homemade dog food oil

Homemade Dog Food Recipes: Choosing Balanced Ingredients

Are you considering switching your dog to a homemade diet? A good place to begin is by discussing it with your veterinarian and/or a veterinary nutritionist. You may think that sounds unnecessary when there are so many recipes for homecooked dog meals available on the internet. However, the experts say that many of those recipes were not reviewed by veterinary nutritionists to make sure they provide a nutritional, well-balanced diet for your dog. This is why some owners prefer to feed pre-made fresh food.

The American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) warns that your dogs unique nutritional requirements will depend on the age, size, health, and breed. Also, there are dogs for whom a homemade diet may not be appropriate or might even be damaging. We generally dont recommend homemade diets for a dog less than one-year-old. If young dogs dont receive the appropriate amount of calcium and phosphorus, significant bone abnormalities may result, says Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinarian. Pregnant and lactating dogs also have unique dietary requirements that may not be addressed by a recipe found on the internet.

The ABCs of a Balanced Dog Food Diet

Understanding the basics of what makes a homecooked diet balanced for your dog will help when you discuss the options with an expert. Here are important ingredients for the canine diet.

Protein: According to the ACVN, dogs must have protein in their diets that contain 10 specific essential amino acids their bodies cant produce. This is necessary for the creation of glucose, which transforms into energy. Sources of protein include chicken and turkey, after removing bones, fat, and skin; beef and lamb; pork in limited amounts; salmon and some other fish such as whitefish, herring, walleye, flounder, and Arctic char.

Fats and fatty acids: The most concentrated sources of fats in a dogs diet come from animal fats and plant seed oils. A healthy diet supplies the fatty acids the dogs body doesnt manufacture. Fatty acids support the function and structure of cells, keep skin and coat healthy, and enhance the taste of the food. Sources of fatty acids include plant-based oils, including corn, soybean, canola, and flaxseed oil, as well as fish oil.

Carbohydrates: Dogs get some of their energy from carbohydrates, which include sugars, starches, and dietary fibers. Sources includerice, pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa.

Fiber: Dogs need fiber in their diet to keep their gastrointestinal (GI) system functioning and to help them from becoming overweight. Good sources of fiber for dogs include carrots, pumpkin, apples, dark leafy greens, brown rice, and flaxseed.

Vitamins: Vitamins are required for growth and maintenance. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a variety of health problems; however, they can also be dangerous in large quantities.

Vitamins dogs require include A (carrots, pumpkin), B vitamins (liver, green vegetables, whole grains), C (fruits and vegetables, organ meat), D (liver, fish, beef), E (leafy green vegetables, liver, bran, plant oils), K (fish, leafy green vegetables, fish), and choline (liver, fish, meats, egg yolks).

Minerals: There are 12 essential minerals for dogs:

• Calcium (tofu, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower) and phosphorus (meat, eggs) for strong bones and teeth.
• Magnesium, potassium, sodium, and chloride (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cell signaling.
• Sulfur (meat, fish, molasses) for healthy skin, coat, and nails.
• Iron (red meats, poultry) for supporting red blood cells and the immune system.
• Iodine (dairy, kelp, seafood) for a healthy thyroid.
• Zinc (eggs, lamb, liver, brewers yeast) for the immune system, healthy skin, and coat.
• Selenium (meat, vegetables, seafood, brown rice) to boost the immune system.
• Copper (whole grains, seeds, and seafood) for healthy bone growth.

Water: We sometimes overlook this important ingredient of a healthy dogs diet, but there really is no dog food that contains enough water for your dog. Keep clean, fresh water out always.

Making the Transition

Consult a veterinarian: If youve decided to transition your dog to a homemade diet, your first step should be to consult a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist. Those experts will consider your dogs age, size, and health history and help you identify a high-quality recipe that is tailored to meet your dogs specific nutritional needs.

Buying ingredients: When you buy ingredients for your dogs homemade meals, you need to pay as much attention to the source, expiration dates, and labels as you do when you buy food for yourself.

Making the switch gradually: Whenever you change your dogs food, whether to a homemade diet or a new commercial food, a gradual switch is best to avoid upsetting your dogs GI system. For at least five-to-seven days, gradually mix in more and more of the new food with the old food, as you allow your dog to adjust to the change.

Follow the recipe: Be sure to follow the recipe. Tufts Cummings Veterinary Medical Center Clinical Nutrition Service published a study to determine how well owners adhered to homecooked diet recipes a median of one year later. Only 13 percent were still feeding the original nutritionally balanced diet recipe.

Clear instructions: Instructions about preparation and quantities are important. The way you cook the ingredients for example, steam, roast, or boil can impact the nutrition of the diet. Substituting or adding ingredients can also cause nutritional deficiencies. A study reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that a lack of clear instructions in many recipes forces pet owners to make assumptions that can result in food that is nutritionally inadequate and can even be harmful if fed to your dog on a long-term basis.

Follow-up:Once youve made the transition, pay attention to any digestive changes your dog may have. If his stool softens, he vomits, or has diarrhea, check in with the veterinarian. Whenever you change your dogs diet, you also need to monitor his weight. It may take a while to determine the correct portions for his size, age, and energy level.

