Beauty Without Cruelty

Veg Food and Aids for Dogs and Cats

Dogs can adjust to a vegetarian diet quite easily, particularly if they begin on such a diet as puppies. In addition to the following recipes, they can be fed items such as bread, roti, grains, rice, pasta, porridge, lentils/beans, pulses/dals, milk, curd, cheese, paneer, tofu, rusks, corn, beetroot, carrots, potatoes, apples, bananas, etc.

Cats can also be kept vegetarian. They can be given the same food as dogs. Supplements
such as Marmite (to be mixed in their food), Threptin biscuits, Veg Pedigree pellets, Complan and non-animal origin Taurine powder are more important in a cat’s diet as compared to a
dog’s diet.

Do not feed them chocolate, almonds or tomatoes.

We give below a couple of basic recipes for home and shelter animals.

Vegetarian Dog Biscuits

The following recipe was specially formulated for BWC by the Protein Foods & Nutrition Development Association of India:

Ingredients
480 grams de-fatted Soy bean flour
160 grams Wheat/gehu flour
160 grams Millet/bajra flour
160 grams Maize/makai flour
20 grams edible Oil 10 grams skimmed Milk powder
5 grams dried Yeast powder
5 grams Salt

Method
The mix may be cooked with sufficient water and made into small chunks or rolled out into chapattis and
baked as biscuits.

Khichadi with Soy Chunks

For one dog

Ingredients
200 grams Rice
100 grams Moong dal
125 grams Soy chunks
1 Carrot, Cauliflower, Onion (all optional)
1 teaspoon whole Barley (optional in summer)
Salt

Method
In about 1½ litres of water cook the above for about 30 minutes.

Nutritious Broth with Rice or Rotis

For approximately 40 dogs

Ingredients
Vegetables like Carrots, Spinach/Palak saag, French beans, Potatoes or Cabbage
4 - 5 tablespoons Mustard oil
500 grams chopped Onions
100 grams chopped Garlic
3 - 4 tablespoons Turmeric/Haldi powder
Salt

Method
Heat the oil for 10 minutes. Add the cut onion and garlic and stir till very light brown. Add the cut vegetables and slow fry for 10 minutes, after adding the turmeric/haldi powder. Add salt. Add 4-5 litres of water, cover the lid, and allow it to cook till vegetables are tender and soup looks presentable. Keep it aside.

Note: The base of the tadka, i.e., the mustard oil, garlic, onion, salt, turmeric/haldi, is mandatory. So are the potatoes.

Khichadi or atte ki roti is added to the above soup, which is mixed well, and then distributed to the dogs in their individual dishes, ensuring that there is enough soup for easy mastication.

Khichadi: 2 kilograms rice and 2 kilograms moong daal or chana daal (both are pulses) are boiled in water with some salt and turmeric/haldi to a soft semi-dry consistency.

Atte ki roti: These are flat ‘bread’ made of wheat/gehu flour and cooked over fire on top of a flat saucepan-like utensil. Approximately between 80 to 100 rotis are cooked for one meal and broken into pieces and mixed into the vegetable soup, again ensuring that there is enough soup for easy mastication.

Either of the two is used in the soup to add variety to the food.

Diwali Crackers

Bach Flower remedies are known to help dogs cope with the loud frightening sounds of Diwali crackers. Available in pills and drops at some Homeopathy outlets, irrespective of the size of the dog, but depending on how frightened the dog gets, 1, 2 or 3 drops/pills of each of the following should be administered together, with or without water, no more than 3 to 5 times in 24 hours:

• Rescue Remedy

• Star of Bethlehem

• Mimulus

In severe cases it is best to begin giving 1 dose per day when Navratri begins and increase gradually – may be 2 doses a day from Dassera onwards depending on the number of crackers expected to be burst in the area.

Another precaution that could be easily taken is to keep dogs indoors but not alone in a room, and make them wear doggie ear-plugs or ear-muffs. Even a scarf would help if suitably tied.

Tick Repellent

20 drops lemongrass essential oil

20 drops eucalyptus essential oil

4 tablespoons water

Mix together and shake well each time before use.

Mange Cure

For external use

120 grams Sulphur Sublime powder

30 grams Pix Liquida I.P.

40 drops Eucalyptus Oil

500 grams Sesame Oil

Powder Sulphur fine.

Mix in Sesame Oil using mortar and pestle.

Pour in bottle Pix Liquida and Eucalyptus Oil.

Sake thoroughly.

Rub against coat of dog once a day.

For internal use

250 grams Sulphur Sublime powder I.P.

250 grams Calcium Gluconate powder I.P.

Mix together till fine. Keep dry in bottle.

Administer 1 level teaspoon by mixing into feed twice a day. (This quantity is for a small sized dog, big ones should be given double the quantity.)

Page last updated on 17/05/13