Can Dogs Go Vegan?
If you’re wondering if dogs can go vegan, the short answer is yes, they can. In technical terms, dogs can survive on a vegan or vegetarian diet.
An argument that is often heard is that dogs are carnivores like their wolf ancestors and therefore must eat meat to survive, which is incorrect.
Although the dog species Canis lupus familiaris is a member of the order Carnivora , dogs are actually omnivores. This means that the canine digestive system is quite capable of digesting and extracting nutrients from fruits and vegetables.
It is important to note that the order Carnivora also includes the giant panda, a species that feeds almost exclusively on bamboo.
In case of food allergy: can dogs become vegan?
Because some dogs are allergic to animal protein, sometimes licensed veterinarians and nutritionists may prescribe meatless diets.
Importantly, an animal protein and fat-free eating plan for dogs is potentially dangerous. Therefore, it should never be implemented without professional supervision.
Why a Vegan Diet Can Be Dangerous for Dogs
Designing a meat-free diet for dogs involves ensuring that it contains all the nutrients necessary for proper development and maintenance. This task can be extremely difficult, even for specialized veterinary nutritionists.
Although the canine digestive system can obtain nutrients from plant components, it is much easier to process animal matter.
Certainly, fruits and vegetables are great at providing the vitamins and antioxidants much needed for dog health, but they lack the necessary amounts of fat and protein.
Proteins derived from animal products such as collagen, elastin and keratin are vital for healthy skin, muscles and joints. They are difficult, if not impossible, to obtain on a vegan diet.
The bottom line is that unless this process is done very carefully and under the guidance and supervision of a licensed veterinarian nutritionist, making your dog vegan can lead to serious health complications and malnutrition.
How to feed your dog if you are vegan
So what should vegan families do? If your motivations for living a vegan lifestyle are purely health-related, then it’s important to realize that the health benefits you get from eating a vegan diet don’t extend to your dog.
But things can get tougher if you’re a vegan for ethical reasons. If you’re struggling to strike a balance between feeding your dog a healthy diet and staying true to your principles, here are some topics that can help:
- Talk to the vet about your concerns. The professional can recommend some quality dog foods that use eggs or dairy products instead of meat.
- Consider committing to feeding your dog fish food.
- Compare high-quality dog foods that use ethically processed meats as well as ethically sourced fruits and vegetables.
- If you are absolutely determined to make your dog vegan, consult a licensed veterinarian nutritionist to develop a nutritionally healthy vegan diet for your dog.
In short…
The short answer to “can dogs go vegan?” is: technically, yes. As you have seen, the most complete answer is that this diet is far from ideal and can even be dangerous in some cases.
Of course it is admirable to be concerned about the welfare of all animals. However, when it comes to feeding your dog, it’s his life and health that must come first. Experts believe there is simply not enough evidence to support vegetarianism in dogs.
