Satin Balls (for putting weight on dogs)

I started fostering dogs through Another Chance for Animals in April.  We've now fostered four dogs, all of whom have been adopted and gone to their forever homes.  One of our fosters was extremely skinny when we got him from the Evansville Animal Control Shelter.  Some other ACA folks suggested we feed him some "Satin Balls" as a supplement to his regular feeding to help put weight on him.  So I found some recipes on the Internet and made some - fed  some to Ringo, and froze some.  The dog living at our house this week is also very skinny, and weak, and scared.  She's a German shepherd who is very sweet, but one who had been abused before getting picked up by Animal Control.  She is also still recovering from heartworms and that treatment.  We are caring for her while her foster family is on vacation.  I've thawed, and she's eaten, the satin balls that were in the freezer.  So I am making more.  And instead of having to look up the recipe on the Internet every time I have a dog that needs some fattening up, I'm including the recipe here.  My recipe is slightly adapted from recipes at http://www.instructables.com/id/Put-weight-on-your-dog-with-satin-balls/ and at http://www.holisticdog.org/Nutrition/Satinballs/satinballs.html

I'm including recipes for either 1 pound of raw hamburger (makes 12-14 patties) or for 5 pounds of raw hamburger.  The amounts for 5 pounds are in parentheses after the amounts for 1 pound.

INGREDIENTS

1 (5) pounds cheap (highest fat content) raw hamburger

1-1/2 (5) cups Total cereal

1-1/2 (5) cups uncooked old fashioned rolled oats

1 (5) raw eggs (can include shells)

6 Tbsp (2-1/2 cups) raw wheat germ

1 (5) pkg Knox unflavored gelatin

2 Tbsp (3/4 cup) oil

2 Tbsp (3/4 cup) unsulphured molasses

Pinch of salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place Total cereal in large bowl.  Crush.  Add oats and wheat germ.  Mix together.   If you are including the egg shells, crush them separately and mix in with the cereals.  In separate bowl whisk together eggs, gelatin, oil, molasses, and salt.    Pour into large bowl and add hamburger.  Using your clean hands, mix and knead until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.  Form into treat-sized balls or into burger-sized patties.  Any you are not going to use within 2-3 days should be frozen.