Is it good for your pets eat human diets, homemade pet food?

(WYTV)- If you’re a vegetarian, is your pet one too?

Nutritionists say it’s a bad idea to apply some popular diet trends to your animals, pets are not people.

Dr. Valerie Parker has heard it all when it comes to alternative pet diets, she says animals have vastly different nutritional needs than humans. People who are meat-free themselves should not put their pets on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

“Cats are carnivores. Now that doesn’t mean that cats can’t tolerate carbohydrates and plant sources of food in their food, but they are designed to eat certain meats,” Parker said.

But others may feed their pets raw meat with the belief that dogs and cats should eat like their wolf and wild cat ancestors. No, our domesticated animals have evolved, they need the right combination of meats and carbs. And some pet owners may be tempted to make their own pet food. But most homemade pet food recipes just don’t contain the nutrients your pet needs and can cause severe health issues.

You’ll find so much information online about pet diets, it can confuse you. Your veterinarian is the best person to guide you and recommend the good stuff.

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