Homemade Pet Diet Tips:

Pet food depends on breed type, age, personality, genetic weaknesses, the climate, stress levels and the amount of daily exercise that they do. The pet food recalls that occurred recently have seen a rise in the number of pet owners who wish to feed their pets with food from home. However the American Veterinary Medical Association warns against certain things while preparing food for and feeding your pet. It is important to remember that substituting the food that you eat and this includes table scraps is not a substitute for commercially available pet food. The skin of poultry, gravy and meat fat can prove fatal for your pet and lead to a stomach upset or an intestinal upset, occasionally even to a condition known as pancreatitis which may be fatal. Be careful to not feed your pet chocolates, especially dark chocolate as baked products with this ingredient contain xylitol which is a sweetener known to cause liver diseases and subsequent death. Apart from chocolate, it is best that your pet does not consume onions, garlic, raisins, grapes, avocadoes, tomatoes and macademia nuts. Bones are best avoided in your pet’s diet as they can splinter and cannot be digested.

Protein forms two thirds of the general pet diet and these are found in lean ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken breast with the skin removed and fish such as salmon, halibut and orange. Canned tuna can be avoided as a lot of cat owners warn against it, but you can give your pet pond raised cat fish. If your pet is a confirmed fish eater, you may want to wean it away a little as scientists report a high toxic and metallic content in fish. Hence it would be advisable to give your pet the fish meal only twice in a week. Organ meat, particularly the heart, liver and kidneys are rich in nutrients and economical for the owner as well. A high fiber diet is essential for pets and will help prevent constipation. Oatmeal is rich in fiber although it should not be over done as it may give your pet loose stools. Unflavoured and unseasoned peas are also an excellent source of carbohydrates and fiber. Moderately cooked, diced or shredded carrots are good for pets as they clean the pet’s teeth and prevent bad breath. Nevertheless a well balanced diet will have to be decided upon in consultation with your veterinarian as it will have to meet all your pet’s needs.