by Linda Montgomery DVM

Whether you prepare your dog’s food yourself or purchase a commercial raw or kibble diet, your choice of a protein source is very important. Considerations include whether the meat is organically raised or not, any allergy issues your dog might have and whether it is meat or meat “meal”. Another, less commonly considered, aspect of choosing a meat source for your dog, is choosing one based on his or her constitution and/or current TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) pattern.

The focus of today’s newsletter is feeding according to your dog’s TCVM pattern. While many dogs are in balance, patterns of imbalance are present in most disease conditions. Keeping your dog in balance is important in preventing and helping treat common disease conditions such as arthritis and skin problems.

Dogs who are Yang deficient or bothered by cold, damp weather benefit from warm meats. Examples of warm protein sources include chicken, pheasant, beef kidney, chicken liver.

For dogs who are Yin deficient or bothered by heat, cool protein sources should be used. These include duck, rabbit, turkey and white fish.

Dogs who are Qi deficient are generally weak and can have a Yin or Yang deficiency in addition to a Qi deficiency. Qi tonic foods include beef, chicken and rabbit.

Blood deficiency is not the same as being anemic. Blood deficient dogs have dry skin, and brittle hair and nails. Beef, liver and heart are all blood tonic meats.

For dogs who are in balance, neutral foods are recommended to help keep them that way. Neutral protein sources include beef, beef liver, eggs, pork and tripe.

Some protein sources are very hot or very cold, and should only be used for short amounts of time or avoided completely. Lamb, venison and trout are hot, whereas crab and clam are cold. This is important because many commercial dog foods are lamb based and should be not be fed long term.

Commercial kibbles are highly processed and impart heat, which can be a problem for dogs with Yin deficiency or other heat related conditions. Home cooked diets or commercial raw diets such as Honest Kitchen are preferred over kibble for most dogs.

Diet Recommendations Based on TCVM Personality Type
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) uses a system of classification called the 5 elements. The 5 elements apply to personality, disease predisposition patterns, and dietary considerations. This article will help you understand the primary elemental personality type of you dog, and feed accordingly.
The 5 elements are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

WOOD TYPE
Personal Characteristics:
Dominant behavior or attitude
Quick, fast movements
Enjoys or skilled with running or moving
Impatient
Easily becomes angry or loses temper
Alert and responds quickly to stimuli
Good at adapting to changing conditions
Quickly forms ideas then changes mind
Narrow minded or intolerant to different ideas
Physical Characteristics:
Thin body, either tall or short
Big eyes
Performance is good but variable
Tendons are strong and healthy
Runs like the wind. Quick and nimble movement
Disease Predispositions:
Stroke
Allergy
Depression
Neurosis
TCVM Health Recommendations:
Wood types have limited tolerance for depression. Even a small amount of stress or depression will strain the Liver (the organ of the Wood element) function. Thus, foods that have harmonizing or regulating properties are very important to Liver function. The recommended foods include chicken liver, pork liver, green vegetables (mustard greens, spinach, cabbage), carrots and citrus fruits.

FIRE TYPE
Personal Characteristics:
Easily excited

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