How to cook for your dog or cat?

A balanced diet is essential for the good health of dogs and cats. It must be proportionate according to the needs of the animal which will depend on several parameters such as its age, its breed, its state of health, its physical activity or even its possible castration and/or sterilization.

While the vast majority of owners opt for kibble and pâtés, more and more dog and cat owners are deciding to switch to fresh food. Food that the owner will cook himself.

The benefits of fresh food for dogs and cats?

Unlike industrial food, fresh meals or household rations offer real transparency. Owners can check what the bowl contains and above all assess the quantities of food present in order to s'adapt to the specific needs of their pets.

Fresh food will also allow the animal to ensure its good health. It will be more suitable in case of intolerance or allergy. It can therefore delight the taste buds of elderly, difficult, sick animals or those with digestive sensitivity.

By giving your dog or cat food prepared at home, you are guaranteed to receive nutrients, antioxidants and proteins. So many elements which will allow the animal to gain energy and vitality.

Household rations will also allow him toimprove the quality of its skin and coat. With homemade meals, the ingredients keep'all of their flavor. Dogs and cats alike quickly regain the taste for eating.

What to put in the household ration?

Before embarking on the preparation of a household ration, an owner must keep in mind that this homemade diet must contain all the nutrients necessary for the good health of their pet.

In your pet's bowl, it will be important to find meat and/or fish, cooked vegetables (carrots, green beans, zucchini, etc.), cereals such as rice and pasta and oil which provides nutrients. lipids and essential fatty acids. It will also be necessary to add a mineral and vitamin supplement which will provide 40 to 50% of the micronutrients essential to the good health of the animal but absent from the other ingredients.

The importance of properly preparing your pet's fresh food?

To avoid deficiencies and/or health problems for the animal, it is important to prepare its diet with the greatest rigor.

To be healthy, dog food must contain essential nutrients: protein, calcium, phosphorus. Meals should also be rich in magnesium, sodium and potassium.

For the dog to maintain a beautiful coat, healthy teeth and strong bones, dog food must also contain zinc, copper and fluoride.

In cats, animal proteins should represent 25% of the ration. Carbohydrates and lipids should be less present. Proteins will participate in the development of muscle, skin and hair tissues while carbohydrates (fast sugars and slow sugars) provide calories necessary for the functioning of the body. Lipids are used for energy production, the development of cell walls and many other important roles.

How to ensure a good balance in the ration?

As you will have understood, fresh food has many advantages. However, it only takes a little thing to unbalance a bowl. A study was conducted by the University of California that analyzed 200 recipes for dogs from veterinary textbooks, pet books and websites. They concluded that 95% of household portions are deficient in at least one nutrient, and 83% even have multiple nutritional deficiencies.

To avoid these deficiencies, it is necessary to add food supplements to the animal's bowl. The Osalia pharmaceutical laboratory has developed the Vit'i5 range of mineral and vitamin supplements, specifically formulated by Dr. Vét. Géraldine Blanchard, specialist in veterinary clinical nutrition. These products designed for dogs and cats will help balance household rations according to the specific needs of the animal.

The mineral and vitamin supplement Lives'i5 Orange allows you to balance the household rations of healthy adult dogs and cats up to the age of 8, growing young and pregnant or lactating females.

THE Lives'i5 Blue will balance the household rations of senior dogs and cats (over 8 years old) in good health, or animals with a pathology requiring restriction in phosphorus and minerals (kidney and/or heart failure, urinary stones).

THE Lives'i5 Red will balance mixed rations, in other words rations composed of fresh meals and industrial food (kibble or pâté) for dogs and cats, whatever their age.

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