Should You Switch Your Dog to a Vegetarian Diet?
Dogs are omnivorous, just like humans, so they can technically survive on a vegan or vegetarian diet, and some even need it to solve health problems. But the transition to a meat-free diet is not suitable for every dog, so you should consider the following factors before switching to a meat-free diet.
Dr. Keilin R. Heinze, a board-certified nutritionist and assistant professor at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, generally recommends a vegan or vegetarian diet for dogs suffering from liver disease, certain types of bladder stones, or when testing for food allergies. … While she is open to working with owners who want to change their dog due to their personal beliefs, she cautions against raising puppies on a meat-free diet due to the high amount of protein and other essential nutrients they need. Your dog may have different needs, so you should check with your veterinarian before changing its diet, even if it is facing one of the health problems described above.
Know the nutritional value
Dr. Heinze notes that some popular commercial meat-free dog foods may not contain enough protein and amino acids, so you should follow the health-care diets sold by your veterinarian. Make sure any commercial food you buy meets your dog’s nutritional needs before purchasing.
If you decide to prepare vegan or vegetarian dog food, you still need to make sure it meets your dog’s nutritional needs. Dr. Heinze explains why home diets may not be enough:
Homemade vegetarian diets tend to have far more nutritional problems than commercial ones – many of the ones I’ve seen are quite protein deficient and also lack other important nutrients.
You can get help putting together a meat-free home diet by looking for a Certified Dietitian in the American College of Veterinary Nutrition Directory . They will help you figure out if your dog should follow a meat-free diet, how best to formulate it with your dog’s nutritional needs in mind, and if there are any other foods your pet should stay away from .
Stay in close contact with your veterinarian
As with any dietary change, you should exercise caution and ask your veterinarian to keep a close eye on your dog during the transition, and even as your dog continues to follow the meat-free diet. Dr. Heinze explains why you need your dog to be seen by the veterinarian even after they change their diet:
While vegan and vegetarian diets can be tailored to meet the nutritional needs of dogs, we do not know that dogs who eat them for a long time are as healthy as dogs who follow more typical diets. No one has actually studied the long term use of these diets in healthy dogs.
Ultimately you have to decide what is right for your dog, but knowing the common issues associated with vegan or vegetarian diets in dogs will help you understand how to keep your dog healthy.