What Homemade Food Is Good For Dogs With Kidney Failure
If your dog has kidney failure, make sure you are keeping his diet low in both protein and phosphorous. You can use the homemade dog food recipe in this article to safely feed your dog. Some homemade dog food recipes on the Internet contain brown rice. It is important you do not follow these recipes because brown rice is high in phosphorous and is not recommended for renal failure. Brown rice is also higher in fat than white rice, which is not advised for dogs who are obese or prone to pancreatitis.
Potential Dangers Of Diy Homemade Dog Food You Need To Look Out For
Feeding your dog DIY homemade dog food is something that more dog owners are doing these days.
Its understandable as many of us are becoming aware of the shady manufacturing practices in the pet food industry, filler ingredients, fake Made in the USA labels, and other things harmful to our pets.
Using homemade dog food recipes is a way to let your pooch enjoy the finer things in life, particularly high-quality and delicious meat.
However, homemade dog food isnt risk-free either.
A 2013 study by the Journal of the American Veterinary Association from a while back showed that more than 90% of homemade dog food recipes found online might be bad for your dog.
The study went over 200 recipes from reputable veterinary textbooks, certified veterinary nutritionists, and other pet-related sources. Of the 200 recipes, 191 werent up to par with the Associations standards.
Thats ~96%!
Another more recent 2017 study evaluated more DIY homemade dog food recipes found online and gave them to pet owners to test.
After the analysis, the scientists concluded that these diets exposed pets to nutrient deficiencies.
How To Prepare Homemade Food For Dogs
When preparing a diet at home for your dog, it is essential that you follow a recipe that is complete and balanced. Once you and your vet have chosen an appropriate recipe, it’s time to get started.
Many owners choose to prepare food in bulk and refrigerate or freeze it in pre-portioned containers. This is a great idea to save time and money, but you might want to begin by making smaller quantities so you can see how your dog does on the diet.
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Diy Homemade Dog Food Diet Isn’t That Simple
Considering the two above studies, it’s clear that it’s not necessarily the DIY homemade dog food diet approach that’s bad, but rather the lack of expertise and knowledge in preparing homemade diets for dogs.
Pet owners are not aware of what type of nutrients are being left out from the meal.
They rarely use essential dog supplements such as fish oil or monitor the dog for nutrient deficiencies to make up for vitamins, minerals, and macro-nutrients.
To further illustrate this, a 2014 study by the Clinical Nutrition Service, Teaching Veterinary Hospital of the College of Agrarian and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University, used adequate dog food recipes with 59 dog owners and evaluated the way pet owners prepared the DIY homemade dog food meals.
The study found that even though the recipes were good and the vets had instructed dog owners properly to prepare them, the owners didnt follow the instructions well enough to make a healthy meal for their dog.
The above study begs the question: even if the DIY homemade dog food diet has the potential to be much healthier for our dogs than commercial dog food brands, is it worth the risk if you’re not sure whether you can follow all the necessary instructions to the letter?
To help you make up your mind about cooking for your pooch or at least to better prepare the meals for your pets.
Is Homemade Food Good Or Bad For Your Dog
Anyone thinking about making dog food at home has an abundance of resources: Online recipes, cookbooks and instructional videos abound, and some human recipe websites even dedicate space to canine cuisine.
But it takes more than a couple clicks and a trip to the grocery store to make healthy and balanced pet food. Almost every dog food recipe analyzed in a 2013 UC Davis study lacked vital nutrients, clear instructions for preparation or even information on the size of pet it was meant to feed.
Just 10 of 200 recipes tested met minimum essential nutrient intake recommendations, and most had more than one deficiency. Recipes written by veterinarians had fewer deficiencies, and those deficiencies were less severe compared to those written by non-veterinarians.
Some of those deficiencies could cause immune system problems, musculoskeletal abnormalities or the accumulation of fat in the animals liver, said Jennifer Larsen, an associate professor of clinical nutrition at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital and the lead author on the study.
Homemade food is a great option for many pets, but we recommend that owners avoid general recipes from books and the Internet and instead consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, Larsen said. These specialists have advanced training in nutrition to help formulate customized and nutritionally appropriate recipes.
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Heres What You Should Know About Homemade Dog Food
Whether your dogs struggling with health issues or simply not in love with his kibble, you might be wondering if you should actually make his meals yourself.
And while homemade dog food can definitely have its benefits, there are certain things you need to keep in mind if you want to approach this type of diet correctly and safely.
