Henry's Friends and Food

Jan 25, 2026

CONDITION: VERY GOOD 50% activity level when compared to other dogs his size and age.

HABITUS: Well-nourished, boney prominences felt.

MUSCULOSKELETAL: Rear limbs are 0/4 with the exception on 2 attempts 1/4! Henry’s rear legs are still only touchpoints when he stands. If he is eating (raised dishes) he still will tend to ‘tip’ forward because of his lack of rear limb muscle tone. Until now, Henry only would stretch with a “downward dog”; Henry will now - albeit rarely - stretch out his rear limbs. Also, his rear legs still tremble and shake. Henry still straddles a plant to wet, but did lift his rear leg twice.

GAIT: No nail scuffing. Henry still has frequent “flop downs,” but his recovery is quicker!

RESPIRATION: Can rest with no lip flewing, nasal breathing only.

CARDIAC: Rate and rhythm are more normal. When his heart rate is rapid, it is rarely pounding.

PLAY: Henry played with a squeak ball for the very first time! He can be anxious with other dogs that behave as dogs do; his best pals are Mr. Bones & Kaos.

ANXIETY: Henry still has significant separation anxiety, so much that it is stressful for him and he requires a long recovery. We trialed a two-hour absence with Kaos staying over with Henry. Mr. Bones’ dad reported that Henry was still barking, but not to previous periods that his barking was interrupting the peace of the neighborhood. Harry has a “support kitten” and Henry has “support-dog” friends.

DIET/NUTRITION: Several weeks ago, Henry began a trial of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB). I feel that his increased recovery ability may be attributable to HMB. Dr. Timothy Visser, a Naturopathic Physician, confirmed the use of HMB as useful with muscle atrophy. Henry will continue the HMB supplement (without added creatine) and now Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) 400mg will be introduced.

The following recipe for Henry’s meals includes many required nutrients. He gets a large dollop of Greek yogurt on top of meals.

Ingredients and Preparation

Protein Base

3 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs) cooked, diced

1 lb sausage - cooked, crumbled (meat only, low-sodium if possible)

16 oz Sardines with bones (for calcium) drained

4-5 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

Vegetables & Fruits

1 lb Spinach lightly steamed, chopped

1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen (antioxidants)

1-2 medium apples (cored, seeds removed) diced

Supplements (daily)

1 tsp turmeric (anti-inflammatory)

½ tsp ginger (anti-inflammatory, digestive support)

1500-2000mg calcium powder

500-1000mg Beta-hydroxy-betw-methylbutyrate (HMB) - open capsules and mix in

25-50mg thiamine (Vitamin B1)

2000-3000mg fish oil (or 1-2 teaspoons)

1 Tbsp ground flax seed

Instructions

• Cook proteins. Boil or bake chicken breasts and sausage thoroughly. Hard boil eggs. Let all cool completely.
• Prepare vegetables. Lightly steam spinach (2-3 minutes) to reduce oxalates and improve digestibility. Chop well.
• Prepare fruits. Core and dice apples (remove all seeds). Rinse blueberries.
• Combine base ingredients. In a large bowl, mix cooked chicken, sausage, sardines, eggs, spinach, blueberries, and apples.
• Add supplements. Mix in turmeric, ginger, calcium powder, HMB (contents of opened capsules), thiamine, fish oil, and ground flax seed. Combine thoroughly.
• Portion and store. Divide into daily portions (about 4-5 cups total per day).

Henry eats two meals daily, approximately 2-2.5 cups per meal. This mixture can be stored in refrigerator up to three days. Extra portions are frozen in meal-sized containers and thawed overnight in refrigerator before serving.

Nutritional Benefits

    •    HMB helps preserve muscle mass and reduce protein breakdown

    •    High protein supports muscle maintenance and repair

    •    Omega 3 fatty acids (fish oil, flax) are anti-inflammatory and support muscle and cardiovascular health

    •    Turmeric and ginger are anti-inflammatory and may help reduce muscle inflammation

    •    Blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants to combat oxidative stress

    •    Apples contain fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants

    •    Calcium and sardines provide muscle function support

Henry receives additional supplementation of a canine multi-vitamin to cover vitamin E, D, B12, and zinc. Standard Process Canine Hepatic Support is being withheld due to the milk thistle and some presumed inhibition of p-glycoprotein, not necessarily due to Henry’s MDR1 mutation. Standard Process Canine Musculoskeletal Support is sprinkled onto Henry’s meals. Boswellia and New Zealand green mussel may help with inflammation. Manganese is important for bone health and connective tissue. Organ meats are used with caution to avoid iron overload.