The latest outbreak of dog food and cat food contamination has shaken the confidence of pet owners the world over, but nowhere as much as in the United States where illness and reported deaths took its highest toll of family pets. Now many are asking questions about the ingredients that they've always trusted to provide optimum health for their family pets and many pet owners are choosing to make their own homegrown variety of pet nutrition that might guarantee nutrition without risk of contamination.
But, a number of experts caution that homemade diets won't work for every pet or its owner. Some dogs and cats have a more difficult time adjusting to a new diet and the new process itself may simply be too labor intensive and inconvenient for many owners. The choice should be made only after careful consideration.
For starters, you can have your family vet or a recommended veterinary nutritionist put together a starter diet for you to try. On the other hand, if you prefer, do the nutritional research yourself. The most responsible advice is to suggest paying close attention to your dog or cat. Keep a close eye out for any subtle changes during the transition, as you would with changes to any food.
When you decide to begin with your homemade foods, do it gradually by mixing the new food into the old food for a couple of weeks. Slowly increase the ratio of new to old each day as you monitor your pet's adjustment.
Another trend of late has some owners feeding their pets a diet based largely on raw meat, vegetables and fruits. In fact, many people believe it's the most natural and therefore the healthiest choice for pets. Raw food diets are popular in Europe and have gained significant interest in America over the past twenty years.
Here's a short list of foods that can be toxic for animals and should always be avoided, even in small quantities: chocolate, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, leeks, chives, grapes, raisins, potato peelings, tomatoes (cats) and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. The list for your particular pet may include other dangerous or sickening foods, so think before you toss.
Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages for both you and your pet before deciding on this trendy alternative.