Feeding guide for dogs with liver disease
With CompleteMe Hepatic Canine
Make moderate to high protein, omega-3- and antioxidant-rich therapeutic dog food with controlled copper at home quickly and easily.
Formulated for adult dogs requiring liver support (e.g. for chronic increased liver enzymes). Low fat and novel protein options available.
Not suitable for dogs with copper-associated hepatopathy; please see our other feeding guides.
Makes 1 kilogram of food, which can be portioned and frozen.
Ingredients
500 grams of boneless raw meat (2-10% fat)
(see FAQs below for recommended meat types and cuts)
300 grams of starchy vegetables and/or cooked grains
(choose from: sweet potato, potato, oats, brown or white rice, pasta, couscous, or barley. For any grains, please weigh out the required amount after cooking)
100 grams of colourful vegetables and fruit
100 grams of kale (fresh or frozen)
OR
3 tablespoons of ground sesame seeds
OR
50 grams dried shiitake mushrooms (soak before use)
Please select one of these to provide just enough copper from food ingredients to meet the minimum requirement for an adult dog.
3 mL omega-3 rich oil (3 x 1000 mg capsules)
(choose from: fish oil, salmon oil, krill oil, or marine algae oil)
2 teaspoons of omega-6-rich oil
(choose from: hempseed oil, walnut oil, rice bran oil, pumpkin seed oil, or sesame oil)
12 grams of CompleteMe Hepatic Canine
Optional:
½ to 1 level teaspoon of one of the following:
Turmeric, chia seeds, fresh parsley or mint, soy sauce (low sodium), or miso paste.
OR
½ to 1 level tablespoon of one of the following:
Full fat natural yoghurt or kefir, bone broth, plain scrambled egg, fermented vegetables (no chilli or garlic), or canned sardines or mackerel (in spring water).
Directions
- Gently pan-fry the diced meat with 50 mL water until cooked.
Omit this step if you would prefer to use raw meat. - Steam or microwave the chopped vegetables until very soft.
- Cook any grains (if using) until very soft, as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Combine the meat (including liquid from pan), cooked vegetables, fruit, kale/seeds/mushrooms, and oils, and mix well.
- Allow to cool then add 12 grams of CompleteMe Hepatic Canine and mix again.
- Portion and refrigerate, or freeze as desired.
Storage and safety
For homemade diets only
Do not add to any commercial dog food, or use with any other nutritional supplements (containing vitamins and/or minerals).
Raw feeding safety
For raw meat, freeze for 10 days before use to destroy parasites like Toxoplasma. In areas with Trichinella, please freeze pork for 3 weeks before use.
Storage and feeding
Larger batches can be made and frozen for convenience. Keep refrigerated food for 3 days, and frozen food for 3-4 months. Please discard any uneaten food after 30 minutes.
Feeding guidelines
Toy/mini breeds (<5 kg): 150-400 g/day
Small breeds (5-10 kg): 270-700 g/day
Medium breeds (10-25 kg): 600-1250 g/day
Large breeds (25-45 kg): 1100-2100 g/day
Giant breeds (45-80 kg): 1550-3500 g/day
Feeding quantities are estimates, and are based on fresh food which contains significantly higher moisture than dry food. The energy density of the diet will also change depending on the ingredients you select (lower fat = less energy dense = more food is needed).
Adjust up or down the amount of food based on your dog's size, body condition, age, and activity level.
If your dog gains unwanted weight, reduce the amount you are feeding by 10-15% and reweigh after a week. If they have unwanted weight loss, increase the amount you are feeding by 10-15% and reweigh after a week. Continue to adjust until the right amount of food is determined. Please consult with your dog's veterinarian as needed, especially if your dog is underweight or has progressive disease.
Learn how to quickly body condition score your dog here.
Nutritional information
Food made as per the instructions above is complete and balanced, and meets the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profile for maintenance in adult dogs.
It is not suitable for growth and should not be fed to puppies or reproducing females.
All possible combinations of the ingredients listed above have been checked to ensure that the diet contains moderate to high protein, moderate fat, controlled copper, and is enriched with fibre, antioxidants, and omega-3.
The average kcal/gram for the diet is: 1.2 kcal/gram
The average protein for the diet is:
104 g per 1000 kcal ME
49% dry matter basis
The average fat for the diet is:
42 g per 1000 kcal ME
21% dry matter basis
The average copper for the diet is:
1.3-2.1 mg per 1000 kcal ME
6.7-9 ppm dry matter basis
FAQs
What meat can I use?
