Vanillapup
  • Shop for Pet Supplies
  • Dog Cafes in Singapore
  • Puppy Starter Page
  • Dog-friendly
  • Vanillapup Picks
  • Wellbeing
  • How to
  • What’s Up Dog
Other useful links
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Contact
Vanillapup
  • Dog Cafes List
  • Dog-friendly
    • Fun Places
    • Restaurants & Cafes
    • Hotels & Daycare
    • Services
  • Wellbeing
    • Training & Exercise
    • Health & Medical
    • Grooming & Spa
  • How to
    • Tips for Dog Owners
    • Recipes
  • Shop Pet Supplies
    • Fun Toys
    • Beds
    • Grooming Essentials
    • Supplements
    • Pet Carriers
    • Collars
    • Harnesses
    • Leashes
    • Treats
    • Bowls
    • Poop Bag & Carriers
    • Dog Apparel
    • For the Home
Should I Add Supplements to my Dog's Home-cooked Meals | Vanillapup

Ask a Vet: Should I Add Supplements to My Dog’s Home-cooked Meals?

  • Dr. Brian Loon
  • August 18, 2016
  • 1 minute read
Total
1
Shares
Total
1
Shares
Share
Tweet
Share
Share

Q. I have been feeding my dog home-cooked meals made of 80% meat and 20% fruits and vegetables. Should I add supplements to ensure that she gets everything she needs?

Dr. Brian Loon: It is great that you care about giving your dog a complete and balanced diet.

But, the diet that you have described is likely unbalanced.

It may surprise you that a study revealed that out of 200 recipes for dogs taken from the web and books, only 5 (2.5%) were balanced. The not so surprising fact is that veterinarians with advanced training in nutrition prepared those 5 recipes.

Nutrition is a complicated science. Just adding supplements to a home-cooked diet does not make it complete and balanced.

An unbalanced diet can cause gradual but significant undesirable health effects over time. Thus, it is essential that you get your dog’s home-cooked diet balanced from the start.

To do that, I strongly recommend for you to consult a certified veterinary nutritionist.

A good nutritionist will customise a recipe for your dog based on various factors, which include age, lifestyle, pre-existing medical conditions, as well as the ingredients that you want to use.

Examples of certified veterinary nutritionist specialists who provide online services are petdiets.com and petnutritionconsulting.com.


Do you have a question for our vet contributors? Comment below or email us!

See more from Vanillapup on Facebook and Instagram.

Dr. Brian Loon

BSc. BVMS (Hons) (Murdoch), Certificate Veterinary Acupuncture (IVAS) Dr. Brian Loon graduated from Murdoch University, Western Australia in 2007 and has since been practising as a small animal veterinarian in Singapore. His areas of special interest include diagnostic ultrasonography, endoscopy, and minimally invasive (keyhole) surgery (laparoscopy). He is also certified in Veterinary Acupuncture with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) and a certified and registered member of PennHIP, an internationally known modality for diagnosing hip dysplasia in cats and dogs.


You May Also Like
Rehab Centres in Singapore - Vanillapup
View More
  • 3 min

Pet Rehab & Fitness: 6 Places to Help Your Pet Recover and Get Fit

  • January 9, 2021
Dental Chews - Why we dont recommend it
View More
  • 2 min

Dental Chews: Why We Don’t Recommend It

  • June 20, 2020
Dog Food Guide | Vanillapup
View More
  • 13 min

Vanillapup Dog Food Guide

  • February 6, 2020
Dog Paw Licking | Vanillapup
View More
  • 4 min

Dog Paw Licking: How to Solve and Manage This Pesky Problem

  • August 15, 2019
How to Choose Pet Insurance | Vanillapup
View More
  • 7 min

Complete Guide to Pet Insurance in Singapore 2019: How to Choose + Detailed Comparison

  • August 7, 2019
Dental Scaling Dogs | Vanillapup
View More
  • 4 min

Dental Scaling for Dogs: Latte’s Teeth Got Cleaned For the 1st Time at the Vet

  • July 18, 2019
Vanillapup
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Contact
A website for dog lovers

Hosted by En Technologies

Input your search keywords and press Enter.