My friend’s dog Leyla suddenly had a kidney failure 2 weeks ago. I helped to take her to the vet and they barely saved her. Leyla is feeling better now but I simply had to share the recipe we got from the vet. This simple chicken and rice meal is the best food for sick dogs and really helps them on their way back to full health.
If you think about it, chicken soup has been used for a long time to soothe upset stomach among people. It also works for dogs in all cases when they are feeling under the weather. This is a simple protein soup and starch mixture that will protect your dog’s digestive tract while their body is fighting off the illness.
Tips for cooking and using chicken and rice for sick dogs
Tip #1Use white meat only:
I am not sure about the science behind this tip, but most veterinarians will recommend cooking the white meat (breasts) of the chicken when your dog is ill. According to vets, this is considered to be a cleaner part of the chicken and also easier to digest.
Tip #2 Feed your dog the proper amount of chicken and rice
When it comes to dog diet, the golden rule is 1 cup of prepared and balanced ingredients per 20 lb per meal. This brings us to 2 cups per day for a 20 lb dog, or 4 cups for a 40 lb dog. In this case you will want to spread the portions throughout the day. So measure 2 cups for a 40 lb dog in the morning and give them ½ of a cup every 4 hours.
Tip #3 Do not add other ingredients
You might be tempted to add some other ingredients in the meal or give your pup some extra snacks but try not to do that while they’re sick. Their body would use up extra energy to digest extra food which is not a smart move when they’re trying to heal. Also if your dog is vomiting pause feeding them for 2-3 hours and give them fresh water instead.
Tip #4 The length of plain best food for sick dogs – chicken and rice diet
This is something you will need to discuss with your veterinarian, but in general it takes dogs 2-7 days to spring back to health.
Tip #5 Other meals to feed your sick dog
I always recommend consulting the vet anytime you decide to change something in your dogs life, but I though I should include some light meals that most vets will agree with:
– Bone Soup works great for sick dogs, especially when they seem to weak to eat. Simply boil some bones in water for 2-3 hours and you’ve got yourself a delicious stew that most dogs can’t resist.
– Pumpkin Puree is another healthy meal for dogs that won’t disturb their digestive tract and will give them plenty of nutrition.
– Baby Food is a great meal for sick dogs (and people that don’t have time to cook), just make sure it doesn’t contain ingredients that are toxic to dogs like garlic, onions, chocolate…
- 1 lb (900g ) Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 2 lb (4 cups) cooked rice
- 12 cups of water (to boil the rice)
Step 1.
First you will have to prepare the rice. Place it in a bowl and wash it in 3-4 waters to remove any debris. Then soak for 30 minutes in the last water.
Step 2.
Place a saucepan filled with 12 cups of the water over heat and bring to light boil. Add the rice and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and leave covered to cool down.
Step 3.
Cook the chicken on the same stove. Place the breasts in a saucepan and fill with water until it covers the chicken. Boil for 20-30 minutes then remove from heat and discard the water.
Step 4.
Wait for the chicken to cool down the shred it and add it to the rice saucepan. Mix well.
Step 5.
You should have 6 cups of this Chicken and Rice mix which is enough for a 40 lb dog for 3 days. You can freeze the rest for later but it is recommended to only feed your dog fresh food when they are sick.
Bon appétit!
