A nutritious vegan diet for dogs may be associated with better health and may be less harmful than a traditional meat diet, a new study suggests.
Dog owners who want to switch their pet’s diet to vegan, including because of environmental concerns and the treatment of animals used as food, are often told it’s unfair or unhealthy.
But researchers have now found that, overall, dogs on a conventional meat diet were less healthy than those on a raw or vegan diet.
raw
So far, research on the health effects of traditional and non-traditional dog foods has been limited.
Andrew Knight and colleagues from the University of Winchester said: “We believe our study of 2,536 dogs is the largest published study to date exploring the health outcomes of a vegan and meat-based diet in dogs.
“It analyzes a range of objective data, as well as owners’ opinions, and reports a veterinarian’s assessment of health. It reveals that the healthiest and least harmful dietary option for dogs is a nutritionally sound vegan diet.”
The study shows that previous research has linked a raw meat diet to an increased risk of pathogens and nutrient deficiencies. Further research is needed to confirm whether a raw meat or vegan diet is associated with better dog health outcomes.
healthy
Given the new and previous findings, researchers believe that a nutritionally healthy vegan diet may be the healthiest and least harmful option for dogs.
While animals on a raw meat diet appeared to be healthier than those on a vegan diet, several factors prevented them from drawing the conclusion that a raw meat diet was healthier.
According to the study, dogs on a raw meat diet were significantly younger than those on a vegan diet, which helps explain why they appear healthier.
Also, those on a raw meat diet are less likely to be taken to the veterinarian. While this may be a sign of healthier health, previous research has shown that owners of dogs that eat raw meat are less likely to visit the veterinarian.
The findings were published in PLoS One Magazine.
this author
Nina Massey is the PA Science Correspondent.This article has been edited by a member ecologist Editorial team.
