Turning your dog vegan is a controversial topic.
But as more humans consider plant-based lifestyles themselves, it’s becoming a relevant idea for dog parents.
Dr. Ilana Halperin, chief of community medicine at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in California, says that since dogs are omnivores, it’s possible that a vegan diet will contain all of the vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats necessary for a balanced diet.
“But in practice, meeting a dog’s protein, amino acid, macro and micronutrient needs is complex and can be difficult to do properly when meat is eliminated from the diet,” she says.
Look for these criteria when buying vegan dog food
Dr. Marybeth Minter, who offers nutritional counseling at the Mariposa Veterinary Service in Utah, says an increasing number of vegan dog food brands are hitting the market.
“It’s best not to just give straight kibble,” she says. “There are good canned selections on the market. Some formulas contain organic ingredients.
When choosing vegan dog food, Dr. Halperin suggests following these criteria:
- Choose a reputable brand that has done extensive testing and feeding trials on their finished product.
- Find a complete and balanced diet that meets the guidelines of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) or the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), and the finished product should meet their profiles nutritional.
- The pet food company must employ a veterinary nutritionist or a nutritionist with a doctorate in animal nutrition. The diet should be formulated by the veterinary nutritionist trained in pet food formulation or by someone with an advanced degree in animal nutrition.
- The manufacturer must perform ingredient validation, final dietary nutrient analysis, toxicology, bacteriology, and packaging/shelf life testing before, during, and after manufacturing.
Try These Vegan Dog Foods
If dog parents are opting for a vegan lifestyle for their pets, what are the options?
These three vegan dog foods meet the expert criteria mentioned above:
- Harvey’s Canine Health Miracle dog food lends itself well to a vegan dog diet because it allows protein rotation in a nutrient-rich premix. In fact, longtime vegan actress Alicia Silverstone details in her blog how she cooks her own dogs’ vegan diets with this food. It’s a blend of six organic grains and nine dehydrated vegetables with no dyes, chemicals or preservatives. The preparation consists of adding hot water, a protein and an oil such as olive oil. A 5-pound bag costs $46 and makes 33 1-pound meals.
- Halo’s Garden of Vegan is available in both dry and wet foods. These are complete and balanced recipes made with sustainable, cruelty-free and non-GMO ingredients. The dry food contains prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics to help support digestive health. Halo also offers meatless treats including Peanut & Pumpkin; sweet potato, carrot and quinoa; Oats & Blueberry; and oats, peanut butter and banana. The dry food costs $48.99 for a 10-pound bag and a case of 12 5.5-ounce cans costs $29.99.
- JustFoodForDogs Tofu and Quinoa Recipe is made with fresh, whole plant-based ingredients including tofu, sweet potatoes, quinoa, kale, white mushrooms, blueberries, and nutritional yeast. JustFoodForDogs is a company that has made a name for itself by offering freshly cooked human foods designed for pets. The vegan diet was developed in collaboration with vegan pet nutrition researchers. $79.03 for a small 7.8 pound box.
Should dogs be vegan?
Ultimately, the choice of whether or not to convert your dog into a plant eater is up to you. There are many brands that add vegan lines or are completely vegan. If you decide to try dog food, look for a company that has done its research and also has its eye on quality ingredients – like non-GMO and organic.
“If a dog owner is dedicated to vegan diets, I recommend working with a veterinary nutritionist to ensure the diet they choose meets the dog’s specific needs and takes into account age, breed, the level of activity and the health conditions it can live with,” says Dr. Halperin.
“Many pet owners may be considering vegan diets as a more environmentally friendly or humane alternative to traditional diets. It’s very understandable – plant-based diets for humans make a lot of sense when trying to minimize our impact on the environment and on animals. However, given the complexity of nutrition and the difference between the needs of dogs and humans, it may be safer for our pets to find other ways to promote sustainability, such as limiting sources of meat in diets to sustainably sourced fish or work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to formulate a human-sourced meat diet.
