I had two senior pups who required special diets due to kidney disease, pulmonary diseases, and a list full of others. I needed to monitor everything about them their medicine, sleep, food, behavior, etc. So, I felt it best for me to make their food so I knew every single thing that was going into their bodies. As any small change had an effect on the medication prescribed or lab results.
Prior to that I did buy their food. So I wanted to make sure that they were getting all the nutrients they need and that I was giving the right amount of protein given the kidney disease. I worked with a pet nutritionist and my vet to determine each of my dogs individual needs. I was able to ensure that the right nutritional supplements were provided along with the correct amount of carbs, veggies, protein, etc. It is really important that you seek a nutritionist to help you with the right diet for your pet. If not, your pet can be missing key nutrients that can have a big impact on their health.
It is also good to check in with your nutritionist (who will review the latest medical documents and labs) along with any health concerns at least twice a year to ensure that your fur baby’s needs haven’t changed.
It is little extra work but I prepare all my meals at home so was relatively easy to grocery shop for them when I shopped for me. I created a calendar to schedule days to cook for them their food is always fresh and I know exactly what is in it. Plus, if I need to amend it for health reasons I can do this right away.
If you have any questions on how I started shoot me an email I would be happy to share my experience.