How do you feel about vegan diets for dogs?
I’ve heard of people putting their dogs on vegan diets, homemade or store bought food, and the dogs do well and live healthy lives.
I’m vegan, but my dogs always got meat – first with dog food, and later on I switched them to a homemade diet using organic, local free range meats. I wouldn’t consider using a vegan diet until it’s been somehow proven that it’s healthy and safe for them, although of course there are ethical issues that come up with using meat, which is why I settled for free range ones.
So – what are your opinions on it? Would you ever feed your dog a vegan diet?
i had my jack russell terrier on a vegetarian diet for many years … she developed severe allergies when she was just over a year old and nothing the vet did or prescribed helped including multiple changes in food … she was even put on kangaroo kibble as a unique protein source … her allergies were so bad she was on prednisone every other day just to keep her mildly comfortable … i brought her to a doggie allergist where she was tested (cost close to a thousand dollars for consultation and testing, plus almost a full year of immunotherapy) and she was found to be allergic to most animal proteins … and while i would not normally take nutrition advice from a vet, i saw the report saying what she was sensitive to and the specialist suggested a vegetarian diet … which worked like a charm … off all medication, no more traumatizing her skin from excessive itching, no more recurrent ear infections, paw problems, etc., she became a normal dog … and she thrived on that diet for many years, very active in agility, flyball, fetch, frisbee, and could run beside my bike for miles, all eating nothing but a vegetarian diet … dogs are omnivores regardless of how many people scream carnivore and protein is protein … the average adult pet dog requires approximately 18% protein to be healthy and every well known vegetarian dog food out there meets or exceeds that protein percentage … i probably would not have put my dog on a vegetarian diet just because, but there are dogs who do truly suffer major animal protein allergies and if a vegetarian diet helps with that, i see nothing wrong with it … vegan might be too limiting … the only vegan kibble i used was made by wysong and it was just a bonus topper to her other kibble and even the bag said that … and btw, a raw diet is only around 21% in protein, hardly different from a vegetarian diet …
NO i would not feed my dog a vegan diet. it is not really natural. they are created carnivores, thats why they have the kind of teeth they do. Im not saying it cant be done but i wouldnt do it
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Absolutely not. If a human chooses to not eat animals or animal products, that’s their choice, but you would be doing a disservice to you dog if you made him follow your values.
Dogs LOVE meat. Most dog food comes from the carcasses of human grade meat, so it’s not like they’re going to stop killing animals because your dog isn’t eating meat.
Let your dog be a dog and give him what he wants…Meat!
Also – do some research on your "free range" animals. Cramming 100 chickens into a 5’x5′ pen IS considered free range. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XBZgvQb2uo
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I wouldn’t entirely. Dogs are naturally able to digest both plant materials and meat so you could feed your dog veggies but they should be alongside some meat since dogs aren’t able to adjust to completely vegan diets like some humans.
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I would never put a dog on a vegan diet. Dogs eat meat, along with there canine ancestors. Putting them on a vegan diet would be taking away a very important part of there diet.
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I think forcing an animal that requires meat to eat a vegan diet is selfish on the owners part, pushing their beliefs on an animal that can’t possibly thrive on such a diet.
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no its perfectly clear that the canine species was made to eat meat to try and conform them to what you want to eat is not fair nor good for the pet
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why would anyone think that its "healthy" to put a CARNIVORE on a vegan diet?
Dogs evolved to require a meat based diet. thier digestive tract is that of a carnivore.. their teeth are not designed to grind and chew vegetation.. their teeth are designed to rip and tear meat and crack bones. The enzymes and bacteria in their saliva are designed for breaking down meat.. they also have a shorter digestive tract than an herbavore. They do not break down the cellulose of vegetation well enough to get sufficient nutrition from it. there are also nutrients from meat that dogs need, that do not come from vegetation (such a high levels of protien)
a dog can survive on vegetation but will not thrive.
the ONLY reason to use a vegan diet is if one suspects an allergy to meat, and needs to use an elimination diet to determine which meat(s) the dog is allergic to
if you want a vegan pet.. get a rabbit or a guinea pig.
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I dislike it when some owners will push their dietary beleifs onto their carnivorous animals. Let dogs eat what they were BORN to eat: Meat. They dont have those teeth to chew a lettuce leaf.
My dogs are fed as natural as can get: RAW. Raw meat,bones, organs and my dogs love it, plus if the vet comoliments their health then something right is happening!.
