Vegan Pet Food Article

Published in Medic Mentor Magazine

Over the last few years, the increase in understanding of climate change has prompted many of us to turn vegan. Our beloved, fluffy companions are responsible for a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by animals or agriculture. This adds up to about 64 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Pets consume around a fifth of the world’s meat and fish. Can turning out pet’s vegan save the health of our plant?3

Veganism is the practice of eating food that has not been derived from animals, and typical involves avoiding use of other animal products. About 2-3% of the UK's population follow a plant-based diet. Vegan or vegetarian diets come with pros and cons - and the same goes for pets whose owners choose for them to follow this diet

Typically, dogs and wolves are known to be meat eaters. However, if there is a lack of food availability in the wild, they are known to eat eggs, berries and grass. Since dogs first became domesticated, around 30,000 years ago, they have developed an increase in amylase genes which allows them to digest plant starch. It is perfectly healthy and normal due to this adaptation for dogs to be eating a plant-based diet.

Putting your dog on a vegan diet comes with the added health benefits starting with a reduction in skin allergies. This means that dogs that previously had bleeding sores and itchy skin will be relieved of its pain and will no longer have to deal with allergies that arise from meat-based products. Dogs mostly tend to be allergic to animal proteins, not grains. With constant exposure to these allergens in their diets, they are prone to painful skin reactions, from hotspots and rashes to ear infections and hair loss. Switching the dogs to a vegan diet can give them a better quality of life with a reduced chance of developing a skin allergy.

A vegan diet in dogs can also produce a better coat condition because there will be less itchiness and allergies. A plant-based diet also has reduced chances of obesity due to the high nutritional value that comes from vegetables.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 56% of dogs are overweight or obese. There is a reduced chance of obesity with plant-based diets due to a significantly lower amount of saturated fats. Plant-based diets are also higher in fibre which provides the dog with a full mean but reduced calories.

Obese dogs have an increased risk of developing arthritis. However, putting your beloved companion on a vegan diet can help with relieving joint pain and arthritis as it is usually anti-inflammatory. Anti-inflammatory are used in order to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and bring down high temperatures. They work by blocking the effect of enzymes called cyclo-oxygenase. These enzymes produce chemicals call prostaglandins which are involved in the production of pain and inflammation. By reducing the production of prostaglandins, there is less pain within the joints of an obese or older animal. Dogs who switch to vegan diets often experience improved mobility, which means stronger muscles, longer walks and a better quality of life.

There is a lower risk for articular gout since there are less bones and joint deposits. Articular gout is the build-up of uric acid within joints. Foods which are high in fat (bacon, dairy products and red meat) are high in purine levels. When the dog consumes sources of purine, it is then broken down into uric acid. Many plants or grains have less amounts of purines within them which makes it much harder to develop articular gout from a plant-based diet.

Putting your dog on a vegan diet can help them regain/ maintain their puppy like energy. This is because of the higher quality of nutrition available without the negative effects of meat-based products such as the increased chance of allergies as mentioned before.

In 2009, a study by Brown et al was conducted exploring vegan diets in the dogs who require the largest amounts of energy – sprint racing huskies. This study compared the health and haematological parameters of the dogs; six were fed a nutritionally balanced meat-free diet and the other six were fed a commercial meat-based diet. Racing Huskies are typically very active dogs and with a poor diet could then end up developing sports anaemia. Sports anaemia is the result of a reduced number of red blood cells in the dog’s blood stream. Red blood cells keep the dogs body supplied with oxygen and are responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the body. Racing huskies are ideal for this experiment because they run in pairs, two by two. Each pair of dogs will be doing the same intensity and amount of exercise, for good comparison. Throughout the study, the dogs were regularly checked on by vets during training and competing. The dogs were trained to pull heavy sleighs at high speeds throughout the study.  The study hypothesized that racing huskies fed on a nutritionally complete vegan diet would remain in good health and not become anaemic. The dogs were on this diet for 2 weeks pre-season training, 10 weeks of racing and 4 weeks of recovery. The vegan and meat foods had the same nutrients, just from different sources. While the meat-based feed had 43% protein from chicken, the vegan diet contained protein from soya and corn. Regardless of the diet, all the blood test results were within normal ranges. All dogs were in excellent condition with no abnormalities and blood test results were constantly improving for both groups of dogs. This study has therefore concluded that the amount of protein is more important than the source of protein in dogs. Meat-free, plant-based and vegetarian food is perfectly fine for dogs, including extremely active working dogs.

