Lesson 5

Organ Meats & Essential Nutrients

In the previous lessons, you learned how to calculate the nutrients your dog needs and how ratios affect whether those nutrients are actually usable. With that foundation in place, this lesson focuses on a key ingredient that can make meeting those requirements much easier: organ meats. Organ meats are naturally concentrated sources of essential vitamins and trace minerals that are difficult to supply through muscle meat alone. When used correctly, they simplify nutrient balancing in homemade diets by providing multiple nutrients at once through whole foods rather than relying entirely on individual supplements.

Why Organ Meats Are Especially Important in Homemade Diets

Organ meats are some of the most nutrient-dense foods you can include in a homemade dog diet. They contain high concentrations of essential vitamins and trace minerals in forms that are easily absorbed and used by the body. Secreting organs, such as liver and kidney, naturally provide nutrients like vitamin A, B vitamins, copper, iron, and selenium—many of which are difficult to supply in adequate amounts using muscle meat alone.



While these nutrients can be supplemented, organ meats offer a whole-food way to deliver them together, in balanced proportions, and with high bioavailability. Including organs reduces reliance on multiple individual supplements and helps create a more nutritionally complete meal using real ingredients. For homemade feeders, organ meats are not strictly required if all nutrients are carefully supplemented, but they are an efficient and practical way to cover essential nutrients and support long-term nutritional balance.

(5% of Diet)

Secreting Organs

Secreting organs perform metabolic functions in the body and are essential in homemade diets. These include:


  • Liver
  • Kidney
  • Spleen
  • Pancreas
  • Brain
  • Testicles


Why they matter:
Secreting organs are rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K), B vitamins, copper, iron, and other trace nutrients that are difficult to obtain elsewhere. Liver, in particular, is a primary source of vitamin A and must be included—but not overused.


How much:
Secreting organs should make up about 5% of the total diet, with liver capped at roughly half of that amount. Too much liver can lead to vitamin A excess, which is why balance matters.

(5% of Diet)

Non-Secreting Organs

Non-secreting organs include:

  • Heart
  • Gizzards
  • Tongue
  • Lung


Why they’re different:
These organs function more like muscle meat nutritionally. They provide protein, taurine, and connective tissue support, but they do not replace secreting organs and should not be counted toward the required organ percentage.

They are best treated as nutrient-dense muscle meat, not true organs for balancing purposes.

Why Organ Meats Are Especially Important in Homemade Diets

Homemade diets that exclude organs often appear balanced on the surface but fall short in key nutrients over time. Organ meats help:

  • Supply fat-soluble vitamins that are scarce in muscle meat
  • Provide trace minerals needed in small but essential amounts
  • Reduce reliance on synthetic supplements
  • Improve nutrient diversity and bioavailability


Without organs, homemade diets are more likely to develop deficiencies even when meat ratios look correct.

  • How to Add Organ Meats Safely

    Organ meats should be added gradually and intentionally, especially for dogs new to homemade food.


    Best practices include:


    • Start with small amounts and increase slowly

    • Use finely chopped, ground, or lightly cooked organs

    • Mix organs evenly throughout meals or batches

    • Avoid feeding large organ portions all at once

    Because organs are nutrient-dense, more is not better. Precision and consistency matter more than quantity.

  • Why Variety Matters With Organ Meats

    No single organ provides every nutrient. Rotating different secreting organs helps distribute nutrient intake and lowers the risk of excesses from relying too heavily on one source.


    For example:


    • Liver provides vitamin A and copper
    • Kidney contributes selenium and B vitamins
    • Spleen supports iron intake

    Using a variety over time creates more balanced nutrition than relying on liver alone.

  • Common Mistakes With Organ Meats

    Treating heart as a required organ


    • Feeding too much liver
    • Skipping organs entirely
    • Feeding organs sporadically instead of consistently
    • Using organs to replace supplements they cannot cover

    Organ meats support balance, but they do not replace calcium supplementation or correct mineral ratios on their own.

Lesson Summary & What Comes Next

Up to this point, you’ve learned how to determine your dog’s nutrient requirements, understand how ratios influence balance, and use key whole-food ingredients like organ meats to meet essential vitamin and mineral needs more efficiently. These lessons establish the nutritional foundation of a homemade diet—ensuring meals are not only complete on paper, but functional in your dog’s body.



With this foundation in place, the next lesson focuses on healthy fats, another critical component of homemade feeding. Fats provide energy, support skin and coat health, and supply essential fatty acids that cannot be produced by the body. In Lesson 5, you’ll learn which fats matter, why omega-3s are important, and how to use whole-food fat sources to support long-term health without overdoing it.