Should You Cook for Your Pet?

In light of the many FDA pet recalls through the years, a large amount of pet guardians are opting to make their own pet food.

As we’ve unfortunately seen, many pets became gravely ill with 1,000’s more dying from eating these extremely dangerous and poisonous commercially made foods.

Oh, did I say they were not a safe food source for our pets?

This article will help you decide if cooking for your pet is right for you.

Why Feed a Homemade Diet?

Homemade pet food has become a bit of a hot topic in the animal world as of late. The more food conscious we become as a society, the more concern we have over what goes into our pets’ diets, as well.

Many of us consider our pets to be members of the family, so, naturally, we want to offer them the same quality of health we want for ourselves. But is a homemade diet really the best option for your pet?

Is Homemade Pet Food Right for Your Dog or Cat?

People choose to feed their pet a homemade diet for a variety of reasons. Some pet owners feel that a home-cooked diet offers a fresher, healthier alternative to commercially available dog and cat food.

It also gives owners free reign to determine exactly what they put into their pet’s food and, in doing so, keep it free of additives, dyes and other unnatural ingredients that many commercial diets may contain.

For others, it’s about bringing variety into an otherwise “boring” life of eating the same kibble day after day.

RELATED: “Rotation Diet for Our Pets”

In the wake of pet food recalls and product contamination scares, many people are mistrustful of larger food companies and suspicious of their marketing ploys.

Some owners simply feel that a home-cooked diet may be a better choice for their pet who is suffering from a specific disease condition (such as allergies or cancer). Whatever the reason, it seems that more and more people want to jump on the homemade diet bandwagon these days.

The Reality of Homemade Diets

As a pet owner myself, I can certainly sympathize with clients who want to feed their pets food they would consider good enough for their own consumption.

While I think the intention behind feeding a home-cooked diet is great, pet owners need to be aware that it’s not as simple as filling your dog or cat’s bowl with some chicken and vegetables and calling it good.

Our pets require a specific balance of nutrients to stay healthy, and their needs differ from our own. If that balance is not met, it can lead to serious health consequences for your dog or cat.

Which Pets May Benefit from a Homemade Diet?

A homemade diet is probably best reserved for a generally healthy dog or cat, or for pets with documented food allergies. In cases of true food allergies, a homemade diet may be ideal or even recommended.

Pets with suspected food allergies are often put on diet trials to eliminate specific proteins and/or carbohydrates from their diet while it is determined which foods they are allergic to. Pets who are allergic to several ingredients may be placed on short-term or long-term homemade diets.

Please note that the proper steps still need to be taken to ensure these diets are complete and balanced. Any pet placed on a food trial for suspected allergies should always be monitored by a veterinarian or veterinary dermatologist.

Do Your Research

If you are considering a homemade diet for your pet, it is important to do it the right way. While cooking for your pet regularly is certainly feasible, it does take some effort to ensure that your dog or cat receives a proper balance of nutrients.

Know that it requires a time commitment and diligence and that you must strictly adhere to the nutritional requirements for your pet or run the risk of him or her developing severe nutrient deficiencies or becoming malnourished.

Pet food companies have often spent years of research formulating diets that are suitable to meet your pets’ specific nutrient requirements. If you are serious about wanting to maintain your dog or cat on a home-cooked diet, you will need to do some research of your own.

The first step is to make sure the diet you create for your pet is completely balanced. Simple “Guidelines” For Feeding Homemade (Real) Food To Pets can help you with this which is on the next page.

Some Common Ingredients

Unless your pet has a specific disease condition and must avoid certain foods, most homemade diets should include:

• protein 
• grain or carbohydrate source 
• healthy fat
• a variety of vegetables

Some common ingredients found in homemade diets include:

• chicken
• beef 
• lamb 
• brown rice or pasta 
• vegetable or fish oils 
• broccoli
• peas 
• sweet potato 

In terms of vegetables, it’s best to avoid onions and garlic which can be harmful if fed in large amounts. (Many other “healthy” sounding foods are dangerous to dogs and cats.)

Related: Toxic Foods for Pets

What about Supplements?

