Chicken, rice, a few vegetables: more and more owners are cooking their dog’s meals themselves, convinced that they are healthier than kibble. It’s a gesture of love. But veterinarians are sounding the alarm about this increasingly popular practice, and research supports them.
The practice: homemade dog food
Cooking for your dog has become a trend, driven by distrust of processed foods and recipes shared online. The intention is good. The problem is what’s missing from the bowl.
A dog does not have the same nutritional needs as a human. It needs precise amounts of calcium and phosphorus, specific vitamins, trace elements and fatty acids. A “chicken and rice” or “chicken and sweet potato” diet, even if varied, rarely covers them all.
What the research found
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A study from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, analyzed 200 homemade dog food recipes from 34 sources, including books, websites and even veterinary textbooks. The result:
- 95% of revenue were lacking at least one essential nutrient.
- More than 83% presented several deficiencies.
- The most common shortcomings involved choline, vitamin D, zinc and vitamin E.
- Only the 4 recipes written by certified veterinary nutritionists met the standards for adult dogs.
The researchers add that rotating recipes “for variety” doesn’t solve the problem, because many recipes share the same shortcomings.
The risks for the dog
Deficiencies do not appear overnight. Over the months, an unbalanced diet can lead to bone and joint problems, skin and coat problems, weakened immunity or, according to veterinarians, urinary stones in some dogs. Puppies, whose skeleton is growing, are the most exposed. And some “healthy” human foods are toxic to dogs: grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, chocolate, xylitol.
If you still want to cook for your dog
- Ask your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet.
- Use a recipe formulated by a certified veterinary nutritionistadapted to the age, size and health of your dog.
- Follow it exactlyincluding supplements: they are not optional.
- Or go halfway: a complete commercial food as a base, with small portions of plain cooked food as a topping.
The limit
Homemade foods are not dangerous in themselves: a well-formulated homemade diet can be excellent. The danger is the improvised recipe. And every dog is different, which is exactly why a veterinarian’s advice is important.
Choosing the right dog for your family is as important as feeding it well, as we explained with Breeds an Expert Would Not Choose for Young Children. And to better understand your dog, see why a dog who goes wild when you come home isn’t always happy.
A real recipe, the advice of a veterinarian and no improvisation. That’s the thing.
Gn Health
