McCosker - Pet Cookbook

Im a devoted Mum to three beautiful boys, trying my hardest to raise thoughtful, kind, clever and healthy kids. To do this, my husband and I have surrounded them with pets. Animals that love them, and that they love in return.

We, like 8 million others in Australia, have pets. Im a Fur-Mama and I truly believe that pets are a lesson in life. They require walks and water, play time and sleep time, love and attention, washing, brushing, shelter and nourishment to give them the best chance at a long, happy and healthy life.

Just as cooking for family and friends is rewarding, so to it is when you cook delicious, healthy, homemade meals for your pets. No additives, no preservatives and no numbers. At home, we know exactly the ingredients that make their meals and nourish them. Home cooked foods are economical and allow us to cater for the different nutritional needs our many varied pets may have. Weve had our beautiful Cavoodle, Johnny for over 8 years and he loves chicken jerky, but at $30/kg its expensive when you compare chicken breast at $9.99/kg and the simplicity of making your own.

It is my hope that the information and recipes within inspire you to cook delicious, nutritious food for your pets. They will absolutely love your efforts, their tail will wag continually, they will purr contentedly, their eyes will glaze with admiration and thanks and just as you feel like Mother Earth when you make something your children gobble up, so you will, when your pets do to.

Happy Cooking

I am not a veterinarian, nor a nutritionist, in fact, I did a degree in International Finance at university.

But I write cook books; simple, easy, practical cookbooks and as a family who have had the sweetest dog for 8 years, a Guinea pig for 3 years and three goldfish just about to turn 1. They arent just our pets; they are our family.

Over the years, our extended family has been varied, chickens, cats and for a brief moment even a mouse. We have forged a great relationship with our vet and, with a good dose of common sense, have managed to raise happy healthy animals. With my boys, we regularly make treats and dinners for our pets and its only natural to extend these recipes to families looking for homemade alternatives by sharing our pet cookbook.

This is a summary of those simple recipes and should be considered a guide, not gospel.

Use this book logically, if for eg., your dog has allergies or other health issues, if it is a show dog, work dog, or breeding dog then dietary requirements will vary. Please consult your veterinarian with any concerns and enjoy PET COOKBOOK for what it is - a simple, practical guide.

I worked on this book for over a year. Initial research was confusing, as there are many conflicting reports and opinions, one expert telling you something is OK, while the very next tells you why it is wrong. Theres a lot of varying opinions when it comes to animal nutrition.

Looking for basic guidelines, I rang the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) and spoke to their National Marketing Manager who guided me to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and their Global Veterinary Development Nutritional Assessment Guidelines. Although this offers no specific advice on which foods to give which animals and is written for veterinarians, it provides good guidelines to assess the nutritional health of your pet.

WSAVA Global Veterinary Development

The WSAVA has developed a global initiative to standardize five vital signs as part of a routine physical check-up and the overall health for all small animals.

These are:

1. Temperature

2. Pulse

3. Respirations

4. Pain assessment

5. Nutrition assessment.

Good nutrition enhances our pets quality and quantity of life and incorporating it into regular pet care is critical for maintaining their health, as well as their response to disease and injury.

It is imperative to work with a veterinarian to determine if current amounts and types of food are appropriate, based on our pets life stage, lifestyle and level of activity, disease, body condition and medications.

If diet factors are determined to be inadequate, together, prepare a plan for food and treats that provide appropriate calories and nutrient content for the longest, happiest life possible for our beloved pets.

The following is a list of ingredients in the recipes that comprise this cookbook. NOTE: I do not own all of these at any one time, I simply buy them when required, knowing they are not harmful to my pets. Naturally every pet is different, please use as a practical guide, and consult your veterinarian with any concerns.

DOGS

Apple

Bacon, nitrate free

Banana

Beef stock

Boneless fish fillets

Brown rice

Salmon

Cannellini beans

Cottage cheese

Chicken; breast, thigh, mince

Beans

Broccoli

Coconut oil

Carrots

Cheese

Mint

Eggs

Flaxseed, ground

Kale

Kidney beans

Mince (lean beef, chicken or turkey)

Milk

Natural peanut butter

Natural yoghurt

Rolled oats

Omega 3 or 6 oil (flaxseed or fish)

Parmesan cheese

Parsley

Pork, mince

Quality dry dog food

Spinach

Sweet potato

Raw honey

Tuna

Wholemeal flour

CATS

Salmon, boneless

Brown rice

Blueberries

Broccoli

Cheddar cheese

Chicken breast

Chicken liver

Chicken stock

Cottage cheese

Eggs

Fish sauce

Green beans

Liver

Natural yoghurt

Mince (lean beef, chicken or turkey)

Mint

Polenta

Powdered milk

Spinach

Rolled oats

Oil olive / vegetable / cod

Parmesan cheese

Parsley

Sardines, canned in oil

Tuna, canned

Wholemeal flour

GUINEA PIGS

Apple

Asian greens

Broccoli

Capsicum

Carrots

Citrus

Grapes

Grass hay

Green beans

Green leafy vegetables

Cucumber

Raw honey

Kiwi fruit

Olive oil

Rolled oats

Parsley

Quality guinea pig pellets

Sweet potato

Zucchini

BIRDS & CHICKENS

Apple

Banana

Berries

Bird seed

Broccoli

Brown rice

Carrots

Desiccated coconut

Dried figs

Grapes

Green leafy vegetables

Legumes

Natural peanut butter

Nuts, raw

Oranges

Rolled oats

Polenta

Pawpaw

Pumpkin

Quinoa

Raisins

Raw almonds

Sprouts

Sweet potato

Wheatgerm

Wholegrain bread

Yes allergies in pets do exist, in fact food allergies can appear in animals at any age. A lot of the common offenders are the most common ingredients in both dog and cat foods. This correlation is not a coincidence. While some proteins might be slightly more antigenic than others, many proteins are similar in form and the incidence of allergic reactions are probably associated with the amount of exposure. Just like humans, it can often take some detective work to determine what food is causing an animals allergic reaction. An elimination diet will most probably be used to determine what food a pet is allergic to.