Veganism is on a steady rise in Australia. The latest report from Vegan Australia revealed that there are about 500,000 vegans in the country. Those practising this lifestyle believe that they get the best nutrition from exclusively eating fruits, nuts, and vegetables and omitting any forms of animal-sourced food in their diet. Most of the time, they want to carry over their beliefs to their pets and switch their diet to vegan pet products.
If you recently embraced veganism and plan to carry it over to your dog or cat’s diet, you need to ensure that you know what you are doing before making the big switch.
Why go Vegan?
Turning vegan can significantly improve one’s health. Eating naturally sourced plant-based food items exclusively can provide plenty of benefits to the human body. Dogs can also benefit from this diet. Your four-legged friend can have healthier teeth and gums, a shinier and softer coat, and better digestion.
Veterinary health experts also vouch for the perks that dogs can get from vegan products. Several veterinarians believe that a vegan diet helps manage various dog allergies and gastrointestinal problems, according to a report. It also helps the pets live longer lives.
Can your dog meet their nutritional requirements with a vegan diet?
Dogs are like humans that can thrive in an omnivorous diet. These pets have the capacity to starches and plant-based food.
A recent study in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany revealed that 38% of pet owners noticed that their dogs have shinier and healthier coats after switching to vegan diets. Some even claimed that the pets who used to have oily or scaly coats are already cured of their dermatological ailments. Some also reported that the change in diet improved their pets’ odours, enhances stool consistency, and increased stool volumes.
But just like any diet, a vegan diet for dogs should be properly balanced. It must also provide complete nutrition to let the dogs achieve optimal health. Some of the most critical nutrients that you need to check if you want to transition to vegan pet products include:
Protein – Veterinarians strongly suggest that dogs must get ten essential amino acids in their diets. It is important for proper cell functioning, like the development of antibodies and enzymes and protein synthesis. To ensure that your beloved dogs are getting the minimum protein requirements, their food must contain at least 19% crude protein content for maintenance of adult dogs and 22.5% for the proper growth and reproduction of puppies and female dogs who are pregnant or lactating.
Vitamin B12 – Dogs can have better red blood cell formations, enhanced nerve function, and improved DNA synthesis by having adequate amounts of vitamin B12 in their diet. While this nutrient is often sourced from animal tissue, it is also present in plant-based sources like nori, chlorella, spirulina, and nutritional yeast.
Before making the big switch, you need to check if your dog can survive a vegan diet. Some pet owners think that their senior dogs are already too old to try a new diet, while others also think twice about transitioning their pet’s diet because they have sensitivity to different allergens. However, some experts claim that dogs of any age or allergens can manage veganism. You only need to ensure that you get high-quality vegan food for your precious dogs from reliable pet food manufacturers.
