Vegetarian diet for dogs? Here’s how it is experienced by the owner

Published in the journal Research in Veterinary Science, the results of a Canadian web-based survey attest to a number of benefits in favor of "green" feeding.

Published on
, bySilvano Marini

Belonging by taxonomic classification to the order of carnivores, the domestic dog is a facultative carnivore, and its diet-like that of its wolf ancestor-is extremely varied, including foods of animal and plant origin.

It should be mentioned that, in general, commercial food intended for dogs is based on ingredients of animal origin, with products from the same sources intended for humans, mainly poultry, cattle, pigs, sheep, and some fish species, while only a minority of petfood does not include animal components.

Moreover, in some specific conditions-food hypersensitivity, intestinal inflammation, malabsorption syndromes and so on-meat-free therapeutic diets are prescribed.

An increasingly common choice among owners

Not all veterinarians and owners agree, but today, however, there is a growing belief that dogs can also thrive on diets free of animal-derived ingredients.

In the vegetarian regimen, it is more complex to ensure a truly complete and balanced diet for the dog. Vegetables are in fact deficient in some amino acids and omega-3, and they also do not contain all the essential vitamins nor many minerals such as calcium.

In the literature, few publications have evaluated the impact of a plant-based diet on dog health, and no negative consequences have been reported even for animals subjected to significant exertion.

Given, however, that this type of diet is currently being adopted by 2 percent of owners – amounting to one million people in the United States alone – it is important to delve into what is the Perception of the effects of plant-based diet and meat diet by dog owners.

This was precisely the goal of a survey conducted at the University of Guelph in Canada and published in the journal Research in Veterinary Science.

“Green” diet reduces health problems

The Canadian survey was based on 1,413 questionnaires disseminated via the Web, collecting data on 1,189 dogs, half of which were fed a meat diet, a third a plant-based diet, and a minority on a combination of both.

The results show that owners of dogs fed plant-based diets report fewer health problems than those who feed their pets animal-derived foods.

In particular, reports of eye disorders and gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders are reduced.

Interesting is the figure on the use of supplementation, which is much more frequent in plant-based diets, confirming the awareness of the need to ensure that the dog also has an adequate intake of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

In this regard, however, the authors suggest avoiding excesses of even herbal products in order to avoid potentially serious unwanted effects, especially when used for therapeutic purposes in animals with health problems.

The Canadian survey, also investigating data on any previously owned dogs, then assessed the effects of diet type on longevity, and again the outcome is favorable to plant-based nutrition.

Doctor Google to document

The survey, then, shows that owners who adopt a “green diet” for their dogs not only experience no health problems, but also seem to perceive several advantages over animal-derived food .

The authors, who make no secret of their surprise at a much higher than expected number of “green” food-oriented owners, nevertheless advise interpreting the results with caution.

One last fact: owners who choose plant foods prefer to turn to the Internet rather than the veterinarian to document the best diet for their dog.

Reference

Dodd S, Khosa D, Dewey C, Verbrugghe A. Owner perception of health of North American dogs fed meat- or plant-based diets. Res Vet Sci. 2022;149:36-46. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.06.002

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