We spoke with Dr. Linda Simon, a veterinary surgeon and veterinary consultant for Five Barks, to find out everything you need to know about homemade dog food before you take a trip to the supermarket.
Tools Make Cooking A Breeze
The variety of readily available kitchen tools and supplies makes canine meal prep easier. With the revolution in home cooking, there are more tech-driven devices and affordable chef-grade tools available now than ever before. Electric pressure cookers, sous vide equipment, food processors and digital scales have joined that old standby, the crockpot, in many kitchens. All of these tools make the job of food preparation easier, more precise, and more efficient.
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Dietary Supplements For Home
Some supplements are required in addition to natural food for dogs. Others may be needed if you are not able to feed a variety of foods, or if you leave out one or more of the food groups above. In addition, the longer food is cooked or frozen, the more nutrients are lost. Here are some dog supplements to consider:
Calcium
Unless you feed RMBs, all homemade diets must be supplemented with calcium. The amount found in multivitamin and mineral supplements is not enough. Give 800 to 1,000 mg calcium per pound of food . You can use any form of plain calcium, including eggshells ground to powder in a clean coffee grinder . Animal Essentials Seaweed Calcium provides additional minerals, as well. And here is a good list of calcium-rich foods your dog may like. Just please note this list is for humans and includes orange juice, which is not a good thing to give your dog as the acidity can cause stomach upset.
Oils
Most homemade diets require added oils for fat, calories, and to supply particular nutrients. Its important to use the right types of oils, as each supplies different nutrients.
Fish Oil: Fish oil for dogs provides EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that help to regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. Give an amount that provides about 300 mg EPA and DHA combined per 20 to 30 pounds of body weight on days you dont feed fish. Note that liquid fish oil supplements often tell you to give much more than this, which can result in too many calories from fat.
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Keep your dog healthy and fit with this easy peasy homemade recipe its cheaper than store-bought and chockfull of fresh veggies!
I never thought I would be one of those dog owners who made homemade human food for their pups. Not in a million years.
But when Butters recently fell sick with an upset stomach, our vet advised us to feed him a bland diet chicken and rice without any kind of seasoning. So thats what we did we poached a chicken, shredded it in a food processor, and mixed in some white rice and fed him this bland diet for 3 days.
Thats when I started to do some research on homemade dog food, and I have been so amazed as to how many different kinds of vegetables dogs can have. And with the help of Balance IT, you can create so many different recipes for your pup!
Now the best part about making homemade dog food just like making anything at home is that you know exactly what is going into the dog bowl, and not any of that questionable gelatinous gunk from the canned food.
But its important to note that dogs have different nutrient requirements than humans for their proportional body size, such as:
Now this recipe here has a balance of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains, but the ratios can easily be adjusted to suit your pups breed and/or needs.
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Is Homemade Food Better For Dogs
While there are no scientifically-supported benefits to homemade diets, whole ingredient-based diets are better in the long term. Commercial foods are made to be complete and balanced, adds Dr. Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals. Put that way, feeding your dogs a variety of whole foods makes a lot of sense.
What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Disease In Dogs
It is important you are aware of the possible symptoms your dog may begin to exhibit. The following are some signs you should look for to determine if your dog may be suffering from kidney disease. If any of the following are noticed, get your dog to the vet right away.
- Changes in water drinking habits
- Changes in urine output
If your dog has been diagnosed with kidney disease, you must be aware of the role diet plays in his condition. Your dogs diet needs will depend on the severity of his kidney disease and his age, weight, and level of activity.
One of the most important things to remember about kidney disease is that dogs do best on a low protein diet. High protein diets are hard on your dogs kidneys. The amount of protein your dog can handle is fully dependent on his stage of kidney disease. In later stages, it is especially important to reduce protein consumption as much as possible. The protein must be highly digestible.
Another potential food problem is high amounts of phosphorous. When your dog eats too much phosphorous, the damaged kidneys cannot keep up with filtration. Phosphorous is one of the most pressing issues for canine kidney disease. It is important to make homemade dog food that is low in both protein and phosphorous for your dogs health.
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Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Canine Pancreatitis
Before I introduce some canine pancreatitis homemade dog food recipes to you, I want you to be aware of some important information. You should not overfeed your dog, even on healthy homemade food! Feeding him too much food could worsen his pancreatitis and the damage done to his digestive system.
Consult with your veterinarian before introducing any foods to your dog. Every individual will have different needs and your vet may well advise you work alongside a canine nutritionist if you plan to home cook. Long-term, diets must be tailored to the individual, to prevent deficiencies and to ensure all nutritional needs are being met. Nutrients like iodine, calcium, zinc and phosphorous may need to be supplemented, depending on your dogs age and breed.
