A nonprofit that wants people to eat less meat is funding research that says a vegan diet is better for dogs.
According to a new report published in the Guardian, a peer-reviewed study of 2,500 dogs found that vegan dogs took less medication and visited the vet less frequently than their meat-eating brethren. Surprisingly, the study found that dogs eating conventional omnivorous diet appear to be less healthy than dogs eating vegan chow.
Prof Andrew Knight, who worked on the study, told the Guardian that it was the largest study to date.
Not trying to bust anyone's bubble, but vegan diet is not recommended by vets unless owners purchase a high-quality diet. The same concerns were echoed by one expert.
Although we would not recommend it, it is possible to feed a dog a vegetarian diet, according to the president of the British Veterinary Association.
Shotton mentioned a vegetarian diet which can include some animal products like eggs, rather than a vegan one, which allows no animal products at all, even though dogs are widely understood to be meat-loving omnivores.
An expert recommended against vegan pet foods in a previous Guardian story.
ProVeg, an organization that wants to reduce meat consumption and previously invested big bucks in a vegan dog food company, is paying for a study that is eyebrow-raising.
The study had clear limitations. It was based on an online survey of people in the UK. Only animals who had been seen by a vet in the previous year were included. That means owners who fed vegan diet but didn't see their vet were not included.
Reducing meat consumption would have a positive impact on the climate. Factory farms are some of the dirtiest on the planet. The American Kennel Club says that your dog should avoid vegan diet.
Until a study comes out that isn't funded by a vegan organization with a stake in a vegan dog food company, we'll be skeptical of vegan diet that isn't heavily supplemented and monitored by a vet.
There are more questionable business decisions.
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