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Question
I am thinking of feeding my pet homemade meals. What factors should I consider?
Answer
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) does not recommend homemade meals for pets, due in large part to pets’ hard-to-manage dietary needs. Pets have different needs from humans, and dogs and cats have distinct needs as well. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for even the best-intentioned pet owner to meet a pet’s nutrition requirements at home. Many basic human foods like onions and chocolate are unsafe for pets, and the chance for bacterial contamination from microorganisms like salmonella and E. coli is high in raw or incorrectly cooked homemade foods.
Question
What are potential problems with homemade pet meals?
Answer
Homemade pet diets can result in a variety of problems:
- Raw foods carry a high risk of bacterial contamination as well as the possibility of transmitting diseases to humans
- Too much calcium can result in growth problems, particularly for puppies and kittens, but too little calcium can cause weak bones that are susceptible to breaks
- Mismanaged fat intake, often a result of feeding pets the same poultry skins and meats common in human foods, can result in pancreatic problems
In addition to dog- and cat-specific recipes, another obstacle to homemade pet meals is in formulating diets that account for age, breed, size, and level of activity of the animal. According to the American College of Veterinary Nutritionists, “Many recipes found on the web or elsewhere, even from well-meaning sources, may not be complete and balanced, creating the possibility of significant long-term harm to animals fed diets based on these recipes.”
Question
Should I feed my pet raw meat?
Answer
The FDA does not believe feeding a pet raw meat is consistent with the goal of protecting the public from significant health risks: 1) animals consuming the raw meat are at risk of infection by organisms contained in the raw tissues, and 2) the people handling the product are also at risk.
The FDA is not aware of scientific evidence to support claims that raw meat foods are preferable to other products substantiated to be complete and balanced.
Also, raw meat foods tend to be high in fat.
Question
I have heard a lot lately about raw pet food diets. Are these safe for my pet?
Answer
Some pet food companies make a raw food diet for dogs and cats. Raw foods, just like all pet foods, should be complete and balanced and meet the standards of nutrition set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). If you are thinking about feeding your pet a raw diet make sure the product is complete and balanced, change the type of pet food gradually and be sure to following the product's safe handling instructions. Remember, it is not advisable to experiment with making your own raw diets since the nutritional needs of dogs and cats are very different from people and possible deficiencies in homemade diets may not be immediately visible.
Question
Why are commercial pet foods better for my pet than homemade foods?
Answer
Pet foods available on store shelves have been developed following years of study by manufacturers’ own food scientists, chemists, pet nutritionists and veterinarians to offer pets the healthiest meals possible. These meals are fortified with proper vitamins and are nutritionally balanced.
These recipes are the result of experience, study and consumer feedback combined to make the best product for your pet at all stages of its life.
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