Is vegan dog food healthy?
Every dog owner wants the best for their beloved canine companion, and so do you, right?
That’s why it’s important to consider what goes on your dog’s plate carefully.
Many people are avoiding animal-based foods and opting to go the vegetarian way.
But, how safe is a vegan diet for your dog?
Can dogs survive on a vegan diet?
Would you like to learn more about this?
Well, you are in the right place.
This article explains vegan food, its benefits, drawbacks, and more.
Read through for this.
Can dogs survive on a vegan diet?
Yes, dogs can survive on a carefully designed and nutritionally complete vegan diet. This is because their digestive systems can digest and derive nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
Difference between plant-based and vegan diets
While plant-based and vegan diets may seem the same, they are different. A plant-based diet predominantly consists of plants. This involves eating fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. A plant-based diet usually restricts the eating of animal products and processed foods. You can completely avoid animal products or include only a small quantity.
A vegan diet, on the other hand, eliminates all animal-derived products. It’s aimed at avoiding animal exploitation in totality. Ethical or health reasons may inspire this. However, a vegan diet may not equate to a healthy diet as it may consist of other not-so-healthy foods like chips.
Why should dogs be vegan?
A vegan diet can benefit dogs in many ways. Some of the benefits include
- Allergy-friendly: Food allergies cause symptoms like rashes, itchy skin, vomiting, diarrhea, yeast and ear infections, and loss of fur. Most food allergies in dogs result from animal products like beef, chicken, or dairy. Grains are uncommon allergens. Switching to a vegan diet can help prevent allergic reactions in dogs that are sensitive to animal products.
- It’s easy to digest: Unlike meat-based foods that are hard on the digestive system, plant-based proteins are gentle and free from allergens. This makes a vegan diet suitable for preventing digestive issues, including bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
- Helps with inflammation: Plant-based diets are natural anti-inflammatories and hence helpful in preventing arthritis and joint pain. This makes them great for senior dogs. Switching to a vegan diet can help dogs improve their mobility which translates to stronger muscles, longer walks, and more stamina for playtime.
- Higher energy levels: Because vegan diets eliminate meat-based and byproduct-heavy food, they provide a clean, readily available nourishment for dogs. Switching to a vegan diet can help dogs regain puppy-like energy and lead to a higher quality of life.
- Weight management: A vegan diet is an excellent choice for dogs with problems maintaining a healthy weight as it’s made with lean and easily digestible ingredients. Switching to vegan food formulas can help overweight dogs to lose weight. This will enable them to live a longer, more active, and healthier life.
Downsides of a vegan food plan for your dog
While a vegan diet is healthy, there are some downsides to feeding it to your dog. These include
- Vitamin and mineral deficiency: A vegan diet lacks nutrients like B vitamins such as B12, calcium, phosphorus, and iron which are only found in meat.
- Insufficient protein intake: Vegan food has lower protein concentrations than meat-based diets. Your dog may not get all the protein they need for optimal health and functioning.
- Amino acid imbalance: Certain amino acids are mostly found in animal meat. Dogs on a vegan diet may experience certain amino acid imbalances like taurine and L-carnitine. This can lead to heart problems and other health issues.
What should vegans feed their dogs?
Vegans should feed their dogs a properly designed and nutritionally balanced vegan regimen that includes grains, vegetables, and fruits. They can give ready-made vegan dog food or prepare a whole foods vegetable diet.
What can I cook for my dog vegan?
The following are some of the vegan-friendly foods that you can cook for your dog:
| Proteins | Carbohydrates | Vegetables |
| Legumes like peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans. | Rice, Oats, and barley | Green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach |
| Whole grains such as soy, quinoa, and brown rice. | Fruits like melon, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, strawberries, oranges | Other vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots. |
What to Look for in a Vegan Dog Food
While looking for good vegan food for your dog, there are various things you should look out for. These include
- Nutritional completeness: Good vegan food should be balanced with all the nutrients dogs need for optimal health. It should have the right amounts of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. To ensure this, opt for foods that include mineral and vitamin supplements.
- High amounts of protein: Vegan food for dogs should have sufficient amounts of proteins to suit their age. Vegan adult food should have a minimum of 22%, while puppies need about 18%.
- Ingredient quality: Good vegan dog food should be made with high-quality, human-grade ingredients. It should not contain potentially harmful ingredients, including artificial additives, fillers, and allergens.
- A good balance of omega fats: Vegan food must contain a healthy balance of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which dogs need for healthy skin and coat.
- AAFCO approval: Ensure the food you go for has adhered to all guidelines set by AAFCO. This gives assurance on the quality and safety of the food.
- Brand reputability: Always opt for the vegan dog food from well-known companies highly recommended by pet owners and vets. Trustworthy companies are transparent about their recipes, including the source of their ingredients and production methods.
Best Vegan dog food brands
The following are some of the best vegan dog food brands available:
Wild Earth Vegan Dry Dog Food
Wild Earth uses premium quality ingredients that are sustainably sourced. Their Wild Earth Healthy High-Protein Formula Dry Dog Food recipe is crafted without any fillers or additives. The diet features real ingredients like chickpeas, oats, pumpkin, spinach, and sweet potatoes. It’s perfect for dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs.
