Can Dogs Be Vegan?

Why a Vegan Regimen Is Dangerous for Dogs

Designing a meat-free food for dogs that contains all of the necessary nutrients for them to thrive is extremely difficult, even for licensed veterinary nutritionists, says Tufts. While the canine digestive system can get nutrition from plant matter, it has a much easier time processing animal matter. Fruits and vegetables are great for providing vitamins and antioxidants that can help your dog thrive, but they lack the necessary amounts of fat and protein. Proteins derived from animal products, like collagen, elastin and keratin — all of which are vital for healthy skin, muscles and joints — are difficult, if not impossible, to derive from a vegan diet. The bottom line is that, unless it's done very carefully under the guidance and supervision of a licensed veterinary nutritionist, making your dog vegan could lead to severe health complications and malnutrition.

How to Feed Your Dog If You're Vegan

So, what's a vegan pet owner to do? If your motivations for leading a vegan lifestyle are purely health-related, then it's important to realise that the health benefits that you derive from eating vegan don't extend to your dog. But things can get stickier if you're a vegan for ethical reasons. If you're struggling to strike a balance between feeding your dog a healthy diet and remaining true to your principles, here are some things that might help:

• Talk to your vet about your concerns. They may be able to direct you to some quality dog foods that use eggs or dairy in place of meat, while also addressing any questions and concerns you have about what you should feed your pooch.
• Consider compromising by feeding your pup a fish-based dog food.
• Shop around for high-quality dog foods that use humanely sourced meats as well as ethically sourced fruits and vegetables.
• If you're absolutely determined that your dog eat vegan, consult a licensed veterinary nutritionist to develop a nutritionally sound vegan diet for your dog.

While the short answer to "Can dogs be vegan?" may technically be yes, as you've seen, the more thorough answer is that it's far from ideal and even dangerous in some cases. Although it's admirable to be concerned about the welfare of all animals, when it comes to feeding your four-legged best friend, it's his life and health that should be at the forefront of your concern.