Should You Put Your Dog on a Vegetarian Diet?

By Gail Kavanagh

Many vegetarian dog owners would prefer not to have to prepare meat products for their dog – but is it wise to put a dog on a vegetarian diet? And even if you choose to do so, how will an older dog used to meat products cope with the change?

Expert opinions do differ on the appropriateness of a vegetarian diet for dogs, with some saying meat is a necessity and others saying dogs thrive on a meatless diet, but most would agree that a dog needs 22 per cent protein in its daily diet, as laid down by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) in its dog food nutrient profile.

Little study has been done on the effects of a vegetarian diet for dogs, but the animal rights organization PETA has collected data on 300 vegetarian fed dogs for 12 months and found that 82 per cent of the dogs involved that had been vegan for five years or more showed no ill effects.

PETA admit that the study was flawed, because there was no control group of meat eating dogs with which to compare data, but regards the results as encouraging for those who want to change their dogs to a vegetarian diet.

The pet food company, Purina, also did a 14 year study of dogs, and while there was no comparison of vegetarian and meat diets, the study did find that overfeeding dogs was the biggest dietary problem. A dog’s life span can be extended by as much as 15 per cent by monitoring how much the dog eats.

Anecdotal evidence from vegetarians suggests that many dogs thrive on a vegetarian diet, but equally, there are meat providing pet owners that insist dogs are carnivorous and need only meat. But this is regarded as not being the case – most experts agree that the dog is an omnivore, and can eat almost anything and survive.

Certainly, the wholly raw meat diet has been discounted in a study conducted by Dr Lisa Newman, president of the International Pet Care Association. Dogs fed raw meat and bones on a daily basis showed a slew of digestive problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, and immuno-related diseases.

Studies have shown that dogs need a varied diet of nutrients just as humans do. Introducing vegetarian elements to the diet, such a grains, legumes and vegetables, improves the health of dogs and prolong their lives. The bone of contention is whether dogs need some meat or thrive better without it.

The PETA study found that dogs that had been fully vegan (no meat products or by products at all) were in better health than those that were fed a vegetarian diet with some animal by products such as eggs permitted.

But the study also found that some supplements were needed, such as cranberry capsules, to reduce the risk of raised alkalinity in the dog’s urine, and L-carnitine or taurine, for cardiac health. Soy was discounted as a helpful supplement, but the addition of garlic and yeast improved health and the condition of the coat.

In the end, it is a personal decision whether or not to change your dog to a vegetarian diet. But the dog’s protein needs should be taken into consideration, and supplements provided where necessary.

Dogs, it seems, are a lot like us – they most need a balanced controlled-portion diet, plenty of exercise, and good relationships to thrive.

© Doityourself.com 2006