups of this diet twice a day. Thank you!

  18. Pam says: November 22, 2011 at 3:42 pm I have an 11 year basenji-mix with EPI (I put enzyme on all his food) and recently diagnosed with renal failure. He is currently hospitalized for a kidney flush. Re-doing labs to see if there is any change. Is this crock pot recipe okay for a dog in renal failure?

    • mypersonalchef says: February 11, 2012 at 10:38 am Hi Pam,

      I know you too received a response from Dr. Ruth. So please ignore this post as it’s meant for everyone else reading the blog.

      As with all specific health concerns, Dr. Ruth will contact you personally to address your questions. You may post your questions here, but as each case is a specific medically related issue, we won’t post those responses on the blog. Each pet is different and we don’t want anyone self diagnosing. Feel free to complete the Pet Personality Form found on the website and someone will contact you.
      http://www.sundogcatmoon.com

      Renata

  19. Danielle says: January 18, 2012 at 12:16 pm I have a two part reply, these are both in reference to an older male feline (over 10 y.o.):

    First, I’ve read online in a couple places that when cooking for cats, you can substitute heart (like chicken hearts) for Taurine and liver for Vit A & D. It seems more affordable to buy chicken livers and hearts rather than Taurine at a health food store, if those can in fact be substituted.

    Secondly, other recipes for cat food also seem to require many more supplements in addition to the foods listed in the crockpot recipe above, such as a Vit E supplement, Vit B complex, fish oil, salt with iodine, etc. Are all of these things necessary?

    Thank You!

    • mypersonalchef says: February 11, 2012 at 10:26 am Danielle,

      I know you’ve already received a response from Dr. Ruth regarding your questions. So this response is for those following the Food Blog

      Please post your specific questions and concerns about your pet’s food diet and health here. I will forward those concerns to Dr. Ruth at Sun Dog Cat Moon and she will get in contact with you on a one to one basis.

      The reason we don’t post her responses is that each case is a medical evaluation of your pet. Therefore each response would not apply to the general public. While the above recipe is a basic diet…it can be individualized to meet the specific needs of your pet/s.

      Thank you again for your continued support.

      Renata

  20. Maegan says: April 6, 2012 at 12:03 am One of the dachshund-friendly sites that I follow on Facebook forwarded this recipe. My dog is an extremely picky eater (I did not thick this was possible for a dachshund!) I cooked it today and gave Tula a taste… She LOVES it! I mean she heard me putting it away three rooms from where she was sleeping & galloped out for more! Thank you so much, Maegan

    Reply
    • mypersonalchef says: April 6, 2012 at 12:34 pm Happy to hear it Maegan! My Brittany Spaniel, Sam, who also has a bad back…dances and jumps for joy everytime we pull the crockpot food out for breakfast and dinner. He’s my Silly Ham Sam