The vet may also recommend adding some digestive enzymes to your dogs diet, including pancreatin, l-glutamine, and Bertes Digestion Blend.
In some cases, you will need to readjust your dogs feeding schedule. Instead of a couple of larger meals, he will need to eat a few smaller meals throughout the day. The following offers some recipes you can feed your dog to help him during a bout of pancreatitis. Try one recipe at a time, and see how your dog responds to the new foods being introduced. If his symptoms seem to increase, talk with your vet before continuing.
Best Homemade Hypoallergenic Dog Food Recipes
Certain ingredients in both commercial and homemade dog foods are known to risk an allergic reaction. Things such as gluten, soy, corn, and even beef should be avoided if youre afraid of an allergic reaction in your dog. Here are some of the best homemade dog food recipes for pets with allergies or sensitive stomachs:
- 2 stalks of celery
- 5 tablespoons of flour
Directions: Drain and fry the salmon with flour and the egg. Once the patties are done, remove them from the oil and stir the veggies in them for 5-8 minutes. Mix, let it cool off, and serve.
7. Homemade Kibble Recipe
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- 1 cup of cooked cream of whole wheat
Directions: Mix and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 minutes, let it cool off, and freeze it.
8. Ground Round Dog Food
- 2 pounds of ground round meat, sautéed in olive oil
- 1 cup of cooked brown rice
- 1 package of chopped carrots
- 4 tablespoons of low-fat cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons of bone meal
Directions: Cook together, adding the vegetables last, before the meat is ready.
9. Cheese and Chicken Dinner
- 3 cups of cooked chicken meat
- 3 cups of cooked brown rice
- 3 cups of cream cheese
- 1.5 cups of cooked broccoli
- 1.5 cups of cooked squash
Directions: Cook together, adding the vegetables last, before the meat is ready.
10. Doggie Peanut Butter Delight:
- 2 cups of chicken broth
Directions: Mix and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Dried Sweet Potato Chews
5. Chicken Soup Cookies
Directions: Mix, put into cookie sheets, and bake.
6. Beef Delight
8. Frosty Paws
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How We Tested Nom Nom Petplate A Pup Above And Evermore
Former The Dog People blog editor Irene Keliher tested these foods on her two dogs, and shares the details below.
I have two dogsone is 55 pounds and the other is 75 pounds. Both are mixed-breed rescues who have spent their whole lives eating natural brands of dry food. Theyve been on the same brand for the last three years or so, mostly because Ive been too lazy to update our online subscription.
I recently had my pups try six different brands of fresh dog food and all the recipes they had to offer. Yes, my dogs were in heaven. Every brand had pros and cons, though my dogs had zero complaints about any of them, leaving me to do the hard work of choosing the top contenders.
In order to assess them, I kept notes on the brands packaging , recipe choices, and the ease of the whole process. Because the brands were generousand Id signed up for them all at onceI was surprised at just how quickly my refrigerator and freezer filled up with dog food. I ended up pawning off some of the extras to my neighbors and Rover headquarters so that I could squeeze a couple of meals worth of my own human food in the fridge, too.
I also intended to keep track of which fresh dog food my dogs preferred, but they all seemed pretty equal in the eyes of my little piggies. Instead, youll see I made note of when the food seemed especially fresh or had interesting ingredients. PetPlate, for example, had a ton of quinoa in one of their recipes.
Should You Cook Your Dogs Food
Is cooking dog food at home really better for your pup? While there may be claims made to that effect, theres no hard scientific evidence to support it.
Owners are told by many sources that homemade food is superior to commercial products. However, there is no proof to support this claim, says Dr. Larsen.
Larsen cautions dog owners to be aware of fearmongering within the pet food industry. This is often driven by myths about ingredient quality. While there are no scientifically-supported benefits to homemade diets, whole ingredient-based diets are better in the long term. Commercial foods are made to be complete and balanced, adds Dr. Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals.
Think of it as eating the same highly processed food for every meal, day after day, for years, he affirms.
Put that way, feeding your dogs a variety of whole foods makes a lot of sense. In fact, there are a multitude of reasons why you might want to prepare homemade foods for your dog, according to Dr. Larsen and Dr. Bartges.
These include gaining control over your dogs diet, appeasing picky eaters, combatting food intolerance issues, concern over food recalls, or simply for the bond-building joy of preparing a home-cooked meal for your dog.
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