Even if your homemade diet seems well-balanced by human standards, it will still likely require some form of supplementation in order to provide your pet with the necessary vitamins and minerals he or she needs.

Often, a multivitamin is required to help round out the nutritional content of a home-cooked diet. Calcium is also generally added to homemade diets in the form of bone meal or a powdered supplement.

Dogs and cats who don’t receive the proper amount of calcium in their diet can develop a disease condition known as nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, which can leave them prone to bone fractures.

Cats have additional requirements for certain nutrients such as the amino acid taurine, which plays an essential role in heart and retinal health.

I’ve been using “Nupro” Natural Supplements for decades and can attest to its amazing results. It comes in dog formulas and also cat formulas. It contributes to a strong immune system, which is key to staying healthy.

Have a Vet Monitor Your Pet Frequently

If you are set on a homemade diet and have done the proper research, be sure to have your pet evaluated by a veterinarian frequently, especially in the early stages to ensure he or she maintains a healthy weight and to monitor for any clinical signs of disease that might indicate a nutritional deficiency.

Remember, as your pet ages, his or her dietary requirements may change. Your veterinarian can help guide you in determining what changes may need to take place in your pet’s diet as time goes on.

A Note on Raw Food Diets 

Raw food diets are becoming popular because some pet owners feel it’s similar to what dogs and cats eat in the wild. However, many of these diets do not take into account that our pets’ wild predecessors were often consuming whole carcasses, including nutrients found in bones and other parts of prey.

We also need to remember that our dogs and cats have come a long way from their wild predecessors and lead very different lifestyles.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that your pet’s diet needs to be complete and balanced. To date, there is no real research to support that feeding a raw diet is more nutritious.

The bottom line is that feeding our domesticated dogs and cats a raw food diet is probably not necessary and puts both you and your pet at higher risk for coming into contact with dangerous parasites and bacteria such as Salmonella and E. Coli.

When a Homemade Diet May NOT be the Best Choice

For pets in life stages that require extra nutritional support, such as growing puppies and kittens or pregnant or nursing dogs and cats, a homemade diet may not be the ideal option.

Ensuring that your pet’s dietary needs are met during these life stages is crucial, so it’s probably best to rely on a well-established commercial diet during these times.

Dogs and cats with specific health or medical conditions such as bladder stones or kidney disease often need to avoid certain minerals and/or minimize protein in their diet. These pets will probably do best on a prescription diet. Check with your veterinarian to determine your pet’s specific dietary needs.

If you are interested in adding more whole foods to your dog or cat’s diet, but lack the time or resources to do it properly (let’s face it, for some of us it is a challenge to prepare our own meals on a daily basis), you might consider finding a wholesome, balanced commercial food source and supplementing with fresh foods to provide your pet with additional tastes and nutrients.

Don’t throw away your leftovers – if acceptable for pets, put some in the bowl and let your pet enjoy a “special” dinner!

I buy good quality canned dog food and add “homemade” food to their bowl…mix it up (half and half). I probably get more enjoyment out of watching them “inhale” their food than they do. They’re getting the nutrients they need from the canned food. In the morning I add a little Nupro to their food…I feel safe doing it this way and it’s easy!

Some options to consider adding are (cooked) broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, salmon or chicken (without any bones, skin or added seasoning). Just be sure to account for the extra calories by scaling back on his or her regular food.

     Simple “Guidelines “

For Feeding Homemade 
   (Real) Food To Pets

FDA WARNING: RECALL Dangers to Pets and Humans

Federal health officials said Monday that certain dog chews are being recalled over potential Salmonella contamination to pets and their owners.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 22, 2015 – .The Food and Drug Administration warned that humans who touched this product are at risk of infection if they did not thoroughly wash their hands and clean any surfaces that may have come in contact with the product.

