the princess joined us in January 2001 when she was just 8 weeks old :) in the beginning, we fed her processed commercial dog "food" (kibble) and her first year was filled with never ending rashes and ear infections. her old vet would constantly prescribe antibiotic drugs and ointments and even talked us into putting her under general anesthesia to get her ears cleaned when she had a really bad ear infection! when i think about it now, his horrible treatment really pisses me off!!! anywho...
after a year of watching her suffer and not having confidence in her first veterinarian, i decided to take matters into my own hands. i found a new vet (Dr Lissa Kam at Ohana Veterinary Hospital -- she's awesome!) and conducted extensive research online (gotta love the www) to figure out how to remedy her health problems. this is when i discovered Dr Ihor Basko, a holistic veterinarian based in Kauai. Dr Basko is the BEST and i can honestly say that it was the best $500 (i think that's what it cost us although really, his recommendations were priceless) we have ever spent.
prior to seeing Dr Basko, jasmyn was eating human-grade chicken breast and rice as we thought this would be better than kibble. after a thorough examination and blood work, Dr Basko recommended a major dietary overhaul. he concocted an individualized meal plan for her and advised us on all foods to avoid (including flour, rice, wheat, corn, chicken, and many more). he also gave us a shampoo recipe to help her with her skin. within one week of making these changes, her skin cleared up and she never had another ear infection for years! we are sooooo thankful for Dr Basko!
the princess eats her special stew twice a day. her daily snacks consist of fresh fruits and vegetables. her favorites are carrots, raw sweet potato, romaine lettuce and papayas. i also give her boiled eggs. the ONLY processed foods that she eats are string cheese and soft serve ice cream from Dairy Queen on special occasions. she hasn't touched a dog biscuit or treat in about 8 or 9 years!
btw, when we stopped giving jasmyn processed food, we also stopped using topical flea poisons medicines as they are very taxing on the liver. i never felt right putting the medicine on her back after reading the special warning label for humans on the package (why is it okay to apply it to your pet's skin but not your own?!!). right now, we really don't use anything special for fleas and ticks...i think the garlic and ginger in her food helps repel them. from time to time, if i suspect a flea infestation in the neighborhood, i'll spray her coat with an all-natural essential oil spray.
this is how i make the princess' special stew:
Step 1 - Add cubed pork, celery, garlic and ginger to a pot of boiling water. Cook on low for 30 minutes. I only use fresh island pork, free of hormones and all that other bad stuff.
Step 2 - Add sweet potato, ground pork, millet, and pork liver. Cook for 30 minutes.
Step 3 - Add veggies. I always use broccoli and bok choy and sometimes add spinach. Heat on low for 1 hour.
Voila! The finished product.
Lastly, portion into 1/2 cup containers and freeze. A huge pot will usually feed her for about one month.
Now if only the mister and I ate as healthy as the dog :)
loooove that pic of princess jazzy! so cute!
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