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Writer's pictureKana Grace

Can Dogs Be Plant-Based?

My dogs have been plant-based since 2022: Levi started at the age of 3, and Léa began immediately after finishing her puppy food. Levi was diagnosed with struvite urinary stones and the vet prescribed a lifelong medical diet. By the time I welcomed Léa into our family, I had learned a great deal about how animal products are produced for both human and pet consumption. I decided I could not feed my dogs anything I wouldn't eat myself, so I gradually transitioned them to plant-based foods. From the very first time they tried it, both of my dogs seemed to prefer their vegan diet over their previous ones.

 

Remarkably, Levi was able to completely transition off her medical diet and adopt a vegan lifestyle. Two years into their new diet, Levi's health has dramatically improved - she no longer suffers from urinary stones and her allergies, which once led to frequent vet visits, have ceased. Léa, on the other hand, has never faced any health issues. Both Levi and Léa now sport shiny coats and are remarkably energetic each day.

 

Despite common misconceptions that a plant-based diet might not provide sufficient muscle and fat for dogs, Levi and Léa are living proof to the contrary. Their health and vitality are a testament to the benefits of a well-planned vegan diet for dogs.


Levi, a schnauzer, smiling at the camera with a pink tongue sticking out.

Léa, a schnauzer, sitting on the sand and smiling at the camera with a pink tongue sticking out.

In July 2024, the British Veterinary Association published their new policy on diet choices for dogs and cats and has finally ended its opposition to (nutritionally-sound) vegan diets for dogs.

 

A recent study led by Professor Andrew Knight has shed further light on this topic. Professor Knight and his team reported that "Dogs fed vegan diets had the best health outcomes. This trend was clear and consistent, with dogs fed vegan diets usually experiencing substantial and statistically significant decreases in risks across these seven general indicators of illness" (Knight et al., 2024).

 

The research involved a comprehensive analysis of 2,536 dogs fed three different types of diet: conventional meat (n=1,370, 54%), raw meat (n= 830, 33%), and vegan (n= 336, 13%) for at least one year. The researchers found that:

  1. Dogs on vegan diets displayed the best overall health outcomes, aligning with findings from previous research.

  2. There was a notable reduction in health disorder rates among dogs on vegan diets compared to those on conventional or raw meat diets.

  3. Illness indicators were 14.4%-51.3% less common in vegan-fed dogs compared to those fed conventional meat.

  4. Vegan-fed dogs had 50%-61% lower odds of developing six specific disorders.

  5. Vegan dog food was consistently linked with lower risks of certain health disorders.

 

These findings highlighted the health benefits of vegan diets for dogs and suggest that nutritionally-sound vegan diets is good for dogs’ optimum health outcomes.

 

 

 

 

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