Natural Animal Care - High Calcium Chicken Broth

This is not the topic I intended to post for today but I haven't had a chance to accomplish much this week.

Our pup, Ladvarian, hasn't been feeling so wonderful. Sunday night he was coughing through the night and Monday afternoon running a doggie fever at 103.5 (normal temp for a dog is 101 to 102.5). His temp was normal by the evening but I was still worried (really freaked out in reality). It could be allergies, a cold (like kennel cough he could have picked up at the dog park) or something worse like distemper (though he was vaccinated so that lessons the chance of that greatly) we don't know yet and I am hating this. This has been a really hard week for me.

We feed our animals a raw food diet and fast them from time to time, usually a liquid fast. When a cat or dog isn't feeling well this can really improve the situation. We found with our cats that 'Anitra Frazier's High-Calcium Chicken Broth' found in her book The New Natural Cat: A Complete Guide for Finicky Owners works wonders on the furrballs when they aren't feeling up to par. So we made a batch the other night. Unfortunately there are no pics as I wasn't really thinking clearly, I was just in "mama must make pup better" mode. The Broth is also a good way for me to get the ascorbic acid crystals (vitamin C) into pup's system and that is extremely important.

I want to share the recipe in case anyone finds themselves needing this though it doesn't have to be just because the animals sick, it's healthy to fast them from time to time anyway and this is also a healthy "treat". It does take some time and effort but I swear to you it's totally worth it!

Anitra Frazier's High-Calcium Chicken Broth

 Your own homemade chicken broth will be full of calcium and nutrients. Here's how to make it:

• 2 to 3 lbs. chicken (I prefer thighs)
• 1 lb. chicken necks and backs
• water to cover
• 1/4 cup tomato juice (not V8 juice)

Put all chicken into a soup pot large enough so the chicken fills the pot only halfway.  Cover with water until water is one to two inches above the chicken.  Cover the pot loosely (tip the lid).  Bring to a low simmer.  Simmer three to five hours, occasionally breaking up the chicken and adding more water if necessary.  During the last hour remove the lid and let the water cook down until the chicken is barely covered.  Broth is now deliciously strong.  Pour off broth, cool to room temperature, and then store in refrigerator.

While the broth is cooling, pour enough cold water over the chicken left in the pot to cover.  then let it cool some more until it's cool enough for you to be able to touch.  With your hands, knead, squeeze, and stir the chicken around in the water to get all the good out of the meat and into the water.  The water will begin to look milky.  Finally, take the handfuls of chicken meat, wring out the liquid into the pot, and throw the meat away.  (The hours of simmering have succeeded in transferring the usable nutrition from the meat into the broth.  What little nutrition is left in the meat at this point would be largely indigestible.)  Leave the bones and the broth behind in the pot.

Pour this broth off and store it with the first batch of broth. Transfer the bones into a smaller pot.  Crack them up so they form a fairly compact mass in the bottom of the pan.  Cover the bones with water and add the one fourth cup tomato juice.  Simmer one half to one hour.

Pour off this broth, again combining it with the other broth.  Throw the bones away.  Store about two cups of the broth in a jar in the refrigerator, store the rest in the freezer in pint size covered freezer containers to be thawed as needed.  To thaw, stand the container in a bowl of hot water.


Chicken Super Soup
 
Here's how to make your homemade chicken broth even more nutritious. Combine the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup High-Calcium Chicken Broth
• 1/16 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals (250 units of vitamin C)
• 1/2 teaspoon food yeast (flaked, brewer's or torula)
• 1/16 teaspoon feline digestive enzymes

Last night completed the fast as his temperature has been normal these last few days. This morning I started transitioning all the boys (as the cats fasted with him) back to their normal food. I am still waiting to see how it goes though the amount of coughing has been decreasing each day and today he is FULL of energy!

In case you are wondering why I haven't taken him to the vet, its a personal choice. There is nothing a vet can do for any of the likely culprits and I feel secure at this point taking care of him at home (I have lots of home vet experience with other animals, though this is the first time with a dog). I have also been in constant contact with someone who does know dogs health very well and it seems I am doing all that can be done. If his fever come back, symptoms worsen or change alot I will take him immediately to the vet!

Quick Disclaimer: I am NOT a vet or an expert at animal health and/or nutrition. I share what I personally do with my animals based in part on the fact that I know my own animals very well and am comfortable handling their health concerns if they are not major. Please take your animal to the vet if you are even the least bit unsure what is going on. Better safe than sorry! Oh yeah, and I am not responsible for anything that may happen as a result of you trying this.