Is Vegan Dog Food Healthy Or Harmful? (Veterinarian Explains)
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2024
- Do you want to feed our dogs the safest, and healthiest food possible? Do you worry about their environmental impact? This interview is going to challenge your preconceptions about what dog's need to be healthy!
One thing is certain. The largest study to date looking into the health of vegan diets for dogs and comparing those fed a raw or conventional cooked meat diet has caused some serious waves...
Head here for all the links and more information on this topic here - ourpetshealth.com/podcast/is-...
Connect with @AndrewKnight and find out more about his studies here - sustainablepetfood.info/
Do you know the Secret to a healthy pet?
- Find out in my FREE 7 step guide - ourpetshealth.com/healthcheck...
Find my top recommended products here: ourpetshealth.com/dog-products
Disclaimers:
- all opinions are my own, sponsors are acknowledged. Links in the description are typically affiliate links that let you help support the channel at no extra cost.
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- The information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute specific vet advice for any individual cat, dog or other animals of any species. - Домашні улюбленці та дикі тварини
Thanks Dr. Alex! This is great information for everyone!
Judging by the comments it's a step too far for people to consider!
@@OurPetsHealth Humans, cats and dogs are carnivores. This is why we are best friends. Get over it.
That is great news for those that love all animals!
As a scientist myself, it's good to hear a balanced and intelligent conversation on this subject. I'm not vegan, although I'm gradually and significantly decreasing animal products in my own diet. I would never have thought to put our dog on a vegan diet per se, however, she is now allergic to almost every known animal protein and dairy, and has suffered massively as a result of her traditional meat based diet, skin infections, constant yeast and ear infections, itchy inflamed skin. Hence we now have no choice but to put her on a vegan diet to avoid the vast list of allergens that otherwise make her ill. We've found a nutritionally complete dry kibble to put her on, and are gradually finding treats that she loves.....still struggling to find a wet food replacement, as she isn't mad keen on veggies just as they are. I'll be getting her bloods done in a few months just to check that she's in good health nutritionally and not missing out in any way, but it's encouraging to hear the results of Andrew's large study.
May I ask, did you try feeding her raw meat only? I assume so but just asking
@@vanessac1965 raw food still contains allergens and so triggers the immune system, so no point.
What kibble do you feed your dog?
So how's your dog's health now ?
I would love to know that too
I'm glad more research is being done to align the health of our companion animals with the health of other animals 😊
What a great video and interview! I am so glad that you posted this, Dr. Alex! I have read the article and it is really an interesting read. I try to keep updated on research about vegan dog food. Thank you so much for sharing on your platform this important research by Dr. Andrew Knight. And thank you so very much for being so open minded. So many vets are not at all. I love your videos!🐾💚 (I don't understand why I didn't find your channel earlier.)
@@irenedavo3768 💔😢🐶
This is great news. Hope Vets around the world acknowledge the study
Thanks for Sharing this video.I really care about this issue. Expect for more discussion.
11.40 - the study, of vegan v meat diets, do you know if the vegan diets were food that was bought (as opposed to homemade?)
I believe primarily bought but I could have misremembered. Crucially though, this study was based on the reports of pet parents rather than objective outcomes so it is the start of the conversation rather than the definitive study - which we touched on here I believe
@@OurPetsHealth thanks for your reply!
How do you suggest feeding in terms of home made vegan dig meals ? This is so exciting ☺️🌱
We talk about this from about 25:40
@@OurPetsHealththank you very much!
Thank you!!!
This was great, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
It’s very disappointing that the large 2500 dog study did not do blood testing. We all need to know about the taurine levels in the blood of the vegan fed dogs, as this is a major concern with vegan diets.
it was an owner-reported study carried out via questionaire which is one of its big limitations
Dogs are NOT obligate carnivores. 🙄🙄🙄
It’s no concern in the vegan diet and the oldest dog in the world is vegan
Also in regards to food waste, a point made near the start, it takes 3kg of human edible crops to produce 1kg of boneless meat. So we are effectively creating food waste before it even gets to our plate, let alone our dog's bowl.
Interesting
Dogs are classified as omnivores, meaning they eat both animal and plant-based foods. While sharing some characteristics with carnivores, dogs have evolved in close association with humans and have adapted to consuming a varied diet that includes both meat and plant matter. Modern canine nutrition can vary, and it's essential to provide them with a balanced diet that meets their nutritional requirements.
Great Video
Great news! 🌱
Is it possible to feed my dog a plant based diet to help her lose weight? I have a 20lb yorkie that’s 8 years old. I give her a cup of dry dog food daily… I want to cook her plant based meals myself.