The recall covers one lot of the 1.69 ounce package of Puppy Starter Kit dog chews, which contain three bone-shaped chews designed for puppies that are teething. The chews, made by New Jersey-based Nylabone Products, were distributed nationwide and in Canada.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: 

• nausea 
• vomiting 
• diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
• abdominal cramping 
• fever

Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including: 

arterial infections: 

• endocarditis 
• arthritis 
• muscle pain 
• eye irritation 
• urinary tract symptoms 

Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be: 

• lethargic  
• diarrhea or bloody diarrhea 
• fever 
• vomiting

Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. 

Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased this product should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. 

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-877-273-7527, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Central time (after hours/weekends covered by third-party poison control center).

"Rachael Rays" Pet Food RECALLED – See The List

IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Ainsworth Pet Nutrition Voluntarily Recalls Five Nutrish® Wet Cat Food Varieties For Potentially Elevated Vitamin D Levels.

After conducting a number of product tests, Ainsworth confirmed that the affected products have elevated levels of vitamin D.

The high levels result from the natural levels of vitamin D that are found in some of the fish ingredients that were used in these specific formulas.

“At Ainsworth Pet Nutrition and Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®, the safety and quality of our products is our top priority,” says Jeff Watters, CEO. “For the time being, we recommend disposing of any of the affected wet cat varieties. Rest assured we have implemented additional operating procedures to prevent an issue like this from occurring in the future. We sincerely apologize to our loyal consumers everywhere.”

What was recalled

The following varieties of Rachael Ray Nutrish wet cat food: 

• Paw Lickin’ Chicken & Liver, 2.8 oz. single pack, “Best By” date of Aug. 17, 2015 
• Ocean Fish & Chicken Catch-iatore, 2.8 oz. single pack, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016 
• Ocean Fish-a-licious, 2.8 oz. single pack, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016 
• Tuna Purrfection, 2.8 oz. single pack, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016 
• Lip Smackin’ Sardine & Mackerel, 2.8 oz. single pack, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016 

Two variety packs that contain some of these recalled products also were recalled:

• Chicken Lovers Variety Pack, 12 count pack of 2.8 oz cups, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016 
• Ocean Lovers Variety Pack, 12 count pack of 2.8 oz cups, “Best By” date of Dec. 1, 2016

FDA report dated June 4, 2015

Ainsworth is working to ensure the removal of all affected products from store shelves. Retailers with affected products are asked to contact 888-943-4218 for additional information.

Consumers with questions about the recall are encouraged to contact Ainsworth’s Consumer Care Team at 877-650-3486 or visit www.nutrishforpets.com/news.

The UPC code can be found on the bottom of the cup. The Best By date can be found on the side of the cup.

To date, there have been 11 reports of illness associated with these products.

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Why Is Pet Food Recalled So Often? What Pet Owners Should Know!

What the heck is going on? It comes down to money! Pet food is profitable, so lots of companies with little or no experience (or knowledge) of pet nutrition have pounced on the bandwagon. The food these companies sell usually doesn’t meet the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards.

On it’s own website AAFCO provides this disclaimer:

“AAFCO has no statutory authority to regulate pet products.

Rather, enforcement of violations is the purview of the state feed control officials, so companies must comply with each state’s requirements. While most states follow AAFCO model regulations, exact language and interpretation may differ between states.

While these documents offer guidance that are helpful in the vast majority of states, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure compliance with individual state requirements.”

What happens is this:

Many pet foods are co-packed, or have several different manufacturers. In these cases the label is done by the end-of-the-line company that’s selling the food, Pet Authority reports.

If the pet food bag has “distributed by” instead of “manufactured by,” or “manufactured for,” it means that the food was made somewhere else but the company is placing its label on the bag and selling it as their own.

Many of us think that most pet food companies have veterinarian nutritionists on staff, practice tight quality control, or do nutritional research. Sometimes that’s true, but it’s often not the case.

Many pet food companies practice co-packing with several manufacturers, and this means that when contamination occurs, multiple pet foods are involved, the Pet Authority reports.

Here’s an example:

The Diamond Pet Foods plant caused one of the largest food recall in history, with 30,000 tons of food contaminated with salmonella. 

Diamond Pet Food distributes food under the following labels: 

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lovers Soul,
• Canidae
• Kirkland
• Solid Gold Wolf
• Taste of the Wild
• Premium Edge and several other brands. 

