Homemade pet-chow books spike after recall
Some dog and cat owners frightened by a pet-food contamination scare are forsaking the store-bought variety and grinding up meat in their own kitchens.
Amy Parish, a 40-year-old who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Tucker, said shestopped giving her two aging chow chows canned food. Instead, Parish mixes dry food with a mash of chicken, rice, oatmeal and cottage cheese that she prepares twice a week.
'I'm very suspicious of any large-brand manufactured dog food.' —Amy Parish, who started her own making pet food
"I'm very suspicious of any large-brand manufactured dog food," said Parish.
But veterinarians warn that making balanced meals for pets can be complicated and should only be a temporary remedy until the scare passes.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration testing found that wheat gluten imported from China and used in some of the pet food was contaminated with a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics.
The FDA has confirmed about 15 pet deaths, while anecdotal reports suggest hundreds of cats and dogs may have died.
Be wary of contamination: U.S. FDA
The FDA and the American Veterinary Medical Association are urging pet owners to switch brands if they are worried.
'We'd say be knowledgeable about what you need.' —FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza
The veterinarian group also warned that many common foods are not safe for pets, including salt, garlic, onions, grapes and chocolate.
FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza warned that making pet food at home is "kind of like canning."
"You have to think about bacterial contamination. And how do you make sure it's nutritionally appropriate and balanced for the animal?" she said.
She added: "We wouldn't object. We'd say be knowledgeable about what you need."
Pet-food cookbook sales on the rise
On Amazon.com, the cookbook Real Food for Dogs moved into the list of top 200 bestsellers this week and similar books also jumped up in the charts.
Donald Strombeck said the Amazon.com sales rank for his book Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative jumped from below 60,000 to about 1,000 after the recalls.
'An animal can basically eat the same things we eat. They're not going to develop a deficiency.' —Donald Strombeck, retired professor of veterinary nutrition
Strombeck, a retired professor of veterinary nutrition at the University of California, challenged the common assertion that owners should not feed their pets table food.
He said that when he began practising veterinary medicine in the 1950s, most pet owners fed their pets scraps from the table, keeping the risk of contamination low.
"The pet food industry doesn't want people competing with them," Strombeck said. "An animal can basically eat the same things we eat. They're not going to develop a deficiency."
Robert Van Sickle, who co-owns the Polka Dog Bakery in Boston, said he has received many inquiries from customers on advice for making their own dog food.
"What this scare has shown me is that it's amazing how many people don't know what they are feeding their dogs," he said.
"The bright side, for me, as someone interested in animal wellness, is people are asking questions now."