However, this isn’t the case for cats. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they need certain amounts of amino acids to be healthy. 

Cats get key nutrients from animal fat, (taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A and B12). Without the consumption of these key nutrients, cats can suffer from liver and heart problems, skin irritation and eyesight loss. 

Cats cannot produce certain proteins such as taurine which is an important amino acid for eyesight, growth and the immune system. This means they have to absorb taurine from their food (beef, chicken and fish). Cats that don’t have enough taurine are at the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy which is a fatal condition. Dilated cardiomyopathy usually consists of a poorly contracting dilated left ventricle and enlarged atria. Cats with dilated cardiomyopathy often progress to congestive heart failure. A lack in taurine can also cause retinal degeneration (poor eyesight). Within 10 weeks of eating a diet low in taurine, the cone photo-receptors of the retina begin to deteriorate. These cones are responsible for bright-light and colour vision. After 20 weeks, many of the cones are dead and eventually the cat goes blind. 

Arachidonic acid is an essential fatty acid. Arachidonic acid can be found mainly in the fatty parts of meat and fish. Arachidonic acid is needed in order to produce an inflammatory response. In many conditions, the body needs to suppress the inflammatory response. However, the response is necessary in order for the body to protect itself. Diets with reduced arachidonic acid will result in poor reproductive performances and insufficient platelet aggregation. This means that the cat now has a reduced ability to clot its blood when injured. This can cause bruising, red areas on skin and gums and lethargy. 

Cats also lack the enzyme required to split carotene into vitamin A – carotene is usually obtained from plants. Therefore, they required a pre-formed version of Vitamin A which is only present in food of animal origin. Cats absorb vitamin A through the liver of their prey or the animal-based diet they are fed. Vitamin A is usually used for healthy skin, mucus membranes, a healthy immune system and good eye health. A vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness and poor-quality skin and coat. 

Vitamin B12 is crucial for the health of a cat’s immune system, nervous system and digestive tract. Since cats cannot produce their own B12, the must obtain it through their diet. Vitamin B12 is found in animal products such as meat, liver, fish and eggs. A lack of B12 can cause weight loss, lethargy, diarrhoea or vomiting. 

Therefore, a plant-based diet is not desirable for cats as their gastrointestinal tracts and metabolism aren’t well adapted enough for this lifestyle. However, you can still be mindful when purchasing meat-based food for your cats, by searching animal food brands with welfare certification labels which represent more human farming practices.

      However, A study conducted by Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph reported that cats fed a plant-based diet had a more ideal body condition than cats fed a meat-based diet.  The study was based on 1325 owner questionnaire. Most cats were fed meat-based diets but 20% were fed entirely plant-based foods. The cats ranged in ages from 4 months to 23 years old and there were no notable differences in lifespan between the two diet types. The researchers expected that the owners of vegan cats would report poorer health conditions due to the lack of nutrients (taurine, vitamin B12 etc). But the study concluded that vegan fed cats had fewer digestive or liver disorders than meat fed cats. The Pet Food Manufactures Association reviewed the study and decided that there is still not enough evidence to suggest feeding cats a plant-based diet is beneficial for their health. The university decided that the findings needed to be looked at further with more objective studies as there is not enough evidence to suggest that feeding cats a plant-based diet has health benefits for them and it is possible that nutrient deficiencies create problems in the long-term for the cat. 

In essence of this, putting your dog on a vegan diet is perfectly fine and healthy for them and should be discussed with the vet before taking action. But cat owners should refrain from putting their cat on a full plant-based diet as the results of this can be damaging to the cat’s quality of life. If needed, you can always replace some meals with a plant-based substitute so that your cat gets the nutrients it needs while also having fewer meat-based meals.