The staff of Carbondale’s Mountain Paws Veterinary Center have teamed up with Frank’s Fresh Dog Food, a local fresh-frozen dog food delivery service, to create a recipe that’s sure to make your dog feel included in Thanksgiving festivities.
Mountain Paws’ Dr. Oneal Bogan said, “Our clients love their pets, and we wanted to provide a fun and safe recipe for the holidays, which so often center around sharing a meal with loved ones.” From Meghan Grabow of Frank’s Fresh Dog Food: “This is a great low-fat, easily digestible, holiday-inspired meal that’s suitable for sensitive stomachs, and includes ingredients you likely have on hand around the holidays.” Grabow notes that although this recipe is not balanced with supplementation - such as calcium, iodine, and omega-3 - for long-term feeding, it’s safe and nutritious as an occasional meal or dry food topper, and safe for dogs prone to gastritis or pancreatitis. Dr. Oneal Bogan adds, “We always remind our clients never to feed turkey skin to their dogs, though it may be tempting.”
For dogs with poultry allergies, substitute beef for turkey (resulting in higher fat content and about 350 more kcals per kg). This recipe is also safe for cats as a Thanksgiving treat.
*You can also find this recipe in the 2025 winter edition of Mountain Pearl Magazine!
Yield: ~2 lbs (900 g) cooked food
Calories: ~1,000 kcal total (≈ 1,120 kcal/kg)
|
Ingredient |
Weight (g) |
Weight (oz) |
% of recipe |
Notes |
|
Cooked turkey breast (skinless, boneless) |
540 g |
19 oz |
60% |
Boiled or baked, no oil or seasoning |
|
Cooked sweet potato (peeled, mashed) |
180 g |
6.3 oz |
20% |
Steam or bake until soft |
|
Steamed green beans (chopped into small pieces) |
90 g |
3.2 oz |
10% |
No salt or butter |
|
Lightly steamed kale (chopped) |
45 g |
1.6 oz |
5% |
Steam 1–2 min, chop finely |
|
Fresh or frozen cranberries (unsweetened) |
45 g |
1.6 oz |
5% |
Lightly cook until they burst, then mash |
Preparation
-
Cook turkey thoroughly (165 °F internal). Shred or chop.
-
Cook vegetables as noted above.
-
Cook cranberries briefly with a splash of water until soft.
-
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix evenly. For an even finer texture and increased digestibility, run through a food processor.
-
Cool before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.