The Plan: Phase One

Fosse says Thank You to all of you for your sweet words of support.  He told me to tell you he feels fine.  He knew something was a little "off," but couldn't exactly say how.  We've learned that some of the symptoms associated with Mast Cell Tumors can be what I was observing, but those symptoms could also be from the seasonal weather changes that cause FD's nose to whistle from extra phlegm and pressure.  We're working to not overreact, under react, or worry.  We will manage everything we encounter with the same passion we live - we're a family, and everything is better when we are all together.

Attie tells Foster it's gonna be ok.

We're in it together.

Foster's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16th.  J & I will arrive with him at the veterinary surgeon's office between 7 & 8am.  The amount of time we will be there cannot yet be determined because Foster has not experienced surgery under our care, we can't know the extent of the tumor until surgery is underway, and we're not sure how Foster manages waking up from anesthetic.  We plan for him to be the Champ he is with everything, and we are planning to just camp out at the office and be with him every second he is not behind surgical doors.

This is one experience where The Pack will be separated.  I am feeling both uncomfortable and comfortable with this.  I'm used to doing everything together even if it's not exactly easy, but because my focus needs to be on Foster 100%, Luna and Atticus will stay at home.

In preparation for surgery, I am discontinuing some of Foster's daily supplements.  Vitamin C & Vitamin E can cause issues with surgical bleeding.  Fish oil and Glucosamine can as well, so none of that for a few days.  These supplements can help with healing, so he will be back on them after surgery and we'll treat his wound with aloe and arnica.

Before Foster's diagnosis I had begun reconsidering The Pack's nutrition.  With commercial food recalls, and my memories of healing Satchel and Koko with home cooking, I looked to my books and notes and started thinking.  When we were healing Satchel from cancer and cancer treatment, and healing Koko from colitis, they thrived on one particular recipe from Dr. Pitcairn's Guide and The Whole Pack enjoyed Dr. Pitcairn's Healthy Powder.  In my grief of letting go of Koko and Satchel, I think I just quit on Dr. Pitcairn, and the time consuming tasks of home cooking and making Healthy Powder, but I've found my way back to Healthy Powder and I'm finding my way back to home cooking.

Since I learned of Dr. Pitcairn, there are several more resources about what and how to feed your pets without purchasing commercially prepared foods.  Some resources are infinitely better than others, and the ones I'm choosing to follow follow the nutritional science of calories, percentages, and essential ingredients.  I'm not a veterinary nutritionist, so I don't feel comfortable telling you what is best for your dog, but here's what I'm recommitting to do for My Pack.

Follow the general rule of 15 calories per pound of ideal body weight.
This is how I am calculating how many calories each dog needs for each day.  They will get a few more calories through supplements, and a few more calories through the treats J gives them, but they will receive 15 calories per pound of ideal body weight as food.

At least 40% of their calories will come from animal protein.
Some resources will tell you dogs need 10-20% protein, others will tell you they need at least 50%, others will tell you they need nothing but protein.  I'm going with 40%, and I'll see how they do.  I am also going to give some variety and I'm choosing roasted chicken, the gizzards from the roasted chicken, ground beef, sardines and eggs.

Calcium supplement.
From my research, a balance of calcium and phosphorus is the most overlooked nutritional component in raw food and home cooked diets for dogs.  Humans have 206 bones.  Dogs have 319 bones.  They need a lot of calcium.  A few times per week, My Pack will receive a sprinkle of pulverized egg shells over their food.  I'm working on understanding how much calcium they will receive through sardines and spinach to figure out the amount.

The other 60% of their calories is something I'm still working out.  Some resources tell you dogs do not need carbohydrates, others remind you that it is the dog's ability to adapt to the starchy diets of humans that aided in their domestication.  I know The Pack likes rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, carrots, green beans, and a few other vegetables, but I haven't worked out the breakdown yet.  For them to be able to process the nutrients, vegetables have to be cooked, but not super cooked.  Steamed, still crunchy, just like we like them!

Supplements.
For years, The Pack in all its forms has received acidophilus, fish oil, glucosamine, Vit E, and Vit C.  Luna receives a special Joint Powder I buy which has glucosamine and quercetin and some other joint support ingredients.  For the last month, everyone has been receiving Healthy Powder again which is made from Brewer's Yeast, Lecithin, Bone Meal and Sea Kelp, and since the Tick Protection Plan has been in place, they've been receiving granulated garlic (Foster Dog does not like the garlic, at all, so he's not eating that one.).  My house doesn't always smell good, but my dogs look and feel good!  I read that Selenium helps with cancer, so I'm going to add that one.

With all this nutrition, how have any of my dogs developed cancer?  Cancer is a tricky tricky thing.  We don't know how to cure it in all its forms, and we don't know all its reasons for developing, but nutrition is beneficial for more than just avoiding or healing from cancer.  To me, food is the most basic, the most primal, gift I can give to My Pack.  I'm going to provide the highest quality, most nutritionally sound, diet I can afford.  The End.