Many people are struggling to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Some will try Paleo, Vegan, Low-Carb or any other diet out there to lose weight and get in better shape. Indeed, nutrition is something that influences your health a lot. However, have you ever thought about if you should put your dog on a vegan regimen or not?
For humans, being vegan can have many health benefits. This diet can help you lose excess weight, be provided with more nutrients, and improve your general well-being. Nonetheless, what’s good for us isn’t automatically good for dogs. Let’s see what I’ve found about if your dog should be vegan or not!
As omnivores, dogs can technically survive on a vegan (or vegetarian) diet. Their digestive systems can digest and absorb nutrients from vegetables and fruits pretty well. So vegan food could be good for pets with specific allergies or health problems. But many vets agreed that dogs should not be vegan without professional supervision!
There’s a lot of misleading information about this canine vegan regimen. Many owners claim that their pooches are doing extremely well without eating animal fats or proteins. Nevertheless, most professionals affirm that this type of diet can be dangerous for dogs. At the end of your reading, you will understand better if your dog should be vegan or not!
Can Dogs Be Vegan?
As I already told you, dogs can do quite well without animal source foods. Even so, there’s something that many people don’t understand. Are dogs, not carnivores? In fact, the grey wolf is the ancestor of the domestic dog. Yet, not many people seem to know that these two species are omnivores. That’s why you probably already caught your companion eating grass!
The point that I attempted to make is simply that dogs aren’t only eating meat. Besides, the typical commercial dog food is only 30-40% meat-based. With that information, you can understand that your buddy isn’t a carnivore at all. He can eat many fruits and vegetables without any problem. Therefore, dogs can survive on a vegan regimen!
Should Your Dog Be Vegan Or Not?
To clarify, something you can do or eat isn’t necessarily good for you. It’s the same thing for dogs. Vegan diets aren’t ideal for them only because they can survive it. For most canines, eating animal fats and proteins is essential for their health. That’s why you should not decide on your own to impose that regimen on your dog!
Visit Your Vet!
If you think that your companion should be vegan, it’s important to have professional help. When you want to change your dog’s nutrition regimen, it’s always better to ask your veterinarian before. He would be the best person to give you accurate and personalized advice. To make it clear, you should not make your dog vegan without good medical reasons or specific conditions!
I entirely respect and admire people that are against animal exploitation and cruelty. Nonetheless, your dog’s health should be more important than your convictions. If you want to make your companion vegan, you should at least ask for some instructions to your vet first. He will be able to give you more information about veganism in dogs, and tell if this regimen is safe for your buddy!
Why Your Dog Should Not Be Vegan?
There are many reasons why dogs shouldn’t avoid animal source foods. Humans can do pretty well on a vegan diet because our system doesn’t need animal tissue. On the contrary, dogs are more prone to malnourishment without meat-based nutrition. Here are some reasons why you should not make your dog vegan!
Dogs’ Digestive System!
First of all, dogs are made to eat meat. As subspecies of wolves, their digestive system was used to derive nutrients, fats, and proteins from meat. I’ve also found that dogs don’t have the specific enzymes to digest some complex plant proteins. Moreover, the carbohydrates found in fruits, vegetables, grains, and milk products pass too quickly in their intestines to be broken down and absorbed efficiently! (Learn more about it in this article from another site!) [Link Open In a New Tab]
Meat Provide Proteins And Fat To Dogs!
Then, there are essential nutrients for dogs in animal source foods. A vegan diet will provide your dog with vitamins and antioxidants. Nonetheless, this regimen has a serious lack of fat and proteins. Meat-based food will provide your companion with essential proteins such as elastin, collagen, and keratin. These grouping of amino acids are vital for dogs to have healthy skin, muscles, and joints!
Vegan Diet Could Be Dangerous For Canines!
Above all, without proper precautions and supervision, a vegan regimen could cause health issues to your dog. By the way, the proteins that meat-based food provides to dogs can be derived from vegan meals. However, it’s extremely difficult to find proper proteins in vegetable products for your companion. Vegan dogs that aren’t closely guided by a veterinary nutritionist are prone to suffer from malnutrition and several other complications!
Dangers And Risks Of Vegan Regimens For Dogs!
With all the information mentioned earlier, you should understand that veganism isn’t well-suited for dogs. It’s crucial to know what are the risks before starting anything new with your dog. Hence, I’ve found some risks to feed your dog with a plant-based diet!
- Lack Of Vitamin D and B.
- Possible Damage to His Blood.
- Lack Of Essential Proteins.
- Imbalance Of Certain Amino Acids.
- Deficiency In Minerals. (Calcium, Phosphorus…)
- Etc.
Benefits Of Being Vegan For Dogs!
From the beginning of this article, I mostly talk about the bad sides of veganism for dogs. However, this regimen can also have many good effects on your pooch’s well-being. It’s just more complicated to provide your dog with proper nutrition without meat-based food. Thus, here are some of the benefits of well-supervised vegan diets for dogs!
- Good Solution For Certain Food Allergies.
- Interesting For Dogs With Digestive Issues.
- Encourage The Vegan Movement.
