From: Lisa Walther
Checked: Carla Steffen
The vegan diet is already a controversial topic in humans and is often met with a lack of understanding. Arguments against the purely plant-based diet are quickly hailing down. Before you know it, you are being told about the numerous disadvantages, even though you have studied the subject much more intensively yourself and are aware of the many advantages. The same thing can happen to you if you feed your beloved four-legged friend a vegan diet. Not only as producers of
We often ask ourselves which species this statement refers to? To the wolf? Or to the "wild dog"? Both live in the wild without contact with humans and wear neither collars nor harnesses. They relieve themselves whenever they want and do not visit a veterinary practice to cure illnesses and thus prolong their lives. They don't eat every day anyway, and riding in a car is a completely unknown means of transportation for them. They choose their mates themselves.
Placing dogs on the same level as their ancestors is a misleading comparison for us, as the lifestyle of our four-legged friends no longer has anything to do with that of the wolf. According to the latest findings, dogs joined humans around 100,000 years ago. During this time, they have become domestic animals and no longer have much in common with their wild ancestors. It's the same with us humans. Although we have the same ancestors as apes, our way of life and diet has changed enormously. And yet we have no doubt that the life we lead today is species-appropriate. We have simply evolved.
Barfing has been a more than popular feeding method for many years. It is also based on the ancestry of the wolf, whose main dietary component is considered to be raw meat. What is often not considered is that wolves devour the entire prey, including skin and hair. Internal organs, bones and cartilage are also ingested and provide many nutrients that are not contained in raw meat.
In addition, wolves have a much shorter life expectancy than our dogs. In order to cover the complete requirement of minerals, trace elements and vitamins, all ingredients must be fed in a specific composition. Supplementing a mineral powder in conjunction with nutritional advice from a competent veterinarian is usually essential to ensure that your four-legged friend is getting the nutrition they need.
Unfortunately, many owners are still unaware of this, as a study by Natalie Dillitzer has already shown. The study found that a large proportion (60%) of the barf rations tested had no less serious deficiencies. The quality of a ration is not determined by the form of feeding, but rather by the composition of the ration to cover requirements. A diet containing meat can therefore also lead to malnutrition and deficiencies if it has not been calculated in a balanced way.
Vegan dog food could help your four-legged friend, especially in the case of food intolerance. Many dog owners are unaware that animal proteins are one of the main allergens in dogs. Vegan dog food could therefore be a healthy alternative for people with severe food allergies.
During the course of domestication, dogs have not only adapted to humans in terms of behavior. Digestion also inevitably had to adapt to the available food supply. As meat was a luxury good, it only very rarely ended up in the food bowl for leftovers.
Since the study by an (independent!) Swedish research team was published in 2013, we know that dogs have evolved genetically: Dogs have evolved genetically and can digest carbohydrates in far greater quantities than wolves and even more efficiently than horses. This is due to better enzyme equipment. However, we would also like to point out that not every plant-based food ingredient is made up exclusively of carbohydrates.
Peas, lentils, lupins and many other plant-based protein sources contained in vegan dog food provide our four-legged friends with important proteins in an optimal amino acid composition so that meat is not necessary. As long as the vegan dog diet optimally meets the protein requirements and the supply of all other macro and micronutrients of your four-legged friend, it is anything but unhealthy.
The intestines of our domestic dogs are actually shorter than the intestines of various animals that are geared towards the primary utilization of plant-based food components. However, it must be clearly emphasized that the plant-based components of vegan dog food are not provided in their raw state.
As with conventional, meat-based food, the raw materials are broken down during the manufacturing process and can therefore also be utilized by the dog to a sufficient extent. Of course, we do not use raw lentils, peas or lupin beans, but highly digested, extruded lentil, pea or lupin protein, which dogs can utilize very well even with their shorter intestines. There is therefore nothing anatomically standing in the way of vegan dog food.
The dog does not need the meat itself, but the nutrients it contains. Almost all substances contained in animal products can be replaced by plant-based alternatives. It is often claimed that dogs need animal protein in order to survive.
Extensive analyses have shown that there are plant protein sources that have a similar amino acid composition to meat. As scientists are currently discussing the need to consume taurine and carnitine, these substances should be supplemented in vegan dog diets. The same applies to the amino acid methionine.
In cats, supplementing taurine is commonplace despite a meat-based diet, but no one questions this. In fact, many deficiency symptoms occur in dogs and cats that are fed a meat-based diet, as this is not automatically supplemented with the appropriate nutrients.
If the dog is not allowed to hunt for its own food, it must eat what goes into the bowl in any case. Every owner has different views on what form of food is acceptable for their four-legged friend. This means that every dog is more or less forced to eat the food that their owner thinks is right for them. In our eyes, the primary responsibility is to provide the dog with all the minerals, trace elements and vitamins it needs to stay healthy.
As already mentioned, studies have shown that many home-prepared rations containing meat are deficient and/or over-supplied with various substances. Of course, nobody wants to deliberately harm their pet. Many barf portions are certainly balanced and are eaten with pleasure. However, we are of the opinion that it borders on cruelty not to feed your dog a diet that meets his needs rather than providing him with everything he needs, but on a plant-based basis with a vegan dog food.
Perhaps some people really are following a trend by feeding themselves and their dog a vegan diet. However, the majority are protesting against the unacceptable conditions that cattle, poultry and other animals have to suffer in factory farming. We repeatedly receive testimonials from dog owners confirming that their four-legged friends are doing much better after years of suffering by switching to a vegan dog diet. Since not everyone can cook for their pet, it is a relief to be able to fall back on a high-quality ready-made food.
We keep getting testimonials from dog owners confirming that their four-legged friends are doing much better after years of suffering by switching to vegan dog food with
Of course, we at
We are seeing more and more people becoming more tolerant of the human vegan lifestyle. More and more people are also opening up to a plant-based diet for their four-legged friends. We are working to bring vegan dog food into the mainstream of society so that all these discussions will soon be a thing of the past. Until then, we will certainly be speechless again and again at how unthinkingly other people judge us. But we only have to look at our dogs to make sure we're on the right track.
Yes, dogs can be fed a purely plant-based diet. However, it is important to cover their need for proteins, minerals, trace elements and vitamins. In addition, the amino acids taurine, carnithine and methionine should not be missing from a vegan dog diet.
A vegan dog diet can be a healthy alternative, especially for dogs with food intolerances. Animal proteins are among the main allergens in dogs.
As part of a study , 2,536 people were asked how they feed their dog. Of these, 13% stated that they fed their dog a vegan diet. The study also came to the conclusion that a vegan dog diet is the healthiest diet.
Lisa Walther
