In which situation to choose a commercial, fresh food (home prepared diet) or mixed diet (such as half-half) ?
First ask the pet owner what he wants/can do.
You can thus offer a suitable type of food.
Indicate that the rations are calculated according to the characteristics of the animal, and that not everything is possible for everyone… Choose between a few options offered each time, or even offer several recipes, with different ingredients or different treats.
If you detect a problem with the current food, but the owner does not want to change, prescribe a trial for a limited period of 2 months with a half-half option, using the usual pet food as a base, and, in the homme prepared part, do not add carbohydrates, and finalize the recipe. If this option is not entirely satisfactory, switch to a 100% homemade, home prepared diet, with no carbs.
Home prepared diet =
- consider one hour of preparation per week (plus shopping),
- accept the idea of selected and monitored ingredients including at least Meat, Vit’i5, Rapeseed oil, vegetables, and finally starchy foods, treats
- the part without carbohydrates can be frozen (and thawed in the fridge for the next day), carbohydrates, which contain starch, must be cooked the same day of consumption or for 2 days maximum, and kept in the fridge in the meantime
- distribution of the daily food amount in 2 meals (dog) or 4 meals (cat)
For the holidays
DOG
- Switching from a home prepared diet to a mixed diet (half commercial + half household) is usually well accepted
- Switching from a home prepared diet to a canned/wet food requires a one-week transition, a choice of cans adapted to the animal’s situation, and the calculation of the quantity (can be done via VET-NUTRITION)
- Switching from a home prepared diet to only kibble is possible if the dog tolerates starch (always present in the kibble), requires to choose the kibble and calculate the right amount (to be done via VET-NUTRITION), a transition from a week with half-half diet (to avoid digestive problems), and eventually to give the daily amount of kibbles in 2 meals, with plenty of water at each meal. It is possible to add natural yogurt to help digestive comfort during the feeding period with kibble only.
CAT
a cat fed a home prepared diet can switch, after a successful transition before departure, to a wet petfood (can/tin/poach), but avoid switching it to kibble, because the risk that it not going to drink enough is real and this could lead to with pathological consequences (overweight if fed ad libitum; urinary troubles if very insufficient watering)
Mixed diet so called half commercial-half household =
Allows the diet to be well adjusted to the individual needs of the animal (my advice is to choose kibble/can the most adapted to the animal’s situation), the home prepared part is proposed and calculated taking into account the commercial foods chosen, the treats, and all singular characteristics of the animal, including in the event of pathology, in order to cover the needs in calories, in proteins, and balanced in micronutrients)
while remaining simpler to prepare and a little less expensive than a totally household ration (if you choose an industrial kibble base)
- consider one hour of preparation per week (plus shopping),
- accept the idea of selected and monitored ingredients, in addition to commercial pet food, include at least Meat, Vit’i5, and vegetables, sometimes Rapeseed oil, depending on the situation, and finally carbohydrates, treats…
- choose the home prepared part without carbs (starch), as then it can be frozen (and thawed in the fridge for the next day), so it’s easier
- distribution of the daily food amount in 2 meals (dog) or 4 meals (cat)
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