Resources for the Chef

• Your best resource and first stop is your dogs veterinarian, who knows your dog and has a thorough understanding of his health history and current condition.
• A good resource to help find a veterinary nutritionist for a homemade diet consultation is the Diplomate directory at www.acvn.org. If there isnt a nutritionist in your area, you can consult with one remotely.
• An alternative option is to use the online consulting service called BalanceIT, a site operated by a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a basic, nutritionally balanced recipe.

• Another site that provides answers to your questions is: Ask the Nutritionist
• ChefPaw is the latest way to provide your pup with nutritious and delicious meals, giving you a more efficient way to prepare homemade dog food. VisitChefPaw.comto learn more

ChefPaw by Innovet Pet Products is helping you take full control of your dogs diet with the first countertop Dog Food Maker of its kind. Striving to save you time and money while maximizing your dogs nutrition, ChefPaw can make fresh, homemade food for your dog in 40 minutes. At ChefPaw, your pets happiness and well-being take center stage.

4 Healthy Oils To Add To Your Dog's Diet

By Andrew Daniels

Just like you, your dog may not be getting all the necessary nutrition he needs from eating his regular diet. While standard dog food can certainly come packed with plenty of essential nutrients, you can supplement your dogs dietary regimen with certain healthy oilsjam packed with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acidsto promote optimum heath.

In this simple guide, well show you how to pick these natural oils for dogs, and offer best practices and feeding tips.

What are the healthiest oils for dogs?

Fish oil:Fish oil contains EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that help arthritis, and also has some anti-cancer effects, says Nancy Scanlan, DVM, CVA, MSFP, and executive director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation. Fish oil can also improve your dogs memory.

The primary reason I recommend fish-oil based omega-3 fatty aids is to yield a natural anti-inflammatory effect that can help reduce overall inflammation in the body and potentially decrease my patients reliance on medications aimed at reducing inflammation and pain, says Dr. Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA, CVJ, and a certified veterinary acupuncturist with California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW).

Krill oil:While fish oil usually comes from fish higher on the food chain, like salmon, krill oil hails from tiny shrimp-like organisms that rank a little lower. This makes krill oil less likely to be contaminated with mercury, Dr. Scanlan says. It also contains EPA and DHA, and will help give your pet healthier joints and skin, in addition to other benefits.

All dogs are omnivores that lean towards the carnivorous side, so they best absorb non-vegetarian-based oils like fish and krill, explains Dr. Mahaney.

Coconut oil:Extra-virgin coconut oil has become a popular choice for humans because its a healthier alternative to more processed saturated and trans fats, and the same applies to dogs. Coconut oil has also been shown to help dogs lose weight, give them more energy, and offer relief to dry skin. Bonus: It will help improve your dogs bad breath!

Flaxseed oil:This oil is high in alpha linolenic omega-3s, which puts it in the same ballpark as wild fish when it comes to boosting heart health. Like many of the other healthy oils, flaxseed oil also helps with mobility for arthritic dogs, and can aid in blood pressure and kidney function.

How can I serve my dogs healthy oils?

Most oils come in either capsule form or free oil. But a jar of oil, once opened and exposed to the air, can become rancidso capsules are usually a better way to go, says Dr. Scanlan.

However, it could depend on your dogs taste preferences. Hearty-eating dogs may readily consume a capsule or allotted portion of liquid out of their food, says Dr. Mahaney. Most liquid oils mix best with moist food, but you can still pour them over dry food like kibble, he adds.

Capsules also tend to best be consumed out of moist food. Pets that are unwilling to consume the capsule may take it in liquid form if the capsule is pierced, squeezed, and mixed into the moist food or a soft treat, Dr. Mahaney says.

Do these oils have any negative effects for dogs?

Too much of any oil can cause weight gain, says Dr. Scanlan. A large dose of oil all at once can cause pancreatis in a susceptible individualespecially if they are fat, she adds.

Too much oil can also lead to a vitamin E deficiency if you dont properly supplement with some additional vitamin E.

Fish oil can prolong the time it takes blood to clot, so if your pet is going to have surgery, its best to stop the oil for at least five days before and five days after the operation, Dr. Scanlan says.

Whats the best way to tell quality when looking for these oils?

Companies that have the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal are required to show that their products have been tested in labs to have the right kind and amount of oil in each capsule, says Dr. Scanlan. Look for this seal.

How do I know if oils are right for my dog?

If your dog is consuming a commercially available pet food and is suffering from skin conditions (like skin flaking or a dull coat), inflammation diseases (such as arthritis and cancer), or organ system damage, then talk to your vet about potentially adding oils that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 nutrients to your dogs diet, says Dr. Mahaney.

Image:HandmadePictures/ Shutterstock

7 Essential Homemade Dog Food Supplements

A healthy homemade dog food diet doesnt mean including meat and veggies alone, even if most online recipes focus just on that. To make a well-balanced homemade meal, there are a number of essential dog food supplements that youll need to add to your pet's dish, depending on several factors.

