I began whipping up delicious no-bake treats for dogs at the beginning of the year. That’s when my raw-fed pup Missy was re-diagnosed with cancer.
That said, she’s been on a low carb, high fat, and high protein diet from Darwin’s Natural Pet for several months now.
At this point, the cancer is spreading too quickly to stop it, so the diet helps with end of life support. It was recommended by our homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Charles Loops.
As far as treats are concerned, I continue to spoil her with single ingredient, air-dried goodies from Real Dog (formerly Real Pet Food). They’re a monthly subscription box we’ve been getting since May 2016.
Missy’s also eating Vital Essentials‘ green tripe nibs and Plato‘s Salmon treats.
Since Missy loves treats (that’s an understatement!), not having any at home is not an option.
S O whenever I’m out of the store-bought ones I just mentioned, I whip up some extra special treats for her in my kitchen. They don’t require any baking and align with her cancer specific nutrition protocol.
Side Note: My little girlie girl got her wings 4 days ago. She suffered through several seizures and didn’t recover from them.
It’s hard to finish and press the publish button on this recipe post, but Missy enjoyed these treats. I wrote most of the post with her lounging next to me a few days before she left for the rainbow bridge.
She would have wanted me to finish it so that other pups challenged by cancer could enjoy a tasty treat that’s good for them.
So here it goes.
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
The 3 Ingredients I Used For Missy’s Treats
I only used 3 ingredients for these treats and bought everything at my local grocery store:
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
The shiitake mushrooms were fresh, sliced ones, and the broccoli and brussels sprouts were frozen.
How To Make The No-Bake Treats For Dogs
I made Missy’s treats in 4 easy steps:
- Boiled the veggies for a few minutes
- Transferred the boiled veggies into my food processor and puréed them
- Filled an ice cube tray with the veggie purée
- Put the ice cube tray into the freezer
You’ll want to let it sit in the freezer for at least a few hours before you’ll be able to “harvest” the frozen treats.
Missy always gets to sample a little purée before I transfer it into the ice cube tray, and she’s also allowed to pre-rinse the bowl if you know what I mean.
Did you know? Dogs lack the enzyme that’s needed to break down plant cell walls. So in order to be able to properly absorb veggies & fruits, we have to break their cell walls down for them by puréeing and/or lightly steaming it.
Why These Treats Are Great For Dogs With Cancer
The ingredients of these dog cancer treats are particularly valuable for dogs challenged by cancer and come recommended by homeopathic veterinarians.
Broccoli and brussels sprouts are cruciferous vegetables. They’re rich in vitamin C, fiber, nutrients & phytochemicals that help in cancer prevention.
Shiitake mushrooms fight cancerous cells and boost brain function.
They’re all low carb, non-starchy vegetables that fight inflammation and that cancerous cells don’t thrive on. Cancer THRIVES on carbs!
How To Feed The No-Bake Treats
You can serve the treats in a few different ways. The most obvious one would be to offer them whole as a refreshing treat in-between meals. I would also give Missy some after she experienced a seizure. I felt that it helped in cooling her off a little.
If you have a smaller dog than Missy, you could transfer the veggie purée into a smaller ice cube tray or cookie mold than the one I used. That way they’d be easier to eat.
If your pup has weak teeth, you could take out a treat from the freezer and let it sit in the fridge. That way, it can soften a little.
If you feed raw dog food or a homemade diet, you could also serve the treat with your dog’s food. I top Missy’s raw meals off with a frozen treat and pour warm water over it, then mix it in with her meal.
Bottom Line
These no-bake treats for dogs are made of 3 low cost, non-starchy, limited ingredients that sport anti-inflammatory properties.
Even if you don’t have them on hand, you can easily get them at your local grocery store.
They’re a great alternative to store-bought, limited ingredient treats that you can feel good about offering your doggie cancer patient.
Related Reading:
Dog seizures, symptoms, and treatments: How I handle them
K9 Cancer Supplements suggested by our homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Charles Loops
Join the K9sOverCoffee Community today! Get your free raw dog food recipe, excerpted from “20 Raw Meals for Dogs”!
