Making your own pet food can be exciting, but without thorough research it can cost more time and money than expected.

Do you want to spend five hours or more in the kitchen cooking for your pets? That’s about the average time a pet owner spends preparing homemade pet food.

Many pet owners believe that preparing their pets’ food themselves is easier and cheaper than buying ready-made food. But according to animal nutritionist Dr. Lindsey E. Bullen, this is not the case.

There is a “misconception that you can make nutritionally balanced pet food from human ingredients. That’s simply not possible,” she said.

How to find the right recipe for your animal companion

Instead of searching for a random recipe online, Bullen recommends working with a board-certified veterinarian to develop the right recipe for your furry friend.

“Improper food preparation can cause long-term damage to your pet, which can be almost fatal,” Bullen said.

How about feeding your pets dry food?

Dry food may not be as attractive, but it could be a better option for many.

Although pet owners may think that processed food is less healthy, Bullen reminds them that there is no equivalent food in the human world.

If you want to make your own pet food, be sure to find and work with the right professionals.

Bullen said she sees no benefit in feeding pets processed food because each pet is unique and it is humanly impossible to prepare each ingredient correctly.