The mother of all pet food recalls occurred in 2007 when reports of dogs and cats unexpectedly suffering kidney failure began flooding in, PetMD reports. 

A series of investigations by the FDA eventually found that suppliers in China were intentionally adding melamine and cyanuric acid to wheat gluten and rice protein concentrates that were being used to produce pet foods.

This was made in CHINA and manufactured by Nestle Purina Pet Care Company

The suppliers did this to make the wheat gluten and rice protein appear as if the concentrations of protein were high than they actually were.

The combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in dog and cat foods led to crystals forming in our pet’s kidneys, leading to kidney damage, kidney failure, and death in many cases.

This tragedy turned into the largest pet food recall in history, spanning foods and treats made by twelve manufacturers, and resulting a criminal case against the U.S. importing company CHEMNutra, Inc, PetMD reports. 

The owners eventually pled guilty to distributing adulterated food and selling food that was misbranded. 

Scores of owners filed lawsuits due to their pets’ illnesses and deaths, and the lawsuits were consolidated into a single class-action case that was settled for $24 million dollars. About half of the settlement went to pet owners. The rest went to the more than 80 lawyers involved in the case, and to cover expenses.

Some 25,601 claims were submitted, with 20,229 approved. In over half of the cases (13,242), the pets died!

In 9,001 cases, pets became ill but survived. In the rest of the claims, animals had been brought in for testing but fortunately didn’t become ill, or owners didn’t indicate their pets’ condition.

PetMD notes that these numbers only represent a tiny fraction of the pets who were affected by the tainted foods.

Buyer beware. In this day and age, what can we learn from this? The Latin phrase “caveat emptor” (Let the buyer beware) applies here.

Here’s a few suggestions:

The American Veterinary Medical Association publishes a list that is frequently updated, and it can’t hurt to check it out every week.

Stop Foodborne Illness recommends the following top tips for safe handling of pet food – you can take steps to minimize risk and keep your pet healthy:

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after touching pet food.
• Clean pet food and water dishes after each feeding.
• Scoop food out of bags/containers with a clean scoop.
• Throw away spoiled or old pet food in a tied plastic bag. 
• If your pet’s food is being recalled, discard all of it — from your pet’s food bowls along with the rest of the supply.

Symptoms: 

• Diarrhea (including blood or mucus).
• Vomiting.
• Lethargy.
• Dehydration.

Keep in mind that some pets can be carriers, meaning they show no symptoms.

They may instead shed the pathogen in their stools or harbor it in their fur or saliva. This means YOU can become sick as well. Wash your hands after petting your furbabies, serving pet food, or handling pet waste.

In this day and age, it almost seems like keeping your pet healthy is a full time job. Considering all the love our pets give us and the ways in which they enrich our lives, it’s a job well worth it.

List of Recent FDA Advisories 

on Recalled Pet Food, Treats and Products

The Most Widespread Animal-to-Human Disease in the World on the Rise

Veterinarians at the University of Florida’s Small Animal Hospital warned of a spike in cases of dogs with leptospirosis. The increase is concerning because leptospirosis is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted between animals and humans.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 100 and 200 human cases of lepto are reported in the U.S. each year, with around half occurring in Hawaii. And while the incidence of lepto is relatively low in this country, it is thought to be the most widespread zoonotic disease in the world.

According to Dr. Carsten Bandt, chief of emergency and critical care service, in a typical year the hospital sees almost no cases of lepto, and over the last decade, there have been very few documented cases in pets in all of Florida.

However, between September 2013 and March 2014, the UF animal hospital saw 12 dogs with the infection.

For more information on how the disease affects humans, visit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How Leptospirosis Is Transmitted to Dogs

The pathogen that causes the disease, Leptospira bacteria, is transmitted in the urine of infected animals. 

Rats are the most common carriers, but other animals that can carry and transmit the disease include raccoons, opossums, dogs, goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, and horses. The bacteria can be deposited in soil and water and survive for weeks or even months.