Home cooking a plant based diet without specific instructions from a specialist veterinary nutritionist is definitely not recommended as it is very hard to be sure the diet is balanced so you could end up doing more harm than good
Im vegan and my dogs eat a very flexitarian diet with including lots whole vegetables (they adore carrots and peas especially) eggs, cooked oats, wholegrain rice and small amounts of fish. Oldest is 15 and still running rings around younger dogs! Also theyre all a perfect weight, compared to the 60-70% of obese dogs you see nowadays. I also scatter feed them outside at least once a day so they can 'forage'.
Im thankful for these conversations and for this research. 2 years ago I began looking into vegan dog food for our red lab pup just to feed him as ethically as possible and I can say from my experience of owing 9 dogs throughout my life, plant based dog food is the way to go for the pup's health. I hope others will see the benefits as well. Im often wrongfully convicted as an "animal abuser" for my families choice to feed our companion animals a vegan diet. Im afraid I would have thought the same before doing any research since our ideas around consuming animals have been programmed into us by a multi-trillion dollar industry.
Finally! Finally a video with serious experts, science based facts and not just ideological refusal of questioning the way we feed our beloved pets in the light of the ecological crisis we’re facing
This is so useful for any dog owner preoccupied by their dogs’ health and happiness as much as they are preoccupied of maintaining a livable planet for us all
Thank you for this work !
Please watch Fritzi Flora
Who are they/what’s it about
Look I feed both my dog and cat a raw meat diet. BUT if people are gonna comment against this video at least watch the video first.
My thoughts on this. First dogs are not carnivores but omnivores. They do eat more meat then plant matter but they aren't carnivores.
But all these different diets can be rubbish depending what it is you feed. Yes on the whole I'd say kibble is really bad but so is a badly done raw fed diet. And despite what the raw feeding community try to say some dogs can't be in raw. Some have bad allergies/digestive issues and some due to poor health from poor care. Like my neighbours a couple years ago were uni students and would gather round their windows to watch my dog eat, as I'd feed him in the garden, as they found it cool to watch. One had a dog and talked to me asking how to put him on raw. After one look at him I told her I strongly recommend against it as looking at his teeth he had mad tooth decay and imo being on raw would damage his teeth further given how decayed they were.
Vegan diets could be a potential option for such dogs or dogs with allergies (say to lamb, chicken, beef which are pretty common).
In regards to environmental benefits I think it comes down to different views on what the solution is. Some people view everyone going vegan will help the environment. I disagree. I view reducing our consumption of meat to be the answer as this will allow farmers to keep up with demand while using traditional livestock raising methods. This would mean price of meat would go up per lb but if we're eating less meat anyway then I doubt it would make a significant difference to the cost if the average weekly shop for people and balance out. Plus when done properly traditional farming methods with work with the local environment or even benefit it. Plus the meat animals will of had a better quality of life.
But that's a completely different discussion from if it's good for dogs.
I do think in the studies done it probably does show the vegan diet is better then the meat based dog food BUT there's a potentially different explanation to it then just "vegan is better". Will need to read the studies but I'd question is it that vegan is better then meat or is it a case that the vegan diets have less filler, additives, preservatives and other chemicals. Is it just a case that the standard dog food was horrendous, like many are, so they were benefiting from a cleaner diet rather then it being vegan itself?
Those are my thoughts on it.
Extra incase anyone is interested but isn't directly addressing the video.
I come from a zookeeping background working with large carnivores and rather then trying to make every meal exactly balanced or using pre made raw feeds I DIY it and aim for it to balance out. I remember actually there was a study showing dogs on a raw diet where each meal was balanced actually had unhealthy levels of VitD3 in the blood work (this can cause hypervitaminosis D3 which can be very serious).
My dog is fed once a day, in the evening, and fed 6 days a week fasting once a week, what day if the week it is varies week to week.
He gets a the standard meat, bones etc but also organs, glands and whole animals (fur/feathers and all).
He gets chicken, pheasant, fuck, turkey, goose, quail, pigeon, partridge, rabbit, Guinea pig, squirrel, pork (rarely), wild boar, venison, lamb/mutton, goat, beef (all parts). He also gets fish (whole but given frozen cause if the fish bones), shellfish, eggs, vegetables, greens and berries plus some fruit.
I have a freezer that goes -45c so kills parasites though I also worm.
