Vegan dog food?!

[ShePersisted]

We're getting a new puppy(!!!) in 2 weeks and just considering what food to start her on and to use as she grows. We're attracted to the idea of vegan dog food, from an ethical/sustainable perspective. What has been the experience of other dog owners? Do you feed your pet vegan food? Thanks!

Humans are omnivores too. Just saying.

Humans are omnivores who can make the choice to be vegan, vegetarian or live a life surviving on Haribo and fast food, dogs are not given that choice.

I've a friend that has fed her dogs on a vegan complete dog food for years and are healthy, long lived. A few dogs also need a diet without meat like a PP so I'm glad they do exist.
It wouldn't be my choice, but when popular dog food have as little as 4% meat (animal derivatives) content and also bunch of dodgy colourings & preservatives, I'm really not sure vegan diet deserves such nasty responses.

There was a guy on dragons den who made dog treats out of bugs and expect that will likely be animal protein source of future, probably worse in a way as people don't give lot of thought to needs of bugs.

As it happens my dog is on a vegan food, under the guidance of a dermatologist

Are they qualified to advise that?

If you don't want to feed meat to your dog, there are options:

Insect based food www.yorapetfoods.com/yora-pet-foods

Fish waste based food www.fish4dogs.com

Let them catch it themselves

Are they qualified to advise that?

Eh? Of course they are. Why would you think they are not?

Only a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons can diagnose a disease or condition or advise on treatment of an animal. So unless the dermatologist is MRCVS no they arent 'qualified' to make that recommendation

How would a dermatologist be one without being a vet?...

I wouldn't change my entire diet on the advice of a dermatologist, I'd consult my doctor too. I would follow the same principle with a dog.

Um... that’s often literally why practice vets refer on to dermatologists.

They deal with allergies, they’re vets who then go on to specialise in dermatology after they’re fully qualified, it’s not like doctors where they specialise while they’re still training.

Indeed. His qualifications.... "DVM CertVD DipECVD MRCVS"

Genuinely perplexed. Are there people who call themselves dog/animal dermatologists WITHOUT being qualified via the vet/dermatology specialism route?

Dogs really enjoy meat and are meaty bones. Why would you deprive a dog of what they really enjoy? They are carnivores and they are innocent animals.

Dogs are carnivores. They get the plat based stuff from killing herbivores and eating their stomach contents Ali with the rest of the animal.

Why in fuck you would even consider feeding a carnivore a vegan diet has me stumped. Either accept a dog is a carnivore and needs to be fed accordingly or don’t get one.

*plant not plat

*along with the rest of the animal. Gosh, keyboard fails today.

So, all these people with dogs who have an allergy to meat? If you dog only had access to their natural food sources (which is other animals, I.e. meat and possibly some eggs with chicks at varying stages of formation), they would be allergic to it all? I’m not following this at all.

There's insect based dog food that has much lower CO2 impact if that's a factor for you. it was pricy though about £80 a bag when I looked it up. Looked much better than 4% meat feeds but I'm not an expert.

DDog has caught rabbits even on the lead, not much you do if they're sheltered in a hedge. So they might not obey your vegan diet...

Look a dog needs meat. Even my dog I had before this one who was born with an extremely rare condition where he was so allergic to animal products. He had to have injections all his life ( he lived till he was 17) to tolerate chicken. A dog needs a well balanced diet and nowadays there are plenty of kibble ( dried food) that contain only natural ingredients with no artificial additives, even some that are for sensitivity to wheat etc. But you cannot decide to make your dog a vegan just cos it's ' fashionable' to be vegan! A dog is an animal meant to eat meat. It has to build muscle and it is it's natural food. You can make your dog very ill indeed by not feeding it properly. And I can assure you vets bills are by no means cheap! This is a living breathing animal. Feed it its natural diet. Kibble will be your best bet if you have an adversion to meat.

Lessons must be learned about natural food chains and how not eating things in your natural food chain is deprimental to any animals health. I.e Covid 19 was caused exactly through that!

All the vegans I know would never buy a puppy.

@DuaneDibbley good point. All of my friends who have dogs, have adult rescue dogs.

@ShePersisted

It's great that you are vegan and a brilliant thing to do for animal welfare and the environment. Dogs are not vegan and imposing your belief system on an animal that relies on you to provide for its welfare is totally unfair.

If you want to maintain strict vegan principles then get s pair of rabbits or guinea pigs as pets

Not sure that feeding your dog pellets made of minced horse and sawdust is any worse than feeding them pellets of vegan protein.

Dogs (or any other animal) didn't evolve to eat kibble.

Well done OP, shit and run and watch them froth

From an ethical persepctive..I presume you are yourselves vegans otherwise you would not be thinking of putting a dog on a vegan diet.. in which case surely 'proper' vegans don't keep cats and dogs as it's not natural? Genuinely curious.
Personally I would not feed my dog a vegan diet.. it takes considerable thought to do it sensibly for adult humans who have made that choice, and my dogs canine teeth are definitely designed for a nice crunchy bone! (my beasty would refuse point blank..she only tolerates a bit of kibble if we are out for the day and is raw fed most of her diet)
Please get a veggie eating pet if you don't want to feed a dogs natural food!