The provision of home-made diets is of great importance in the feeding of dogs. Commercial diets often contain artificial coloring and flavoring agents that can be detrimental to the health of the animal. In contrast, home-made food items are prepared with a guarantee of freshness, unlike commercially available products.
The addition of preservatives to commercial food items may not be suitable for dogs from a health perspective. In cases of renal disease, home-made diets for dogs can be prepared using ground beef, slices of bread, calcium carbonate, boiled eggs, and other ingredients to ensure a restricted protein supply. Such diets should be prepared exclusively for dogs suffering from renal diseases, with sufficient quantities of water added to aid proper metabolism in cases of impaired digestion.
Allergic symptoms such as severe itching may persist despite the use of various medications over time. However, such cases can be easily treated by switching from commercial food to home-made food items.
Home-made food items are often prepared using freezing procedures to eliminate germs or by adding grape seed extracts to provide adequate antioxidants. Food-grade vinegar is also frequently added to freshly prepared meat pieces. These food items can be enriched with vitamin supplements available in fruit essences, fish oil, and other sources.