My house cat is the same meat wise but also add mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, chicks and insects plus she still gets offered some leafy greens incase she wants the extra fibre. And feeding wise she's fed twice a day technically but in the morning once she's full she gets a chick or mouse chucked in the plate so she has a snack later ready and in the evening gets something big and awkward like a chicken leg that still has some of the spine and organs attached so she eats her main food and some of the leg then can have the rest during the night (she eats it bone and all). As cats should really eat little meals regularly throughout the 24hr (feral cats can often be found with up to 20 different prey items in their gut). Kind of like ferrets though consequences of not doing so aren't so dramatic.
This part is anodical but the vets are always amazed by their weight, muscle mass (obviously exercise comes into this) but also their coats, teeth, gums etc and everyone is convinced my dog is 14months-2yr old when he's actually about 7yr old now.
And their poops are much smaller, firmer and less smelly too compared to other cats and dogs and for my dog ask when compared to when he was on kibble (his previous diet before I got him).
I'm not sure this very thoughtful and sensible reply has any place in the youtube comments! you raise a number of very good points and considerations, all diet types have terrible versions so lumping them into a single category is effectively meaningless (certainly challenging to draw firm conclusions), personal philosophy is an important factor to consider in what is right for a specific situation...
with this vegan study all the data was owner reported rather than objective which is hugely problematic when it comes to forming any kind of definitive statement BUT what I hope this piece does, much like similar content, is just to get people thinking and realising that the world in many cases is not simply black and white and that just because someone holds different beliefs makes them the enemy (or corrupt, or only in it for the money...).
Thanks, and it sounds like you are doing a great job with your furries!
I feed vegan kibble, in order to avoid any questionable animal bi products and I add fresh cooked boneless skinless chicken or lean ground beef cooked, to her kibble. All animal protein is human grade fresh. I leave only the veggies to the kibble. Plus I add fresh soft boiled egg and a baby carrot. Fresh.
This is what I do as well! I don’t trust the quality of meat used in commercial pet foods. As well of the issue of BPA in cans; certainly a little BPA isn’t much of a concern, but when you think about them eating it EVERY single day, that will accumulate in their system and potentially cause cancer. I make my own wet food as a topper and stick with vegetarian dry food to avoid nasty contaminants. Plus, I don’t have to worry about the animal fats going rancid which is another problem with meat based kibble.
Dogs are NOT OBLIGATE CARNIVORES AND NEITHER ARE HUMANS. We have ZERO NEED TO EAT FLESH. 8 billion humans stuffing their faces with flesh means almost 100 billion baby land animals are forced into existence into HEINOUS FACTORY FARM CONDITIONED TO BE MUTILATED TORTURED AND SEVERELY CONFINED UNTIL THROWN INTO DEATH TRUCKS AND TORTURED FURTHER ON THEIR WAY TO BE MASSACRED. Animal cruelty is NOT A HUMAN RIGHT. PLEASE WATCH DOMINION the documentary right here on youtube.
So the first thing this doctor says....it's a greenhouse gas problem because of livestock animals? I'm out!
Livestock are responsible for around about 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gases and because of diet, an average medium sized dog has around the same carbon footprint as a grown person...we can't all be ostriches
@@OurPetsHealth i dont see how a pet has the same carbon footprint as a person who consumes more be it food types, transport and electricity and heating.
Jess Caticles and The Dog Nutrition Channel have videos on why you should feed cats and dogs a homemade/raw diet, with animal muscle meat. I'm not saying don't feed vegan. Know all the facts, not just one side. Most people believe what they want to believe.
Absolutely. Confirmation bias, cherry picking, caregiver placebo (ond nocebo), and the dunning-krugar effect are especially prevalent. Follow the science, ask for the evidence not just the opinion or experience base
@@OurPetsHealthdogs are not obligate carnivores. We have all been culturally brainwashed with the most common cartoon drawings of a dog with a bone. Bit that picture is more indicative of what the dogs' owners eat, not what the dogs healthiest diet is. And humans are MOST CERTAINLY NOT obligate carnivores.
yes, they can be vegan but they will probably only last around 5 years(at the very best). There are multiple cases of dogs dying on a vegan diet due to malnutrition. Their intestines cannot process plant protein, as their intestines are made to process meat. Herbivores need long intestines to process grass to keep them alive. Dogs have shorter intestines, and won’t last very long on a vegan diet. Cows have intestines around 6.3 times longer than their body length, with their intestines being 41 feet long and their body length being about 6ft. Using gsds as a example, German shepherds are generally 3-5 ft long, with intestines that are around 2ft. That is very short in comparison to the cows. They need to digest their food quickly, otherwise they can’t take in the nutrients and most of the nutrients just comes out the other end. In short, a dog can be vegan, they will just have shorter, less healthy and less happy lives. If you want a vegan pet just get a rabbit.
the average length of small intestine in a dog is 13ft, less in small breeds, more in bigger breeds. you clearly int watch the video as it gives the actual evidence to counter all your other points. we are not talking about giving grass to dogs, that would be silly.
