It’s been a while since my last post and since then I’ve had the opportunity to consult with another nutritionist about Desi. So I thought it was worth continuing on the topic for this post.

As of the last post I’d started cooking for Desi and I wanted to be sure he was getting all the vitamins and nutrients he needs. He’s decided he doesn’t want to eat the few commercial foods he’s not allergic to at all any longer. Who can blame him? The veterinary nutritionist I’ve consulted with suggested I purchase supplements for Desi. The problem is that when the supplements are added to even the food he likes, he won’t eat it.  It begs the question why manufacturers haven’t addressed palatability and scent of supplements. Dogs smell their food and when they don’t like the smell there’s a good chance they won’t eat the food.  Of course some dogs will eat just about anything and while there’s definitely a down side to that, it can make feeding a balanced diet easier. For anyone has to add supplements to their dog’s food and who has a dog like Desi who runs from his dish if the food doesn’t smell delicious, you know exactly what I mean.  Human  medicines and vitamins are usually flavored to make them more appealing.  It makes sense.  And if you’ve ever had to have a prescription filled at a compounding pharmacy or a regular pharmacy, you know flavorings are often added to liquid medications.  Wouldn’t it make sense to have the same sort of service for animals?  Compounding pharmacies I’ve used do sometimes offer vanilla, beef, poultry and fish flavorings, but regular pharmacies don’t have flavors that appeal to animals at all. And as for supplements needed for daily use, any I’ve tried offer no appeal what so ever to animals and sometimes so much is needed that it over powers the scent of the food.

So, as we head into fall, it will be my quest to find more palatable supplements or a nutritionist who can help create a balanced food program without the use of such a large amount of supplements.  Don’t animals with limitations on what they can eat deserve to enjoy their food too?

Stay tuned and I’ll post new information next time. Thanks for reading!