Vegetarian and vegan dog diet
[2] The omnivorous domestic dog was originally primarily carnivore but has evolved to metabolize carbohydrates, fat, and fiber and remain healthy on a diet lower in protein.
The American Kennel Club highlights risks factors of a vegan diet such as ensuring adequate protein intake, imbalance of certain amino acids, such as taurine and L-carnitine and potential vitamin or mineral deficiency.
[4] To offset these risks, supplements may need to be added to the dog's vegan or vegetarian diet, most importantly those that provide taurine, L-carnitine and vitamin B-12.
According to this advice, dogs in the wild prefer animal-based protein, so matching their diet more closely to what they would eat if getting food on their own is more reliable for ensuring health.
An isotope analysis on a site in the Iberian Peninsula found that one group of dogs had a significant proportion of cereals in their diet.
[9]The dietary requirements of dogs differ based on a variety of aspects (i.e. age, level of activity, living environment, etc.).
When detected early, high urinary pH can be treated by adding more acidifying ingredients or supplements to the diet.
E.g. a study of 24 commercial ones found 26% did not meet all amino acid standards and most to failed the labeling requirements of the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
[16] These deficiencies cannot be corrected by including specific whole food ingredients due to the volume they would have to eat to meet requirements, thus nutritional supplements are necessary.
Ingredient substitutions made over time due to affordability, availability, and owner and pet preferences, increase the risk of inadequacy.
[21] Members of the allium family, including onion, garlic, shallots, and leeks are linked to the development of hemolytic anemia,[21] and chocolate is associated with cardiac abnormalities and pancreatitis.
[18] Improper or excluded caloric information and body weight recommendations increase the risk of energy over-consumption leading to obesity.
[31] On average, switching a dog from a typical to a vegan diet can reduce carbon emissions by 340 kg CO2eq per year.
[32] Processing increases water solubility of fiber by reducing the molecular weight of starch molecules like hemicellulose and pectin.
[32] Due to the exclusion of animal products which are an important part of conventional dog food, nutrients provided by them need to be replaced.
This requires strategic formulation using plant, mineral and synthetic ingredients, to ensure all nutrients are provided in their absorbable form and sufficient amounts.
[9] A good source of protein provides a dog with a balanced and complete profile of amino acids, and is essential for growth, muscle maintenance, and various cellular functions.
[36] In a plant-based dog food, the protein composition can be sourced from a variety of ingredients, such grains, rice, corn, wheat, and/or barley.
[37] If soy is excluded, e.g. for hypoallergenic purposes, chickpeas, green peas, rice, potatoes, and Nutritional yeast are also common ingredients for this.
[46] Vitamin D is essential for proper calcium regulation and is important for bone mineralization, nerve function, immunity, and intracellular signalling.
[49] However, the conversion of provitamin D to cholecalciferol is significantly lower in dogs than other mammals, and is not sufficient to maintain an adequate vitamin D status.
[54] It is integral to the health and function of the nervous system, key in hematopoiesis, as well as required to synthesize methionine and catabolize propionate for energy.
[57] After ingesting the vitamin, it is stored in the muscle and liver tissues of the animal, and subsequently passed on to the next level of the food chain.
[59] The sulfur-containing amino acid, taurine, is primarily found in meat and dairy products and assists in the uptake of calcium into cardiac cells, thus associated with proper myocardial functioning.
[60] Taurine is considered conditionally essential for dogs because they are able to synthesize it themselves when adequate concentrations of the other sulphur containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine, are consumed.
[15] A low amount of sulphuric amino acids have been linked to decreased food intake, a negative nitrogen balance, and in growing dogs, stunted growth rate.
[15] Taurine deficiency can also lead to retinal degeneration, reproduction problems, gastrointestinal disease and decreased development and function of skeletal muscles and the central nervous system.
[62] Plant-based diets may contain enough methionine and cysteine to meet AAFCO standards, but these values do not include the endogenous conversion to taurine.
[64] However, carnitine synthesis may not be adequate to meet their nutritional requirements and may need a dietary source, where L-carnitine is obtained directly through diet.
Vegetarianism may be defined as the practice of consuming foods that are primarily derived from plants, with or without dairy products, eggs, and/or honey and exclude meats.
