Dog Community

Nutrition Gurus; Question about Preference from HK

Posted : 5/21/2008 9:20:06 PM

In another thread I suggested Preference by the Honest Kitchen to someone who had a dog with food allergies. It's a premix formulated without meat so you can add any meat you want;

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/preference.shtml.

I know that with other commercial foods and the recipes on balanceit, the amount of supplementation is adjusted according to the type of meat that is used because different meats have different amounts of minerals and other nutrients. Is Preference unbalanced, and could it cause problems if fed long term? I wish I had thought of this before suggesting it.

chelsea_b

Posted : 5/21/2008 10:56:08 PM

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Most kibbles have really similar (to each other) vitamin/mineral premixes, no matter what meat is used... not too mention usually WAY more vitamins and minerals than dogs actually need..so I don't think it has to be terribly specific.

brookcove

Posted : 5/21/2008 11:22:03 PM

Any premix where you add the meat, no matter how "balanced" cannot take into account the wide variation not only between meat sources, but also among cuts, where the meat was grown, how it was raised, and how the meat was handled from live arrival at the slaughterhouse, to your countertop. All these affect nutrient levels to a measurable degree. So even a plan which makes adjustments based on meat sources can be thrown off, in theory.

But one can avoid inbalances over the long term just as anyone doing a home prepared diet would - with sensible rotation.

jessies_mom

Posted : 5/22/2008 7:48:55 PM

Thanks everyone; sounds like it should be okay. Big Smile