A large number of meats and cuts can be used with CompleteMe Hepatic Canine. Variety is important; we strongly recommend feeding a range of different meat types and cuts. Try to include different textures as well, for example, chunks, small strips, mince, etc.
- Poultry:
Skinless and boneless chicken thigh or breast, mince (2-3% fat), gizzards, hearts (fat trimmed off)
Skinless and boneless turkey or duck breast - Pork:
Lean pork mince or diced pork loin with 5-10% fat, rump steak (trimmed) - Lamb, beef, goat, or venison:
Extra-lean diced lamb or goat meat (including heart or tongue) with 5-10% fat
Lean venison fillet, mince or steak (e.g. shoulder, backstrap, rump eye, leg steak)
Lean beef mince, gravy or chuck beef with 5-10% fat, blade, round or rump steak (fat trimmed off), eye fillet or topside roast or steak (fat trimmed off) - Game meat:
Lean kangaroo mince or steak with 2-3% fat
Wild or farmed boneless rabbit or hare meat
Emu, fan fillet or flat fillet (1-3% fat)
Wild boar backstrap, mince, boneless leg, or loin chops
Crocodile, leg or tail (2-4% fat) - Dairy
Low fat cottage cheese (2% fat)
Which vegetables are preferred for dogs with liver disease?
We recommend avoiding additional kale or mushrooms (other than what is specified in the Ingredients List above), as these are copper-rich ingredients.
For vegetables, try pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, carrot, zucchini, squash, spinach, chard, turnips, parsnips, watercress, Asian greens, tomato, capsicum or cabbage.
Both fresh and frozen vegetables are fine. We recommend steaming or microwaving for vegetables. Locally sourced, regeneratively farmed vegetables are a great choice, if possible, as they are both more delicious and more nutritious.
For fruit, try colourful antioxidant-rich choices like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwifruit, apple, mango, papaya, pineapple, pear, or melon.
Why do I have to add dried shiitake mushrooms, kale or sesame seeds?
We have included these ingredients as a source of copper in the diet. CompleteMe Hepatic Canine contains no added copper. We have therefore added food ingredients to provide just enough copper to meet the minimum requirement for an adult dog. Copper is an essential nutrient that is important for energy production, iron metabolism, and much more. For dogs with liver disease, we don't want the diet to contain excessive copper, but rather just enough to meet the body's needs.
How can I store the food?
This makes just over 1 kilogram of food, which can be portioned and fed immediately, or stored in the fridge (max 3 days) or freezer (max 3 months) until needed.
Can I use raw meat?
You can include the meat raw or cooked, depending on preference. For raw human-grade meat, be sure to freeze the meat for 10 days prior to use. For pork (in areas with Trichinella), freezing for 3 weeks prior to use is sensible. Please discuss raw-feeding with your dog's veterinarian; raw feeding is not suitable for all dogs or households.
My dog needs a low fat hepatic diet; which ingredients should I choose?
For a low fat diet, select leaner proteins. The following are the lowest fat combinations:
- Skinless and boneless turkey breast + pearled barley
17.4% fat on a caloric basis - Low-fat cottage cheese + pasta
18.5% fat on a caloric basis - Skinless and boneless white fish + couscous
18.9% fat on a caloric basis - Skinless and boneless chicken breast + white rice
21.5% fat on a caloric basis - Kangaroo mince + sweet potato
22.2% fat on a caloric basis
My dog has allergies, can I use novel proteins like emu or crocodile?
Yes, using novel proteins is fine. Please select proteins with 2-5% fat only. Some options could include:
Emu fan or flat fillet, or full rump
Crocodile tail or leg meat
Venison fillet, mince or steak
Wild boar shoulder (deboned) or mince
Lean diced boneless goat (visible fat trimmed off) or goat mince
Need to restock?
CompleteMe Hepatic Canine
CompleteMe Hepatic Canine contains essential nutrients, omega-3, fibre, and therapeutic compounds to create a balanced hepatic diet with controlled copper at home.
Formulated for the management of:
- Copper-associated liver disease
- Hepatic vascular anomalies like portosystemic shunts
- Hepatic encephalopathy secondary to shunts or liver disease
- Other liver diseases
For homemade diets only; not suitable for commercial diets. Suitable for raw or cooked diets, depending on preference.
Must be used with our simple feeding guides to create a therapeutic diet. Choose the ingredients you would like to use and add CompleteMe Hepatic Canine to ensure the diet is balanced and appropriate.
Both the product and feeding guides were developed by VNG's two Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists®, Dr Becca Leung and Dr Meredith Wall.