Currently vegetarian and vegan diets are on the rise. Every day more people are considering following this type of diet for ethical or he alth reasons In addition, vegans and vegetarians who have dogs or cats as pets, may find themselves faced with the moral dilemma of whether a dog can be vegan or vegetarian
Dog feeding
Like their ancestors, dogs are animals facultative carnivores and not omnivores. This means that you can eat vegetables, but your diet should be based on animal protein There are two major pieces of evidence to support this statement:
- Dentition: in the dog, as in the rest of carnivores, we find that the incisors are tiny in comparison with other teeth, the fangs are too large to cut and tear and the premolars and molars are reduced and set in sharp ridge-like rows. On the other hand, in omnivores, the incisors are more similar in size to the rest of the teeth, they have flat molars and premolars that help crush and grind food, and the fangs are not as large as in carnivores.
- The length of the intestine: Omnivores have a long intestine, with different specializations that help it process a wide variety of foods. Having a long intestine relies on the need to break down certain plant compounds such as cellulose. Carnivores like dogs have a very short intestine.
In the wild, a wild dog not only feeds on the meat of its prey, but also consumes bones, internal organs and intestines(normally loaded with plant material ingested by the prey). So we should not make the mistake of feeding our dog exclusively with meat based on muscle.
The vegetarian or vegan diet for dogs
Have you ever wondered what the dogs of some vegans or vegetarians eat? As for humans, the vegetarian diet for dogs is based on products of plant origin, although it can also include foods of animal origin such as eggs or dairy products. In contrast, a vegan diet does not accept any products of animal origin.
Vegan or vegetarian food for dogs
If you want your dog to carry out this type of diet, as would happen with any other change of diet, we must make a progressive change of diet, as well as consult a veterinarian to make sure we make the change correctly.
It is best to start by gradually substituting a vegan or vegetarian food for dogs that we can find on the market. As usual, the feed you select must fully meet the energy needs of your pet, age, activity and he alth status. Of course, it is not recommended to make any changes in the diet if our pet suffers from any ailment.
Once the dog has fully accepted the new feed, we can go further and start feeding it with vegetarian/vegan wet food to end up basing its diet on natural and fresh products.
Vegan or vegetarian recipes for dogs
If you want him to eat homemade vegetarian dog food, we present a list of vegetables, fruits and other supplements that you can use to prepare his food:
Vegetables
- Carrot
- Cassava (always cooked)
- Tomato (ripe only)
- Celery
- Pumpkin
- Cucumber
- Pepper
- Zucchini
- Spinach
- Lettuce
- Artichoke
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Potato (cooked and without abusing)
- Green bean
- Chard
- Sweet potato (cooked and not overdone)
Fruits
- Apple
- Raspberry
- Pear
- Cantaloupe
- Citrus
- Plum
- Grenade
- Coconut
- Peach
- Watermelon
- Pineapple
- Blueberries
- Cherry
- Papaya
- Khaki
- Apricot
- Mango
- Kiwi
- Nectarine
- Custard apple
- Strawberry
- Fig
- Medlar
Supplements
- Plain yogurt (without sugar)
- Kefir
- Seaweed
- Harpagofito
- Bee products
- Apple vinager
- Beer yeast
- Vegetable oils
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Milk Thistle
- Aloe vera
- Ginger
- Cumin
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Echinacea
- Basil
- Dandelion
Vegan diets and dog he alth
Recent genomic studies reveal that dogs have a digestive system adapted to diets rich in carbohydrates. This contradicts other studies that show that a plant-based diet increases the likelihood of suffering from pancreas problems, since this organ is responsible for releasing enzymes to digest this type of molecule.
Today, many veterinarians use vegetarian diets for some ailments in dogs, but always for a limited time and under strict clinical controlAdditionally, vegan soy-based diets for dogs have been shown to increase the likelihood of skin problems.
Many other studies reveal no he alth problems in dogs on this type of diet. For example, the scientist Semp from the University of Vienna conducted a study on 174 dogs. Their respective owners fed them for six months on commercial vegan dog food or homemade vegan dog food. At the end of the study, no dog had developed any he alth problems, on the contrary, many of them improved certain dermatological problems. Another good example is the study by Brown at the University of New England, which showed that a carefully balanced, meat-free diet can maintain normal blood counts in exercising dogs.
As always, if we want to make any type of change in our pet's diet, we must first talk to a veterinarian and take a control of the animal's he alth through visits to the veterinarian and regular analyzes to check its general he alth status.
Can a cat be vegan or vegetarian?
Many people ask themselves this same question about other pets that are, by nature, carnivorous, as is the case with cats. If you also have a feline and you wonder if a cat can be vegan or vegetarian, then visit our article: Can a cat be vegetarian or vegan?
