UC Davis finds fault with majority of homemade dog food recipes studied

[bgdavis]

http://www.aahanet.org/blog/NewStat/...s-studied.aspx

Dog owners who cook food for their pets at home may be putting a lot of love into the recipes, but they are likely not adding enough nutritional value, according to researchers from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine.

For the study, researchers analyzed 200 recipes from 34 sources including veterinary textbooks, websites, and pet care books. They used a computer-based program to evaluate recipes for the nutritional content in the food as well as the specificity of the instructions, UC Davis said. The researchers' findings included:

• Out of 200 recipes studied, only nine contained essential nutrients in concentrations that met the minimum standards for adult dogs established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Eight of the nine recipes were written by veterinarians.
• Five recipes - all written by veterinarians - featured essential nutrient concentrations that met the National Research Council's Minimum Requirements for adult dogs.
• Only four recipes were written by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, and all of those recipes had acceptable nutrient profiles for adult dogs.

"Homemade food is a great option for many pets, but we recommend that owners avoid general recipes from books and the Internet and instead consult with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist," she said. "These specialists have advanced training in nutrition to help formulate customized and nutritionally appropriate recipes."