Most pet owners would agree that purchasing commercially made pet food is far more convenient since most of us do not have time to make our pet’s food at home. With the recent recalls of commercially made pet food, some pet owners are becoming concerned about the safety of the food they are serving their pet and looking for an alternative. But is homemade pet food really the best option for your pet? This is our take on this very popular question.
Commercially made pet foods are scientifically formulated to provide the optimum nutritional requirements of your pet, dependent on health issues (allergies, sensitive stomach, weight control, ie) and age (puppy, adult, senior).
With homemade pet food, many pet owners feel that they can control the quality of ingredients and with the plethora of recipes online, though it is more time consuming, it is not difficult to do. Besides, if you are already grocery shopping for your family, it isn’t that much harder to add a few more things to the cart, right?
The main objective is to make sure that your pet’s nutritional needs are met and the food is safe, regardless of where the food is coming from. The issue most commonly faced with homemade food is that not all key nutrients are always included in the recipe, creating a deficiency for your pet which can cause health issues.
According to a research of over 200 homemade recipes for dog food, conducted at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, the nutritional values of key nutrients were missing in each of the 200 recipes found both online, in textbooks and pet care books! The homemade recipes were usually lacking some of the most vital nutrients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, calcium, iron, riboflavin, choline, and thiamine.
If you would like to talk with our Ellicott City, MD veterinarian about your pet’s diet, give us a call today at 410-465-6218.