Homemade pet food: how to make it complete and safe

Why most recipes fall short

Researchers at UC Davis analysed 200 home-prepared recipes for dogs from books, websites and vets. 95% were short of at least one essential nutrient.

For cats it was worse. Of 114 recipes, not a single one met all nutrient requirements. Choline, iron, thiamine and zinc were missing most often.

The problem is rarely the meat or the vegetables. It is the small things: calcium, trace minerals, vitamin D, iodine and, for cats, taurine.

Two reliable ways to get it right

Pick one of these before you feed a homemade diet long term:

• A veterinary nutritionist. A board-certified specialist (ACVN in North America, ECVCN in Europe) writes a recipe for your specific pet. This is the best option for pets with a medical condition.
• A recipe tool built by veterinary nutritionists. Balance IT, founded by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, has a free recipe builder: you choose the ingredients, and it calculates the amounts and the supplement needed to make the meal complete.

Using a recipe tool, step by step

• Enter your pet's species, weight, age and whether they are neutered.
• Choose the protein, carbohydrate and fat sources you want to use.
• Let the tool calculate the exact amounts and the supplement required.
• Cook, let the food cool, then mix in the exact dose of supplement.
• Weigh the daily portion and check your pet's body condition every few weeks.

Things not to skip

Never leave out the supplement or swap ingredients without recalculating. Puppies, kittens, pregnant animals and pets with kidney, liver or bowel disease need a vet involved from the start. Check that the supplement you need is available in your country before you start.