I've got three pets...two cats and one dog. Two of the three are on special diets and one of them is over 14 years old, so I'm really wanting to make sure they each have those special needs met, so they can live long, happy and healthy as possible lives.

The problem I've been having lately is lack of supply. I've been on subscription services to receive their special formulas, and when the subscription comes up, I've been getting notes that they don't have it in stock and they won't be sending it. I've waited for weeks. Well? My little loves HAVE TO EAT.  At this point, I'm looking for healthy alternatives.

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So I asked my vet clinic, Companion's Animal Hospital for advice on making healthy alternatives for my dog Gloria. (I can't tackle making cat and dog food all at once. Baby steps).

They sent me to a website called BalanceIt, that will give you a calculator to help you determine how much protein, carbs, and fats your dog should have per serving, per their size.

This is my FIRST attempt at making dog food. I will have to do better with the amounts, but since I think Gloria is allergic to chicken, I'm going to avoid chicken, and chicken broths and work with other proteins.  Other than not being sure if the portions are exact, all of the food in this recipe was approved by the food checker on the BalanceIt website.

KELLY CORDES
KELLY CORDES
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I made food for Gloria to last at least all week. I also am going to introduce this to her a little bit at a time, so her little tummy doesn't get upset.  I took 1 pound of 85% beef and browned it first.  I strained off the grease, and added in just 1 1/2 tsp of Canola oil.

KELLY CORDES
KELLY CORDES
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I then added about 3 cups of water, and about1/2 cup of brown rice. I think maybe I should have added more rice, but I didn't want to over do it. I then added one package of California style frozen vegetable mix. I think this is also about a 16 ounce package, and I added one large can of 100% pumpkin puree.

KELLY CORDES
KELLY CORDES
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I let this simmer on low on the stove for about 40 minutes.  I let it cool and then I added some of Gloria's healthy dogfood, just in case there are vitamins and minerals that she might be missing in this recipe.

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KELLY CORDES
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This is a hydrolyzed protein food mix, and I think I added about 1/4  cup.  I stirred it all together and let it cool on the stove. I then packaged it in Tupperware in the fridge, and I will pull out a little bit at a time for Gloria. She got to try her first bite of it last night, and ate every bit of it.

Kelly Cordes
Kelly Cordes
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This little chubby pup is liking it so far. Let me know what you think. I highly recommend talking to your vet before you change their diet, but I needed a solution and I will keep you posted as I get better at making Gloria's homemade food.

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To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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