@@OurPetsHealth oh, apparently I was looking at the length of the large intestine, not the small intestine. Either way, the point still stands, that dogs are not made for eating purely vegetables. I consider them very meat oriented omnivores.
I am now giving my Dashhound puppy- meat mixed with vegetables and sproated legumes . I put them raw all together in a mixer and make them paste .. then cook them together in a pressure cooker for just one whistle . I think making them paste make them easy to digest in a small intestine.. i never seen my puppies had loose motion or diarrhea . Also mixing curd for probiotics when the temperature of paste become room temperature after cooking
@@Nobody-mc4hr probably the best choice.
@MorTobXD looking back on this comment from a month ago, I was indeed disrespectful and I should have gone about this in a different way.
It’s a dog
And they have to eat meat.
@@wkrx.5dlr just like human teeth god designed us to eat meat 🥩
Omnivores. They’re omnivores.
@@nixthelapin9869 They're omnivores that need meat.
@@leonardplanckiii998humans were made to eat fruit in the garden of eden
Shouldn't the starting point to justify a plant diet for a dog be whether or not the food is healthy for a dog? Instead of your feelings about climate change? This doctor is clearly a climate alarmist and activist. How can I judge giving this to my dogs when his bias is so obvious and strong?
My vegan cousin kept his dogs on vegan diet they escaped whenever they could, killed and eat the neighbors rabbits. Poor dogs suffering because being vegan is in fashion. All due respect , sorry but I call BS on this guy
I'm not personally vegan, and I do worry about diet fads. There are definitely lots of ways to get this wrong, as Dr. Andrew discusses towards the end of this that can end up causing more harm than good
My dog did that eating an omni diet. Whats your point?
@@senaares6107 im not talking about killing the rabbit and playing with the corpse. Im talking about eating the whole thing leaving only fur behind.
@@toliscy My dog tended to eat the whole thing. He ate chickens alive. I gave him food with animal products inside. Again, what is your point?
@@senaares6107 my dog killed a cat once and a few birds but never eaten them. If your dog kills to eat them I bet he's malnourished
It's so dumb and ignorant to believe a dog who's closeet ancestors (wolves) were carnivores can be vegan and even to think it's healthy! If you can't get over the fact that dogs are meat eaters don't have one!!
dumb and ignorant, strong words that may be better reflected - and at a guess you didn't watch the whole video which addresses these very points
@@OurPetsHealth No you are dumb and ignorant. Dogs are carnivores. Period.
@@rajeevdsamuel 🤦♂️
@@OurPetsHealth This is animal abuse - you should he thrown in jail
it is CLEARLY YOU that is above and beyond ignorant and arrogant... PURE stupidity about the REALITIES that #1 the dogs we CREATED are so far removed from wolves... PLEASE tell me which fashionista wolf a poodle came from. GTFOH... And it is ABSOLUTELY true that dogs CAN and HAVE BEEN Vegan for a VERY VERY long time... DO YOUR HOMEWORK... I am HOPING you are around 7 years old and are just a lil arrogant f@ck... But I doubt it... If YOU cant get over the fact that its UNNECESSARY and hypocritical that feeding dogs, omnivores, other animals is just as arrogant, cruel and unnecessary as us eating animals.. THINK and grow up Allie
Dogs are actually canis lupus and need meat I’m vegan but wouldn’t force that into my dog
@MorTobXD animals will continue to die. Even if plants is all you eat. Because crop deaths are a thing. And it’s not “accidental”. It’s done on purpose.
@@residentjess vegans know that. Veganism is about minimising animal suffering as much as practicality possible.
no please don’t
Why's that?
@@OurPetsHealth Because dogs are obligate carnivores!
@@jaythrash8804 no they're not
@@maramma4780 their teeth structure and short intestines shows that they are obligate carnivores! I had a dog once that ripped a vulture to shreds! These are not herbivorous, nor are they omnivorous animals! They are strictly carnivores!
@@jaythrash8804 not obligate carnivores just very meat oriented omnivores. It’s not the most healthy diet to give your dog and there are other healthier alternatives. That and there are cases of dogs dying from malnutrion on vegan diets.
He lost me once he said it was because of global warming