Cardiac / Heart
Designed for dogs living with chronic heart disease — including mitral valve disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, or congestive heart failure. Lean turkey and brown rice keep saturated fat in check while delivering complete animal protein. Added taurine and L-carnitine support the heart muscle's energy metabolism, and high doses of fish oil help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of irregular heart rhythms. The sodium level is moderate — appropriate for most stable cardiac patients, but speak with your vet or cardiologist about whether stricter restriction is needed.
Daily ingredients
Quantities scaled for 11 lb (5 kg).
- 120gground turkey, 7% fat (raw weight) · ~4.2 oz
- 25gcarrots, cooked and sliced (raw-trimmed weight) · ~0.21 cup
- 17gbrown rice, measured dry then cooked · ~0.64 oz
- 16gblueberries, fresh · ~0.11 cup
- ½tspfish oil (added after cooking)(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
- ⅛tsplite-salt mixture (potassium-containing)(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
- 1/16tspL-carnitine powder (~4 g per tsp)(rounded up to nearest 1/16)
- 1/16tsptaurine powder (NOW Foods or similar)(rounded up to nearest 1/16)
- ¼scoopiViBlend(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
- ¼tspCalgae(rounded up to nearest ⅛)
Notes & guidance
- · Provides ~34% of energy from protein, ~40% from fat, and ~26% from carbohydrate.
- · Sodium is moderate — appropriate for MMVD Stage B2–C and stable CHF on diuretics. Refractory/Stage D may require stricter restriction.
- · L-carnitine supports β-oxidation in the myocardium; an accepted adjunct in DCM and predisposed breeds (Boxer, Cocker Spaniel).
- · Supplemental taurine is relevant for taurine-responsive DCM.
- · Magnesium and potassium support myocardial excitability — especially important on loop diuretics.
Feeding instructions
- 1Cook the turkey thoroughly — bake or sauté until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- 2Cook the rice and carrots until soft. Blueberries do not need to be cooked.
- 3Mix the daily portion together with the supplements in one batch, then divide across two meals.
- 4Add fish oil, iViBlend, Calgae, L-carnitine, and taurine AFTER cooling — do not heat.
- 5Refrigerate up to 3 days, or portion and freeze for up to 2 months.
- 6Pair with cardiology-directed therapy (pimobendan, ACE-I, diuretics) and monitor renal values and electrolytes.
- 7Recheck whole-blood and plasma taurine at 8–12 weeks in DCM patients; adjust supplemental taurine accordingly.
Important — please read
Use only under the direction of a veterinarian or veterinary cardiologist. Sodium and protein needs vary with disease stage, concurrent renal disease, and diuretic therapy — re-formulate as the clinical picture changes.
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