Nutrition for FCE Recovery

Food as medicine — what Max ate, and why

I believe that food can be medicine, or it can be poison. I won’t go into a deep dive of Max’s history, but I’ve experienced personally how feeding a homemade, nutrient-dense, fresh food diet can be healing for the body. Before I made the switch from commercial dog food, he was highly reactive/aggressive, terrible tear stains, and was always chewing on his paws due to allergies.

So when he had his FCE, I truly believe that feeding a fresh food diet, also aided in Max’s healing. There is good evidence in human stroke research for several nutritional strategies, and I applied that logic to Max’s meals throughout his recovery.

He did get a little chunky — we weren’t moving around as much as before. Weight management matters, and we’ll cover that too.

The anti-inflammatory foundation

Max’s diet during recovery was built on:

High-quality protein, organ-rich, bioavailable ingredients Muscle meat, heart, liver, kidney — the nutritional density of organ meats is unmatched, and the amino acids in quality protein support tissue repair and muscle maintenance.

Sardines — multiple times per week Whole sardines (packed in water, no added salt) provide omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vitamin D, and B12 in a bioavailable whole-food form. The research on omega-3s and neuroplasticity following stroke is compelling. I added sardines to Max’s meals several times per week throughout his recovery.

Red cabbage, blueberries, broccoli Certain fruits and vegetables are naturally high in antioxidents. These were chosen specifically for their antioxidant profile and high natural SOD (superoxide dismutase) content. SOD is a primary cellular defense against the oxidative stress caused by spinal cord ischemia.

Weight management during reduced mobility

A dog in FCE recovery moves significantly less than a healthy dog. Muscle mass may actually decrease in affected limbs while body weight stays the same or increases — which means the fat-to-muscle ratio can shift in the wrong direction without obvious signs.

Watch portion sizes carefully. If your dog was fed for an active lifestyle, you likely need to reduce calories by 15–20% during the low-mobility phase. Extra weight puts additional strain on recovering limbs and on the spine.

Talk to your vet or a veterinary nutritionist if you are feeding a homemade diet — getting the balance of calcium, phosphorus, and micronutrients right in a homemade diet requires some attention.

Resources for fresh food feeding

• Dr. Steve Marsden’s approach (naturevet1 on Instagram / Facebook) — integrative TCVM nutrition
• [Raw Feeding Community / Facebook group]
• [Dr. Karen Becker’s work on fresh food for dogs]

(For a full breakdown of Max’s supplement protocol, see the Supplements page)