If someone wanted a vegan pet then they should of gotten a rabbit.
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NO dogs are Carnivores they do not eat vegetables or Fruit in the wild they should be on a meat diet.
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No – dogs eat meat – not all vegetables. Cats REQUIRE meat in their diet. If you want a pet that doesn’t eat meat, then get a rabbit.
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I feel bad about that. Dogs are omnivores. They need both meat and vegetables. The diet you have the dog on now sounds healthful. I have not heard of a vegan diet for a dog, just vegetarian. I know Natural Balance has a vegetarian dog food.
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Pet nutrition expert, dog and cat pet parent, professional groomer
Hell no.
Dogs are carnivores, which means they eat MEAT and MEAT ONLY. They weren’t designed to chew on carrots and lettuce, they were made to rip apart animals and eat them. It is the circle of life, always has been. Always SHOULD be.
My dogs are being switched to a raw diet soon enough, they will get raw meat, organs, bones, etc etc. They already get it in small amounts when we hunt.
I have 14 dogs, all of which will be eating MEAT in a week or two.
Dogs were not designed to chew up dry kibble, and nobody should force them to eat vegetables as their only diet. It is wrong and inhumane IMO.
Their are plenty of pets out their that can be vegans, like Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, Birds, Reptiles, Chickens, Rats, Mice, Goats, Horses, and so on.
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Dogs need animal protein, so it’s not the best diet for them.
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Dogs are meat eaters. When was the last time you saw a wild dog raiding a vegetable garden? They need meat to keep them healthy. Just buy your dog a good quality dry dog food. That has all of the nutrition that a dog needs. Dogs were never meant to be vegans.
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Long time dog owner
I don’t feel it would be a good idea the only way I could see this happening is if you found another source to provide with a dogs diet. Most dogs have food allergies from corn and wheat oddly enough most types of dog food are made from wheat and corn. I can’t recommend this for your pet it could end up doing a lot of damage to them and if you do end up trying it then i recommend talking to your vet before you commit to anything 🙂 I hope I helped.
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i had my jack russell terrier on a vegetarian diet for many years … she developed severe allergies when she was just over a year old and nothing the vet did or prescribed helped including multiple changes in food … she was even put on kangaroo kibble as a unique protein source … her allergies were so bad she was on prednisone every other day just to keep her mildly comfortable … i brought her to a doggie allergist where she was tested (cost close to a thousand dollars for consultation and testing, plus almost a full year of immunotherapy) and she was found to be allergic to most animal proteins … and while i would not normally take nutrition advice from a vet, i saw the report saying what she was sensitive to and the specialist suggested a vegetarian diet … which worked like a charm … off all medication, no more traumatizing her skin from excessive itching, no more recurrent ear infections, paw problems, etc., she became a normal dog … and she thrived on that diet for many years, very active in agility, flyball, fetch, frisbee, and could run beside my bike for miles, all eating nothing but a vegetarian diet … dogs are omnivores regardless of how many people scream carnivore and protein is protein … the average adult pet dog requires approximately 18% protein to be healthy and every well known vegetarian dog food out there meets or exceeds that protein percentage … i probably would not have put my dog on a vegetarian diet just because, but there are dogs who do truly suffer major animal protein allergies and if a vegetarian diet helps with that, i see nothing wrong with it … vegan might be too limiting … the only vegan kibble i used was made by wysong and it was just a bonus topper to her other kibble and even the bag said that … and btw, a raw diet is only around 21% in protein, hardly different from a vegetarian diet …
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I wouldn’t dogs NEED their meat.
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its animal cruelty
No dog or cat thrives off one. they get brittle bones, cats go blind, they lose their fur, they have major GI and kidney issues, they are sickly, thin, get sick a lot and live a much shorter life compared to some one who feed their dog or cat a species appropriate diet of raw meat, raw bones and raw organs. no grain, no fruit, no veggies.
Dogs and cats are carnivores, they have no enzymes to break down plant cells and gain nothing at all from eating plants or grains
Its has never been proven that feeding a dog or cat a vegan or vegiterain diet since dogs and cats are carnivores.
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Ridiculous dogs are carnivorous
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NO. Humans are omnivores, but they can live without meat. Dogs are carnivorous and they cannot live without meat, this doesn’t mean meat is all they can eat, but fruits and vegetables should never be a big part of a dogs diet Think of switching a Lion from red meat to salad, wouldn’t really work would it? I think you should continue feeding him his current diet.
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