Several species (serovars) of Leptospira cause disease in dogs, and the prevalence of a particular serovar varies by region. There are over 20 different serovars in existence that could potentially infect dogs, and hundreds of non-pathogenic serovars.

Dogs pick up the bacteria through a cut or break in the skin when they come in contact with contaminated water or soil, or when they drink contaminated water. Most at risk for leptospirosis are pets that spend a lot of time in the water or in areas that get rain or snow runoff, as well as dogs that drink from puddles or ponds.

Symptoms of Infection

Many dogs with mild lepto infections never show any symptoms at all. Generally speaking, young dogs tend to get sicker than older dogs.

Clinical signs depend on the age and health of the dog, environmental factors affecting the bacteria, and the virulence of the particular species (serovar) of bacteria that is present.

When symptoms do occur they usually appear between 4 and 12 days after exposure to the bacteria, and can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, depression, and blood in the urine. 

Since the infection primarily affects the kidneys and liver, in serious cases there can be jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes. 

In dogs, it is usually most obvious in the whites of the eyes. Jaundice indicates the presence of hepatitis (liver inflammation) as a result of the destruction of liver cells by the bacteria.

Blood clotting problems can also develop, which can result in blood in the stool and bleeding from the tissues of the mouth. In rare cases, leptospirosis can also cause respiratory distress and acute pulmonary (lung) hemorrhage.

Treating a Leptospirosis Infection

Some dogs exposed to leptospirosis recover without medical treatment because they never show overt symptoms. Unfortunately, an untreated dog who recovers from the infection can become a carrier and shed the bacteria in urine for up to a year.

Dogs that become seriously ill with leptospirosis must be hospitalized to receive antibiotics and appropriate supportive care to control vomiting and diarrhea, and to provide hydration and nutrition.

Dogs with milder infections can be managed at home as long as the owner takes appropriate hygiene precautions when cleaning up urine. If your dog has lepto and anyone in your family develops flu-like symptoms, it’s important that you inform your family physician that a leptospirosis infection is a possibility.

Preventing a Leptospirosis Infection in Your Own Pet

There is a vaccine for leptospirosis, but I don’t recommend it and I don’t give it to my patients. It’s a relatively weak bacterial vaccine that is short acting and can’t protect against all serovars of Leptospira.

This particular vaccine is a bacterin, which is made from killed bacteria. This type of vaccine by itself won’t prompt an immune response to make antibodies, so a powerful adjuvant is added that elicits a strong immune system response. 

Because of this, the vaccine also carries a significantly greater risk for adverse reactions. We also now suspect that the vaccine can actually trigger the disease in dogs, and it has also been linked to early kidney failure in older animals. 

For more information about why this vaccine is NOT recommended, download Dr. Patricia Jordan’s article.

Leptospira bacteria thrive in warm, humid climates and are often found in stagnant water. Dogs exposed to potentially contaminated water sources or wild animals are at much greater risk of developing an infection than city dogs.

Infection is most common in the summer months, the early fall, and during periods of flooding.

At home, you can reduce the risk of infection by safely controlling the rodent population in and around your home. If you live where infections are a problem, it’s important to keep your pet away from ponds, slow moving water, and standing or stagnant water.

If you have a healthy dog who suddenly has a fever, grows lethargic, perhaps is urinating excessively or is urinating bright fresh blood, you need to call your veterinarian immediately and get your pet in for a lepto test. 

Leptospirosis is a totally treatable bacterial infection — it’s only when a diagnosis isn’t made early enough that dogs suffer unnecessarily.

Thanks to Dr. Karen Becker for sharing.

Human Concern

Leptospirosis infection can be life threatening to humans, leading to kidney failure, liver failure, and meningitis.

There was a recent case in central Indiana where a dog was presented to a veterinary clinic for diarrhea. Treatment and testing were initiated. During this time period, one of the animal caretakers started having fever, lethargy, and flu-like symptoms. 

When the dog came back positive for leptospirosis, the animal caretaker consulted her physician and was also diagnosed with Lepto. Both dog and animal caretaker made a full recovery because of the early diagnosis.

Recommended Reading: VACCINATION DANGERS

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