balanceit.com
Overview of BalanceIt.com
(balanceit.com)
Balance It® is a company dedicated to supporting homemade diets for dogs and cats. Their core offering is a free online recipe builder that allows pet owners (and veterinarians) to generate custom, balanced meal plans — paired with their line of supplements designed to fortify those meals. (balance.it)
What the service does
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Users enter details about their pet (species, weight, age, health conditions) and preferred ingredients. The recipe builder then calculates a nutritionally complete recipe. (balance.it)
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The system indicates which supplement(s) from Balance It® should be added, and how much. (balance.it)
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For pets with health conditions, a veterinary-approval process may be required. (balance.it)
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The supplements are made to “human grade” standards (that is, manufacturing is compliant with human dietary supplement standards) and the company emphasises food-grade ingredients and third-party auditing. (balanceit.com)
Key features and claims
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The website states they have been doing this for “two decades” (so ~20 years) of providing tools for fresh food nutrition for dogs and cats. (balanceit.com)
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They claim support from tens of thousands of veterinarians globally and list many prestigious veterinary hospitals and universities as users. (balanceit.com)
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They offer a “45-day money-back guarantee” for their supplements. (balanceit.com)
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The recipe builder is entirely free of charge; you don’t need to buy their supplements to build a recipe. (balance.it)
How it works — step by step
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Visit the website and go to the “Recipes” or “Recipe Builder” section.
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Input your pet’s species (dog/cat), weight (in kg or lbs), age, reproductive status (spayed/neutered or not), and any health conditions. (balance.it)
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Select preferred ingredients (meats, veggies, fruits, oils) that you’re willing to use. The system has a database of thousands of ingredients. (balance.it)
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The system calculates the required nutrient profile and determines which supplement you’ll need to add to ensure completeness. It may present cost per day and show what deficiencies would exist without the supplement. (balance.it)
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If your pet has a health condition requiring special diet (e.g., kidney disease, lower phosphorus, etc.), the site may require a vet-approval process. Once approved, you can proceed. (balance.it)
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You prepare the recipe at home, following the ingredient proportions, cooking instructions (or raw if applicable, though many recipes require cooking), and add the supplement as specified.
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Monitor your pet’s health, and update the recipe periodically or with changes in their weight, age, activity, or health status.
Pros and things to like
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Customization: Because the tool is free and self-service, you can tailor recipes to your pet’s preferences and your own ingredient availability.
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Veterinary alignment: The company emphasises credentialed oversight (board-certified veterinary nutritionists) and encourages veterinary involvement. This adds credibility. (balance.it)
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Transparency of nutrients: The system shows what the nutrient gaps would be without supplementation, helping owners understand the risks of homemade diets done poorly. (balance.it)
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Supplement quality: The supplements claim human-grade manufacturing standards and lab assays to verify nutrients are within spec. (balanceit.com)
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Resource hub: There is quite detailed FAQ and support material, including explanations of how to use the tools, how to think about ingredient substitutions, etc. (balance.it)
Considerations / things to be cautious about
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Ingredient selection and execution matter: The quality of the finished diet depends heavily on you choosing appropriate ingredients and following the recipe exactly. The company notes that changing ingredients can lead to failure of balance. (balance.it)
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Not a substitute for veterinary nutrition consultation: If your pet has serious medical conditions (kidney disease, etc.), you may still need to consult a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. The company states they do not provide individual nutritional consults. (balance.it)
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Supplement cost + ingredient cost: Even though the recipe builder is free, you still have to purchase the supplements (if you want the Balance It® ones) and source the ingredients yourself. Example: one of the recipes shows ~$5.07/day supplementation for an 80-lb dog. (balance.it)
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Availability: The service appears U.S.-centric. Shipping of supplements and availability of ingredients may vary by country, so if you are outside the U.S., you might face extra cost or logistical hurdles. The website offers “free shipping in US” for many items. (balanceit.com)
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DIY risks: Even with the tool, homemade pet diets have risks of nutrient deficiencies or imbalances if done improperly (wrong ingredients, wrong portions, missing micronutrients). The site itself emphasises using the recipe exactly and warns about substitutions. (balance.it)
Ideal user / use-case
If you are a pet owner who:
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Wants to feed your dog or cat homemade food (rather than commercial kibble/canned food)
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Is willing to invest time in ingredient sourcing, cooking/prepping, measuring, and monitoring
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Wants to ensure nutritional completeness and is comfortable using a web-tool and following instructions
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Possibly has veterinary access (or wants to work with a vet) and is okay with adding a supplement to the diet
…then Balance It® offers a robust solution for homemade diet formulation.
If instead you:
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Prefer convenience (just open a commercial food bag)
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Don’t want to deal with ingredient sourcing and measuring
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Your pet has a complex medical condition requiring frequent diet changes
…then a commercial complete pet food or direct veterinary-nutritionist consultation might be simpler.
Summary
Balance It® stands out by offering a serious, credentialed tool for homemade pet-food formulation. The fact they provide the recipe builder for free is a plus. The supplement line has quality claims and the support material is quite thorough. That said, homemade feeding remains more resource-intensive and somewhat higher risk than using a complete commercial pet food. If you go this route, you’ll be taking on more of the work of diet formulation, cooking, and monitoring.
Key Takeaways
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Balance It® provides a free online recipe builder for homemade dog and cat diets + their own supplement line.
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They emphasise veterinary nutrition credentials, food-grade manufacturing, transparency.
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You input pet details and ingredients; they generate a balanced recipe and specify the supplement needed.
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It’s ideal for owners committed to homemade feeding and willing to put in the time and cost.
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Not a full substitute for veterinary nutrition consultation if the pet has complex health issues.
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Ingredient sourcing, following instructions, and monitoring are essential; deviations increase risk.
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Cost is not just the supplement — also your ingredients, cooking time, and maybe vet follow-up.
FAQ
Q: Can I use the recipe builder without purchasing supplements?
A: Yes, you can use the builder and generate recipes. However, the resulting recipe will indicate how many deficiencies would exist without the supplement. If you skip the supplement, you risk nutrient gaps. (balance.it)
Q: What if my pet has a disease (e.g., kidney disease, low phosphorus requirement)?
A: The site supports special conditions but usually requires vet approval (veterinarian-client-patient relationship) if you select a medical condition. They specify you may need to provide your vet’s contact info and the vet must approve. (balance.it)
Q: Are the supplements safe/quality assured?
A: The company claims that their supplements are manufactured under human dietary supplement standards, each batch is assayed, and products are made in a certified facility. (balanceit.com)
Q: Can I substitute ingredients freely in the recipe builder?
A: You can pick many ingredients, but the company warns that you should not substitute ingredients outside the builder’s list. They say even minor changes (e.g., chicken cut) can affect nutrient content. (balance.it)
Q: Is this service global / outside the U.S.?
A: The website emphasizes “Free Shipping in US” for many items. If you are outside the U.S., you should check shipping, import duties, availability of ingredients/supplements locally. (balanceit.com)
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