Vegan Dog Food
What to Know About the Plant-Based Diet
Vegan Dog Food
What to Know About the Plant-Based Diet
Over the last decade, vegan diets have become popular for people concerned about nutrition and environmental impact. Many of these are pet parents who have begun exploring plant-based diets for their dogs as well. With dogs naturally being more carnivore than herbivore, this may sound unconventional. However, a vegan diet can be beneficial for your dog’s health.
Over the last decade, vegan diets have become popular for people concerned about nutrition and environmental impact. Many of these are pet parents who have begun exploring plant-based diets for their dogs as well. With dogs naturally being more carnivore than herbivore, this may sound unconventional. However, a vegan diet can be beneficial for your dog’s health.
Importance of Nutritional Adequacy
The main concern surrounding a vegan diet for dogs is whether the diet is providing sufficient nutrition. Although macronutrients (i.e.protein and fat) can be found in both animal and plant ingredients, there isn’t a single ingredient, regardless of whether it’s animal or plant-based, that contains all necessary micronutrients (i.e. minerals and vitamins) at the appropriate levels.
Two of the micronutrients that dogs require are amino acids called L-carnitine and taurine. Because these amino acids can be insufficient in plant-based food, they must be added to the diet via supplements.
Because nutritional adequacy is so important, feeding your dog a plant-based diet isn’t as simple as filling their bowl with an assortment of healthy grains, vegetables, and fruits. Careful consideration and inclusion of ingredients and supplements is required to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.
Importance of Nutritional Adequacy
The main concern surrounding a vegan diet for dogs is whether the diet is providing sufficient nutrition. Although macronutrients (i.e.protein and fat) can be found in both animal and plant ingredients, there isn’t a single ingredient, regardless of whether it’s animal or plant-based, that contains all necessary micronutrients (i.e. minerals and vitamins) at the appropriate levels.
Two of the micronutrients that dogs require are amino acids called L-carnitine and taurine. Because these amino acids can be insufficient in plant-based food, they must be added to the diet via supplements.
Because nutritional adequacy is so important, feeding your dog a plant-based diet isn’t as simple as filling their bowl with an assortment of healthy grains, vegetables, and fruits. Careful consideration and inclusion of ingredients and supplements is required to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.
Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Reduced Allergies
Because the majority of conventional dog foods are made with common proteins like chicken and beef, many dogs develop allergies to these proteins due to overexposure. Switching to a vegan diet eliminates exposure to allergens in meat, dairy, and eggs which provides relief from these sensitivities.
Weight Management
In North America, 25-30% of all dogs are obese and 40-45% of 5 to 11 year-old dogs are overweight. Because plant-based diets are often lower in caloric density, they can make it easier to control calorie intake and promote a healthy weight.
Improved Gut Health & Immune System
A healthy gut is necessary for nutrient absorption, excretion of waste, and overall hydration. But most importantly, a healthy gut is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. Prebiotics, the food that fuels good microorganisms in the gut, are plentiful in many high-fiber, plant-based ingredients.
Overall Health
In 2022, a study was conducted by researchers at the University of Winchester to clarify the health effects of different dog diets. A few takeaways from this study point to the benefits of a vegan diet.
• Almost half of the dogs on a conventional diet needed “non-routine”medications while just one third of vegan-fed dogs needed them
• 49% of dogs on a conventional diet were reported to exhibit health disorders compared to only 36% of vegan-fed dogs
• 17% of dogs on a conventional diet required four or more visits to the vet during the year-long study, as compared to only 9% of the vegan-fed dogs
While a vegan diet can be beneficial for our dogs, it’s vitally important to ensure that diet is formulated to be nutritionally complete and balanced. This can be done through homemade food with supplements under the direction and supervision of a vet, or by purchasing from a trusted company whose food has been tested for nutritional completeness.