- Reduce Obesity Risks.
- Fewer Risks Of Getting Parasites.
- Etc.
How Should You Make Your Dog Vegan?
Even if it’s not recommended, it’s your choice to make your buddy vegan or not. Just keep in mind that his well-being and health are in your hands. Unsupervised plant-based diets aren’t safe for dogs. Don’t think that you can help your dog avoid animal source food without risks just because you’re vegan!
Why Should Your Dog Be Vegan?
There are some reasons that you (or your veterinarian) could want your dog to be vegan. People should not do it only for fun. Some medical canine conditions are reasonable to consider plant-based nutrition. Here are some of the most common motivations to make dogs vegan!
- Food Allergies.
- Digestive Issues
- Canine Detox.
- Some Health Problems.
- Personal Ethics.
- Etc.
Where To Start With Veganism For Dogs?
The first thing to do is to visit your vet to make sure your reason is valid or not. Furthermore, professionals should be the only resources to introduce your buddy to veganism. Every dog has unique needs and conditions. That’s why advice from your friend or quick research on the web isn’t the safest way to find adapted information for your companion!
Balanced Nutrition!
The best way to help him benefit from plant-based without too much risk is to find a balanced diet for canines. Your dog isn’t obligated to avoid 100% of animal source foods. By reducing the amount of meat-based meal that he eats, your furball can benefit both from animal (fat and proteins) and plant (vitamins and antioxidants) nutrients!
Whether it’s to make your dog a complete or partial vegan, professional help is always required. Moreover, it’s important to understand that this regimen isn’t as good for dogs as it is for humans. I know that it could be difficult to admit or realize, but your furry friend is probably better to eat meat. However, I’ve found some interesting solutions in an article on Hill’s Pet website!
Tips For Vegan Dog Owners!
The first option would be to try compromising your dog’s protein needs with more «eco-friendly» meat. For example, fish-based dog food will contribute to saving our planet. Furthermore, that’s also an awesome way to discourage animal cruelty. There are also high-quality food brands that use ethical sources of meat, fruits or vegetables!
After that, the next step is to make your dog vegan. It’s OK to remain true to your convictions if it doesn’t put your buddy’s health in danger. Therefore, any dog owner that considers converting his companion into a vegan needs to consult a veterinary nutritionist. These specialists are in the best position to help your dog to avoid meat-based food safely!
Information Source: Hill’s Pet Blog. [Link Open In a New Tab]
Best Vegan Dog Food!
To help you avoid nutrition mistakes, I’ve done some research to find the best plant-based dog food. The best vegan nutrition plan would be determined by your companion’s nutritionist. However, some commercial food brands could be interesting for dogs that aspire to veganism! [Links Open In New Tabs]
Wysong (Need To Fed With Meat Diet)
Human Food Can Be Good For Vegan Dogs!
There are also many human plant-based snacks that your companion could enjoy. This could be an awesome way to avoid waste and provide him with proper nutrition. On the other hand, some foods can be dangerous for dogs. Here are some examples of good and bad vegan human foods for dogs!
Interesting Snacks For Vegan Dogs!
- Broccoli, Carrots, and Many Other Vegetables.
- Several Fruits. (Apples, Bananas…)
- Rice or Quinoa.
- Lentils.
- Some Beans Types.
- Greens Food Like Kale or Spinach.
- Etc.
Dangerous Foods For Canines!
- Avocado.
- Popcorn.
- Macadamia Nuts.
- Grapes.
- Onions.
- Garlic.
- Tomato Plants.
- Etc.
5 Nutrition Tips For Dog Owners!
There are many things to know about nutrition for dogs. Veganism is usually not excellent for these furry pets, but a bunch of other diets can also be bad for them. Keep in mind that humans are different than dogs. Therefore, just because you can eat something safely, don’t mean that your buddy can. Here are some basic pieces of advice to provide your dog with proper nutrition!
- Feed Your Dog The Right Amount! (~2.5% Of Their Ideal Weight)
- Consider His Age, Health And Other Conditions!
- Try Healthy Treats! (Like Carrots or Apples)
- Find High-Quality Food!
- Consider Supplements! (Vitamins, Minerals, etc.)
Last Thoughts About Vegan Dogs!
As you can understand in this blog post, nutrition for dogs is as (or even more) complicated as it is for humans. To conclude with canine vegan diets, they aren’t ideal for your companion’s well-being and health. Maybe dogs are logically OK to survive with plant-based food. Although this regimen could cause them serious problems. Therefore, veganism doesn’t have the same benefits for your pooch than it can have for you!
Now, I still admire people that care about animals’ well-being. Nonetheless, your caring for some animals to hurt another one doesn’t make any sense. To sum up, I hope this article provides you with more information to understand if you should make your dog vegan or not. I would love to help you keep you and your buddy in good shape and health with my other articles!
Before letting you go, I’ve got one last useful piece of advice for you. Don’t forget that exercise is as important as nutrition for dogs. Whether it’s by walking, running, biking or hiking with your dog it’s also essential for his health. That’s why canine sports and activities are very interesting to keep you both fit and happy!