Over the last two decades, homemade diets have seen a rise in popularity among dog owners. However, new research from the Dog Aging Project (DAP) reveals that most homemade diets are missing important nutrients that dogs need to lead healthy lives.
In the study, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research , the team assessed the nutritional completeness of 1,726 homemade diets based on ingredients and preparation methods provided by dog owners.
"We found that only 6% of homemade diets had the potential to be nutritionally complete," said Dr. Janice O'Brien, a doctoral researcher at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech . "Since our study didn't include exact ingredient amounts, it's possible that a smaller percentage than 6% were nutritionally complete."
Diet information was gathered from open-ended survey responses from owners participating in the DAP, a collaborative initiative led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) and other institutions that studies the effects of aging and what makes a healthy canine life.
Through the DAP, owners of the more than 50,000 dogs from all backgrounds enrolled in the study complete surveys, including on diets. For this study, the diet information was entered into an online tool called Balance It that helps owners create nutritionally complete homemade diets for their pets.
"Balance It is compliant with both the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Association of American Feed Control Officials' recommendations for canine nutrition," O'Brien said. "By entering the list of ingredients in each recipe into Balance It, we determined if there were nutrients missing."
The importance of a complete meal
Based on the results of the study, dog owners should be aware that choosing to prepare a pet's meals at home comes with responsibility, according to Dr. Katie Tolbert , a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, small animal internist, and associate professor in VMBS' Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences .
"There is a temptation for a lot of dog owners to go off script when preparing meals at home," said Tolbert, who also is one of the study's authors. "If you decide to formulate your dog's food at home, be sure to work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and stick to the diet exactly as prescribed. Nothing is considered a 'filler' that you can leave out."
For example, substituting different types of oil can change the nutritional completeness of the diet, and something as simple as a calcium supplement — a common addition in homemade dog food recipes — can cause serious problems if omitted.
"If your dog's calcium and phosphate levels get out of balance, they can develop bone health problems, including a condition nicknamed 'rubber jaw' where the bone starts to become soft, like cartilage," Tolbert said. "It can also cause problems in the kidneys."
For dogs with existing illnesses, the stakes of good nutrition are even higher.
"Dogs that are not already in good health can have exacerbated symptoms if they do not receive a balanced diet that is specifically formulated to treat their disease," Tolbert said.
Tolbert also recommends avoiding adding ingredients that are not safe for dogs, like whole bones or grapes.
"Grapes can be toxic to dogs," she said. "Whole bones, on the other hand, are risky because dogs can end up with sharp pieces of bone in their stomach."
Bringing nutritional completeness home
For owners interested in feeding their dogs a homemade meal, the first step is to talk with your local veterinarian about your pet's specific dietary needs. Then, work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to create a healthy diet tailored to your pet.
Board certification ensures that the nutritionist has received advanced training from an accredited program.
If you plan to keep your dog on a homemade diet long-term, Tolbert recommends sending a sample to a food testing laboratory to make sure that the diet is the same in practice as it is on paper.
"It can be helpful to know exactly what is in the food you're feeding your pet to make sure the recipe is as precise as possible," Tolbert said.
By Courtney Price, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
