Protein and Carbohydrate Sources of Home-cooked Pet Diets

High quality commercial pet diets have been tested over decades to provide adequate nutrition for both dogs and cats. With the exception of some pets with multiple or severe health concerns, there is a commercial diet that is appropriate for nearly every pet and nutritional deficiency diseases are rare in pets fed commercial diets. Even when the diet recipe is nutritionally balanced, there is no evidence that the average animal receives better nutrition from a home-cooked diet than a commercial diet and there is the potential for problems to develop if the recipe is not followed exactly every day. For the vast majority of pet owners, commercial diets offer the best nutrition with the most convenience and affordability.

If you are considering providing your pet with a home-cooked diet, you should identify the ingredients below that you are willing to cook and that you know your pet will eat. If you have not tried a home-cooked diet before, please test ingredients with your pet to ensure that they will eat them prior to scheduling your appointment with our service. Our basic diet formulations contain one carbohydrate and one protein, a source of fat and essential fatty acids, and necessary vitamin and mineral supplementation, so your pet will typically need to be willing to eat both a protein and carbohydrate source to successfully be fed a home-cooked diet. Please see our website for more details.

Ground beef

If your pet has kidney disease, choose at least 1 protein and 1 carbohydrate source from the following options that you know your pet will eat:

Protein Sources:

  • Chicken thigh
  • Pork loin
  • Tilapia

Carbohydrate Sources:

  • White rice/rice noodles
  • Barley
  • Corn grits

For all other pets, choose at least 1 protein and 1 carbohydrate source that you know your pet will eat:

Protein Sources:

  • Chicken
  • Pork loin
  • Ground beef
  • Tilapia
  • Egg
  • Other? Let us know (may incur additional fees).

Carbohydrate Sources:

  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Potato
  • Corn grits
  • Other? Let us know (may incur additional fees).
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