Just when you thought you had heard enough about the dogs ... think again

Considering Etta Mae's "undiagnosed" diagnosis ... I decided it was best to cook for my canine cushiniod (i.e. cocker spaniel with Cushings Disease), so with the patience and help of my dear friend and canine nutrition/diet formulator extraordinare, Teri, Project Feed EMJ began this weekend. 800 spreadsheets later a few recipes emerged balanced exactly for her, her heart and her failing kidneys ... with the help a few key supplements. YAY! In the process, Teri used the word 'anal' in an email to me and basically told me to just feed the damn dog. I think she was tired of analyzing and reanalyzing my on whim ingredient changes and irrational need to add blueberries to the recipes (Teri won, we are blueberry free, and until the end of October, cranberry free as well).

So tonight, with the patience of Steve and 6 dogs, I decided to use my Martha know how, Teri's spreadsheets and the desire to 'fix' my ole girl and turn my kitchen into a culinary casita for canines ...

The result, 18 baggies of mush! Well, to be fair, of what looks like mush but is really a combination of free range meats, organic whole grains and a medley of yummy fruits and veggies .. all that will work together to keep EMJ's kidneys from working so hard and keep that Cushings tummy (the one that causes her to hunt food 24/7) full and satisfied.

I'm doing all this to in hope that this girl who is so full of spirit will also be able to be filled with vigorous life and a long life that isn't full of peeing and searching for food, or attacking a helpless pig for his food ... I fear without intervention she may one day realize he is food, but alas another problem we are working to prevent.



The bag of gourmet mush - one day's worth of delightful dining for EMJ!!! This day is a Moroccan delight - Turkey and Coucous ala Cocker





The dirty dishes to prove I did
it all by myself and trust me I have the dish pan hands to prove I
washed them too ... hello manicure where are you?







Some photos of EMJ so you can see where her hair is not growing. If my plan for holistic health fails can anyone recommend a good hairdresser that can provide her with a weave or some extensions? It's particularly bad near her collar. Some people, I won't mention names Stephanie, call her 'warty' ... how rude! We're gonna fix that - just remember Stephanie, don't cry when we won't pet your warty backside ...

Excuse me! Can we stop talking about food and give me some!!
The Cushings makes me this way ... (yeah, that's my excuse too!)

Now as if the above information wasn't enough to make you worry about us, get this ... EMJ is her mama's dog .. a pill popper at best! I thought we'd have a hard time getting some of her supplements in her, as once she spit a pill at me, aiming for my face ... not so my pill loving girl ate a human adult multi vitamin, 1/2 of a b complex and an Udo's 3-6-9 EFA pill as if they were chocolate coated Xanax ... makes you love her even more now right ... if only she had a glass of box wine to wash it down with. Brings a tear to my eye ...

In conclusion - love your dog or kennel of dogs! and if you decide to cook for them, do it right, plan it out and spend a few hours with an excel spreadsheet and some USDA nutrient data information ... some chicken, rice and Veg-all does not a complete diet make!



Tomorrow ... me as Sarah Palin. Stay tuned, it's worth a chuckle or 600!!!