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11-11-2010, 09:20 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Arizona
Posts: 66
| Switching to Homemade Food, I'm terrified! I need some serious advice here. I have been doing research for about a week and have read the thread on Homemade Recipes in the stickies as well as every website imaginable and still am terrified to start a homemade diet for my babies. My biggest concern, especially over the long run, is that they are going to have some sort of nutrient deficiency and health problems will arise because of it. I know in theory that the "real" food they are getting is better for them, plus there will be no concern of tainted kibble. However, I can be sure they are getting all the vitamins and minerals they need in kibble without a second thought and not so much in a homemade diet:confused. I love to cook and would LOVE to start this with my pups I'm just really worried that I will not fully nourish them. My last concern is that I have a puppy and an adult (4.5 months and almost 2). So if I go to homemade can the puppy get the same as the adult or does she need more of something??? Thanks, I really appreciate any advice!
__________________ Jen, Winston and Scarlett |
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11-11-2010, 09:30 AM | #2 |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
| Have you consulted a canine nutritionist or gotten a recipe from your vet that was prepared by a canine nutritionist? Homecooking is great, but if not done correctly can harm your dog. Many vets and nutritionists recommend waiting until a puppy is a year old before starting him on homecooked as a nutritional deficiency in a developing puppy could cause permanent damage. The calcium to phosphorus ratio especially has to be correct or it can cause cardiac, skeletal or neurological problems. Have you seen this? It is pinned in the Library: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...itionists.html |
11-11-2010, 09:36 AM | #3 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
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__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | |
11-11-2010, 09:40 AM | #4 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Arizona
Posts: 66
| I have a call into my vet to ask about vitamin supplements and get her overall opinion. I won't start anything until I am sure I have COMPLETE knowledge of how to do it right. The only recipes I have are one's from different websites including this one. I just want to make sure that I am giving them the best, as they deserve it! Also, the different dog food brands always have something that I don't like in them, plus I have no control over the manufacturing process. All this info makes my head spin.
__________________ Jen, Winston and Scarlett Last edited by Winston08; 11-11-2010 at 09:42 AM. |
11-11-2010, 09:45 AM | #5 | |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: With my yorkies
Posts: 10,350
| Quote:
__________________ He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- Author Unknown | |
11-11-2010, 10:07 AM | #6 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Magnolia, DE
Posts: 435
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11-11-2010, 10:11 AM | #7 |
Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Arizona
Posts: 66
| I just asked a question about it on ASPCA. They have a free nutritionist that can give advice. When I get the answer I will post it here so everyone can benefit. I also have heard of petdiets.com, it's an online pet nutritionist. They can give the first diet plan for $25.00 and every diet plan after that for $12.00 (I think). They also have nutritionists available to specialize diets for puppies or dogs with health problems. I am still up in air if I should find a live person local or go this route?
__________________ Jen, Winston and Scarlett |
11-11-2010, 10:18 AM | #8 | |
Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,317
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What she said! I know all the recalls are scary, but your odds of your dogs getting sick from homecooked not done correctly are much greater than them getting sick from tainted pet food. There really are some wonderful pet foods on the market today that have never been involved in a recall. I am a firm believer in homecooked done properly for dogs with special dietary needs like my 15 year old Lady. With her laundry list of health issues like diabetes and liver disease plus allergies, I simply ran out of options in commercial dog foods a few years ago and had to start homecooking. Remember if you do decide to homecook, it is very important to get bloodwork done six months after you start to make sure the diet is fulfilling all their nutritional needs. Then you need to do follow up bloodwork at least every year. I know dogs who have developed calcium deficiencies and low thyroid (from not enough iodine in the diet) on homecooked so it's important to catch it early. | |
11-11-2010, 12:26 PM | #9 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Most of the recipes on YT (>95%) are not adequate for long term use (and some not even short term). Puppies should get puppy food. If you really want to feed a pup homecooked, it needs to be under extremely close supervision of a veterinary nutritionist. Petdiets.com belongs to one of the most qualified veterinary nutritionists in the US. You can be comfortable using her recipes, but still be careful with the fat content because Yorkeis are so prone to pancreatitis.
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
11-11-2010, 12:59 PM | #10 | |
T. Bumpkins & Co. Donating YT Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New England
Posts: 9,816
| Quote:
That's correct - Welcome to Pet Diets is run by Dr. Rebecca Remillard, a board certified veterinary nutritionist who, as Ellie May said, is one of the most qualified vet nutritionists and few can match her credentials. I use her for all three of my dogs. Dr. Remillard has saved Daisy's life (my dog who is a very sick little girl). I've home cooked for 10 years and for the past couple of years have done so under her guidance. Teddy's diet is one of her $25 diets - Chicken with brown rice and veggies which is a lower fat option at 11%. Note that if your dog is under 1 year old, it is recommended that you use commercial dog food. I did home cook for my puppies, but that was a personal decision and one that was frowned upon by my vets
__________________ Washable Doggie Pee Pads (Save 10% Enter YTSAVE10 at checkout) Cathy, Teddy, Winston and Baby Clyde...RIP angels Barney and Daisy | |
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