The exact types and dosage of these dog supplements should be determined based on your dogs breed, sex, age, physical condition, activity levels, and current (or potential) diseases and illnesses. In her guide/video, Samantha has covered this in more depth. You should always consult with your veterinarian or canine nutritionist about anything youre going to put into your dogs food first.

With that in mind, there are a number of popular dog supplements that are most commonly added to homemade dog foods:

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is essential for dogs, and its deficiency is very common in canines. Studies show that adding Vitamin E into the dog's diet can improve the pet's coat and allergy factors, among other health issues (1, 2). How much of it you need to add to your homemade dog food meals depends on multiple factors, including whether you add fish oil or plant oil to the dish. Additionally, you can find a lot of different recommendations online regarding the amount of Vitamin E that needs to be added to your dogs food.

In general, veterinarian sources say that you need to give 100 IUs to small dogs, 200 IUs to medium-sized dogs, and ~400 IUs to larger breeds. At the same time, however, overdoing it with Vitamin E can lead to overdosing, which can turn it from an anti-oxidant into a pro-oxidant. Other specialists recommend 1-2 UIs of Vitamin E per pound of body weight daily. The National Library of Medicine warns about the risks of high Vitamin dosages, therefore it's crucial to discuss this with your vet.

Fish Oil

A number of different oils can be used in homemade dog food meals. Fish oil is one of the most beneficial supplements you can possibly give to your dog. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil provide widespread benefits, according to studies with pets (3, 4, 5, 6). They improve the coat and skin, reduce inflammation, regulate the immune system, aid the mental development of puppies, lower blood pressure and triglycerides, and provide support against things such as kidney disease, heart disease, and arthritis.

It's crucial to include an accurate amount of fish oil in the dog's diet. Too little won't have any effect, and by adding too much you're risking side effects, of which there are plenty (7). Here is a fish oil dosage for dogs chart from CSU to follow:

* Note that the fish oil dosage provided above is per kg metabolic body weight (=MBW, which body weight) of EPA and DHA combined (andnotfor fish oil or omega 3).

Alternatively, you can use Krill oil or whole fish (like sardines), depending on your dogs breed, size and conditions. If youre using sardines or other fish, add 1 oz. of it per pound of other meat products in the meal.

Cod Liver Oil (Vitamins A and D)

If you dont add fish or fish oil to your dogs diet, cod liver oil is something you should consider instead, which has similar benefits to fish oil and also provides Vitamins A and D. It's particularly good for the dog's heart and cardiovascular health. Make sure you add enough cod oil to provide your dog with about 100 IUs of Vitamin D per 20 pounds of the dogs body weight each day.

Same as with fish oil, do not add too much cod liver oil into homemade dog food diets because side effects are possible. If more omega-3 fatty acids are needed, add plain fish oil. You can also add Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) into your dogs meals as it provides a large margin of safety and can allow you to give bigger amounts of cod oil. Vitamin K2 can be found in meats and organ meat in particular, but can also be added as a supplement.

Other Oils

Different types of meat like beef and chicken have different types of fat. For this reason, its a good idea to feed your pet diversely with homemade dishes containing different meat sources. A good mixture of beef and chicken, particularly with the chickens dark meat (it contains more fat than the chicken breasts) is of great help in balancing out the fats in your dogs diet.

When pet owners prioritize only one meat source, it often results in a diet that's imbalanced and requires more supplements (and costs more). If youre focusing on beef meat in your recipes for the most part, then you can add 1 tablespoon of hemp-seed oil, walnut oil, safflower oil, or corn oil per 1 pound of meat. If chicken is the main meat source, add 1 tablespoon of flaxseed or chia seed oils per 1 pound of meat. These can be in supplement form too.

Greens Blend(Kelp or Alfalfa)

Kelp is a great source of iodine, which is important as it can often be of short supply in dogs diets, if not entirely absent. Too much iodine is not risk-free either, however, so it needs to be carefully managed. Both too much and too little iodine can suppress thyroid function in dogs. With that in mind, dont give more than a quarter of a tablespoon to large dogs and proportionally less for smaller breeds.

If you dont want to go with kelp, you can use iodized salt, a mineral supplement that includes iodine, or a multi-vitamin. Things like good base mixes like those from The Honest Kitchen are a good option as well. They contain vegetables, fruits, and other supplements.

Vitamin B

Water-soluble vitamins like the B-complex are also essential in the pet's diet and are responsible for a large number of health benefits. A full range of B-complex contains B vitamins like Thiamin, Niacin, Folic acid, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Riboflavin, and Pyridoxine. A good source for these vitamins is nutritional or brewers yeast. While brewers yeast has fewer of these vitamins, it is a good source of choline as well (more so than nutritional yeast).

For Zinc, Copper, Iodine, and Vitamin D

consider oysters, beef liver, or an ordinary dog supplement. Zinc, copper, and vitamin D may be in short supply if you don't include beef liver in your dog's diet. This is another reason why it is very important to add organ meats like liver and hearts to your dogs meals.

If youve skipped on the beef liver for some reason, you can add canned oysters in the meat as well 1 ounce per pound of meat can serve the purpose of supplying enough copper, zinc, and vitamin D to your dogs diet. If this doesnt sound like an option, you should at least add these supplements in powder or pill form.

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