The most important facts at a glance:

• Vegan dog nutrition not only reduces animal suffering, but is also environmentally friendly
• Dogs are not pure carnivores and can now also digest starch and carbohydrates well
• Vegan dog nutrition is healthy and is also an alternative for food allergies

1.Reducing animal suffering

There are many reasons why switching to a vegan diet is good and important. When it comes to the environment and ethics, one thing is clear: yes, vegan is better! There is less animal suffering, because a vegan dog (15 kg) saves the lives of 100 chickenson average per year. Many manufacturers advertise that they use "pure muscle meat" in their food and the proportion of meat in most types of food is also significantly higher than is actually necessary. For these enormous quantities of high-quality meat that does not end up in the food chain, so-called "farm animals" inevitably have to be slaughtered just for the animal feed industry.

2. Environmentally friendly

In addition, less CO2 is emitted than when keeping animals for food production. With one pack of our BEEVYS or JERKEYS for example, you save 850 g of CO2 - the equivalent of a 5 km car journey!

On the other hand, less land is needed, as a lot of arable land is used to grow feed crops for "farm animals". This in turn makes vegan food more resource-efficient. The list goes on and on. But what about health? Does a vegan diet benefit the dog and if so, what are the benefits?

Excursus: Studies on the topic of a dog-friendly diet

Most people initially shy away from the idea of feeding a dog a vegan diet: "That can't be healthy! Dogs are descended from wolves! The dog needs meat, it's a carnivore - in other words, a pure carnivore." But that's not quite true. Yes, the dog is originally descended from the wolf, but it has not been a carnivore for a long time [1]. It is also no longer particularly similar to the wolf in many respects.

The dog is a domesticated pet. Humans began keeping dogs around 15,000 years ago. During this time, the anatomy and nutritional physiology have changed considerably [2]. The dog has evolved from a wild predator to a cuddly, trusting omnivore.

If you take a look at the specialist literature, you will see that dogs are no longer referred to as carnivores, but as omnivores - i.e. omnivores [3].

This is shown, for example, by the fact that the dog's digestive tract is now capable of digesting starch and carbohydrates excellently.

3. Vegan dog food is healthy!

But now the question is: Is vegan really better? Really healthier?

We are convinced: Vegan dog food can do everything that meat-based dog food can! Vegan is therefore just as healthy and satisfying for dogs as a meat-based diet. However, it is not possible to make a blanket statement as to whether a diet is healthy or unhealthy. Any diet can be healthy as long as the composition is right and it can be ensured that the dog is provided with all important nutrients . A good or healthy diet must therefore first and foremost meet the dog's needs, regardless of the ingredients. In addition to product quality, meeting the needs of our complete foods is our top priority!

However, we at VEGDOG also see the ethical benefits of a vegan diet and therefore believe that vegan is the right way to go. Every step is important here: Even the reduction of animal ingredients already achieves great things.

Whether healthier or not, a vegan diet definitely has health benefits!

Firstly, a vegan diet eliminates most of the main allergens [4] for dogs. This includes animal protein in particular. This makes vegan food an excellent alternative for people with food allergies.

On the other hand, vegan food contains significantly more secondary plant substances such as polyphenols, as these are found exclusively in plants. They can have a positive effect on the immune system and are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant[5].

Plant oils, especially algae and linseed oil, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Even fish, which is known to be a source of omega-3 fatty acids, obtains them from its food - algae. Omega-3 fatty acids also have positive effects on the immune system, they also regulate inflammationand support cell structure. Oils such as hemp or sunflower oil provide valuable omega-6 fatty acids, which support the skin barrier, for example. In addition, plant-based products usually contain a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, while animal fats are generally richer in saturated fatty acids.

In our product range, our oil blend "VISH OIL" and our snacks "VEGGIES skincare" provide your four-legged friend with valuable omega-3 and -6 fatty acids.

In view of the climate crisis, the exorbitant share of agricultural animal husbandry in global emissions and the scarcity of resources, alternative protein sources must become increasingly important.[6] We should realize:

Healthy, vegan dogs - for the sake of the environment and the animals.

1.& 2. Driscoll, C.A, Macdonald, D.W. Top dogs: wolf domestication and wealth. J Biol 9, 10 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/jbiol226

3. NRC: National Research Council. 2006. Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Washington, DC

4. Mueller, R.S., Olivry, T. & Prélaud, P. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Vet Res12, 9 (2016).

5. Sgorlon S, Stefanon B, Sandri M, Colitti M. Nutrigenomic activity of plant derived compounds in health and disease: Results of a dietary intervention study in dog. Res Vet Sci. 2016 Dec;109:142-148. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2016.10.005. Epub 2016 Oct 13. PMID: 27892863. And Tanprasertsuk J, Tate DE, Shmalberg J. Roles of plant-based ingredients and phytonutrients in canine nutrition and health. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2022 May;106(3):586-613. doi: 10.1111/jpn.13626. Epub 2021 Sep 8. PMID: 34495560; PMCID: PMC9291198.

6. Thavamani, A., Sferra, T.J. & Sankararaman, S. Meet the Meat Alternatives: The Value of Alternative Protein Sources. Curr Nutr Rep 9, 346-355 (2020).