V-Dog
In their V-Dog Kind Kibble Vegan Adult Dry Dog Food, this food brand uses whole foods, including peas, lentils, quinoa, and brown rice. This food excludes wheat, soy, gluten, or other fillers. Besides its high protein level of 24%, this food is fortified with essential nutrients like L-carnitine, taurine, vitamins, and minerals.
Halo Dog Food
The Halo Holistic Garden of Vegan Recipe Adult Canned Food includes an excellent diet with high protein digestibility plus nutritious non-GMO fruits and vegetables. It’s free from fillers, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. This nutritionally balanced vegan meal promotes full-body wellness with its mix of high-quality ingredients.
Natural Balance Dog Food
This Natural Balance Vegetarian Formula Dry Dog Food features complete and balanced nutrition, with peas as the main protein source. It also includes rice, flaxseed, berries, and spinach for a healthy and wholesome diet for dogs of all ages and sizes.
Vegan dog food recipe
This is a simple vegan dog food recipe you can try for your canine friend.
Vegetable Mush
Ingredients
- Sliced yellow squash with skin on or zucchini
- Drained peas
- Diced unpeeled carrots
- Sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise.
- Peanut butter
Instructions
- Put water in a pot, add sweet potatoes, zucchini, and carrots, and steam for about 20 minutes or until they are very soft.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Set the cooled vegetables in a big bowl
- Add peanut butter and peas
- Chop the ingredients until a fine mush forms
- Serve as desired
Why should dogs not be vegetarian?
Vegetarian dogs may suffer from inadequate protein intake, imbalance in certain amino acids like taurine and L-carnitine, or nutrient deficiencies like iron, phosphorus, and vitamin B12, which can affect their health.
Can dogs be vegan PETA?
According to PETA, dogs can be vegan. They state that the nutritional needs of dogs can be fully met with a balanced vegan diet plus supplements.
Can dogs live on vegetables only?
Yes, dogs can live and thrive on a vegetarian diet only if it contains all the nutrients necessary for optimal health in dogs.
Why should I switch my dog to a vegan diet?
You can switch your dog to a vegan diet for ethical or health reasons. A vegan diet can help prevent allergies, boost energy levels, enhance digestibility, and aid dog weight management. It can also improve your dog’s skin and coat health and prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Can dogs live without meat?
Yes, dogs can live without meat as long as their diet contains the required protein and essential fatty acids that dogs need to thrive. Supplements can also be added to make the diet complete.
Will dogs accept meat-free foods?
Dogs may be hesitant to eat meat-free foods at first. However, introducing vegan food gradually by adding increasing portions of the diet to your dog’s diet can help them accept it more easily.
Do vegan diets help dogs with allergies?
Yes, vegan diets eliminate animal products like beef, chicken, and dairy, which are dogs’ most common food allergens. This makes them useful to dogs with allergies.
How long can a dog live on a vegan diet?
Switching to a vegan diet can help a dog live a long, vibrant, and healthy life. It can help them live their full expected life or even exceed it.
Can dogs live longer on vegan food?
Yes, dogs can live longer on vegan food as it helps prevent inflammation and diseases like cancer, diabetes, or heart issues.
What do veterinarians think about vegan dog food?
Different veterinarians have different opinions about vegan foods for dogs, with some advocating for it and others advising against its use. However, most vets seem to think a vegan diet is better for dogs. This is what some of them had to say on this question.
According to Dr. Andrew Knight, dogs can obtain all the nutrition they need from a vegan diet without being exposed to potentially harmful additives as long as it’s formulated to be nutritionally sound.
Dr. Richard Pitcairn believes that regular dog diets are packed with animal products that contain high levels of toxins. These cause various chronic health issues. Switching to a nutritionally balanced plant-based diet can help improve these conditions drastically. ( Dr. Richard Pitcaim)
Another vet notes ‘’ dogs in India have been vegetarian for many years without suffering systematic illnesses. On the other hand, modern dogs fed on meat-based diets often suffer from obesity and food allergies. These issues can be sorted by switching to a vegan diet’’. Dr. Lorelei
What do dog food companies think about Vegan Dog Food?
Food companies are also divided on the issue of vegan dog food. While some believe it’s the way to go, others discourage putting dogs on a vegan diet. Check out what some of them have to say about this.
‘’Whether people feed their dogs animal or plant-based diet is completely their choice provided the dog thrives. However, any leftover meat and meat by-products can be used as food for our dogs.’’ Petfarm
Yarrah states that composing your vegan dog diet requires much knowledge. They believe kibble is expensive due to the inclusion of meat-based ingredients like fish, chicken, or beef. Vegan diets make use of plant-based proteins, making them cheaper. However, they warn that a vegan diet may not be suitable for young puppies under one year as they need lots of proteins, especially from animals, to support their growth. Feeding them a vegan diet may result in stunted growth.
Is it cruel to feed dogs vegan?
No, feeding your dog on a vegan diet is not cruel. While ancient dogs were previously believed to be carnivorous, modern dogs have evolved to be omnivorous. They are thus able to handle plant-based foods well.
However, since protein is the most important nutrient for dogs, you must ensure that the vegan diet contains the necessary amounts. What’s most important is to ensure that you provide your dog with balanced and nutritious food. There is no animal cruelty if you decide to go the vegan way for your dog.