I Just Love Being a Short-Order Cook for DAWGs!

The recent dog food scare has made us worry about our doggies. One of them, MarkyBear, started throwing up, and continued to do so, off and on, for about two weeks, which threw us into a panic. The dog food that they had recalled was sitting, not only in our kitchen, but actually in our fur babies' food bowls. Then,I usually share my people food with them; whatever I have extra. When I heard about the recalls, I tossed out all their dog food, canned and dried, and began cooking for them. Actually, I think that's when MarkyBear's vomitting became regular. Gosh, what does that say about my cooking?! I can't even cook for a dog. or. My cooking is so bad, even the dog can't hold it down.

With all the hype on tv, I still wasn't sure his vomitting wasn't from what he'd eaten a few weeks ago; but then the other dogs didn't seem to be affected. No matter, I took him to the Vet yesterday. After an expensive checkup, his bloodwork showed that he has pancreatitis, which was caused by my feeding him the 'people food' I had been cooking him, in a effort to avoid feeding him tainted dog food. After several hundred dollars of vet bills and a twenty dollar bag of special diet dog food we felt we were doing the right thing by our boys. Just now ...tonight on the news I heard that they are extending the recall to dry dog food, but not everyone need worry, because it can only be purchased at their veterinary...and not only that, the very brand name is the one on the bag of dog food I had dragged home yesterday.

I had to laugh tonight, myself being a 'Celiac'...a person allergic to wheat gluten, and having to avoid it in everything I eat. I belong to a support group, which monitors wheat/gluten in foods sold commercially, because it's in practically everything. It's the flour bread is made from (how many things are made from flour???), it's some grain vinegars, it's even in some soft drinks (why???). The news anchor, who was announcing the dog food recalls tonight said that the trouble wasn't caused by rat poison this time, but that wheat gluten was the main problem in the lastest recalls. She looked kind of worried as she said that wheat gluten might have gotten into some foods for human consumption. Duh.

So, here I am tonight 'googling' dog food recipes that people regularly make their dogs. There are tons of recipes...doggie casseroles and dog biscuits, etc. I'm looking for recipes that will be gentle to their tummies and pancreas-sus. It's been a calamity of errors but we think we are finally on the right track, let's hope so. If any of you other "doggy people" have any ideas, please let us know.

P.S. I called yesterday morning and learned that the dog food I picked up at the Vet's was safe. It was the Cat food that had been recalled...so far. I checked out the ingredients in the stuff I bought, and there's no wheat in it at all; just corn and rice, chicken, and stuff like that. How are you folks making out with feeding your poochies and kitties?