can dogs be vegan?

As a professional pet sitter, I see a wide variety of canine diets. A big part of my job is to maintain the established routine for the pets in my care as best I can, so whatever they eat on a regular basis is what they eat when I'm feeding them. I don't judge–well, mostly I don't. I see both high-quality and low-quality kibble, canned food, raw diets, dehydrated food, and homemade food. Regardless of what the pets in a family are eating, I have to believe that their owners are feeding them the best they can with the knowledge and finances available to them. I try to keep my clients educated about the benefits of feeding a high-quality diet. That being said, I am not an animal dietician, and I am constantly learning. 

Whether dogs are carnivores or omnivores is hotly debated. The argument that dogs should be fed meat is largely based on the belief that dogs are carnivores, meaning they eat only meat. In fact, dogs are omnivores.  "In the wild" is almost a mute point, now, since they have been domesticated for so many generations, but if in the wild, they would eat a diet of mostly meat and some plants. 

Eager faces as I'm scooping their homemade vegan food into their bowls.

Eager faces as I'm scooping their homemade vegan food into their bowls.

As an aspiring vegan, I was particularly interested in the vegan diet my client, Karla, feeds her dogs. I may have just stepped in a pile of poop, because I understand that feeding a vegan diet to a typically meat-eating creature who is at your mercy for, well, everything, could be quite controversial. To me, it's less controversial than feeding your pooch a bag of low-quality kibble composed mostly of fillers, artificial colors, and preservatives, which doesn't have much meat in it, anyway, but most people don't bat an eye at the person in the big box discount store throwing a 50-pound bag of complete garbage in their cart, then feeding it to their dog for the next month. So I decided to learn more about the vegan diet for dogs, and Karla helped me understand her story. She has fed her Papillon, Chi-chi, and Yorkshire Terrier, Abby, a vegan diet for almost one year.

WM: Can you tell me a bit about your journey to becoming vegan?

Karla: I've been vegan for a few years, and I was vegetarian for a while before that. My reason is a combination of my love for animals and for a healthy, happy, lifestyle.  There's so much information about living vegan, and once I started opening myself up to it, this lifestyle just fell into place.

Karla has two school-aged sons.

WM: Is your whole household vegan?

Karla: I only cook vegan at home, however, my boys live with their father part time, and they do eat meat there.

WM: So what made you decide to feed your dogs a vegan diet?

Karla: Being vegan, I would encourage anyone to eat this way. I hadn't even considered the possibility of switching my pups to a vegan diet until a friend suggested it. I started researching what they can eat and made the switch. I had been under the same impression as many others, that they needed meat to be healthy.

WM: What were your dogs eating before?

Karla: I previously had them eating organic dog food that was free of fillers, etc. The expensive stuff!

WM: Have you noticed any changes in them, health-wise, since you started feeding them a vegan diet?

Karla: Chi-chi has had the most noticeable change. He was a little on the heavy side before, and now he's very healthy. I've also noticed that his coat is healthier, now. As a hair stylist, I believe you can tell a lot about someone's health by their hair and skin. The same goes for our pups!

WM: What research did you do before embarking on this diet for them, and how do you know that they are getting all of the nutrients they need?

Karla: It helped that I'd been eating this way already. I know what I need to be eating in order to get all of my essential amino acids, etc. All I've done is transfer that to Abby and Chi-chi.

Abby and Chi-chi absolutely love their vegan meals.

Abby and Chi-chi absolutely love their vegan meals.

WM: There is a growing trend to feed dogs a raw diet, and many people will say that dogs are carnivores, so they need meat. They will likely say you're not feeding them what they need. What do you say to that?

Karla: This is also said about us, but the truth is that we and our pups do not need to eat meat to be healthy, and, in fact, we are healthier with a plant-based diet. My dogs love their plant-based lifestyle. They did not get as excited as they do now when they were eating the old stuff!

WM: They do get excited. I notice a huge difference in a dog's poop depending on the diet, and I see a lot of dog poop. With few exceptions, the lower the quality of dog food, the softer and stinkier the poop. I notice that Chi-chi and Abby's poop is reflective of what you are feeding them. It's a bit seedy, and is firm, and not very stinky. I noticed a change in my own poop when I transitioned to a vegan-based diet, too. Sorry to have to go there, but poop is a big deal for dog owners. What do you notice about their poop?

Karla: Just like with humans, poo is a huge indicator of the health of our pet. Initially, they were going more than normal, and so did I when I switched to a vegan diet. This is due to our bodies' ridding of everything that has built up. Once this adjustment was made, I noticed that they go pretty quickly after a meal, and there's not much of a smell to it. I've also noticed that their urine is odorless, now (I have pee pad pups).

WM: I noticed that about their urine, too. I take care of a few "pee pad pups," and your place isn't as stinky. I hardly notice it. How did you figure out how to make your own food for them?

Karla: Initially, I started following recipes online. There's a great one on the PETA web site.

WM: Do you always feed them the same recipe, or do you switch things up?

Karla: I switch it up, now, because they eat pretty much what we eat (other than what's toxic or poison for them). Even when I switch up their food, there are no issues with their bowel. Switching it up is a wonderful treat for them and for us. They're much happier.

WM: Will you share their favorite recipe with us?

Karla: I'd love to!

vegandogfood.jpg

WM: How large are the batches you make, and how long does it keep?

Sometimes Abby and Chi-chi's homemade vegan food makes me hungry. I can't say that about canned food or kibble.

Sometimes Abby and Chi-chi's homemade vegan food makes me hungry. I can't say that about canned food or kibble.

Karla: I make a mixture of quinoa and beans at the beginning of the week and typically just add the rest to it as I feed them. They're eating the majority of their fruits and veggies raw, at this point, so I just cut those up nice and small and mix them in. If I'm heading out of town, I'll make a decent batch of everything for my amazing pet sitter to give them, and that can last in the fridge for up to a week.

WM: Thanks for the compliment! So what about cost? How does this vegan dog food compare to feeding a high-quality kibble?

Karla: Oh, it's cheap! I get a large amount of fruits and veggies at the local farmers' market weekly, spending around $30 for the whole family. Hemp protein is $15 for a few-months supply, and quinoa–the most expensive out of it all–costs me about $5 per week. They live a healthier life, costing me less, as well.

WM: That's great. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

•

I know Karla to be a loving, responsible pet owner, and Abby and Chi-Chi are happy and healthy. Their breath doesn't stink, and I know, because I'm all about pooch kisses! Their coats are some of the softest I've felt. They are full of energy, a healthy weight, and always eager for meal time. From what I've observed, the vegan diet is working well for them and definitely deserves further exploration. I plan to try Abby & Chi-chi's Vegan Dog Food recipe and see if my picky pooch will go for it.

Dogs do not require meat. They require protein. Though meat-based foods are the most common source of that protein, it is not the only source. Dogs can get their protein from beans, quinoa, etc. We often become so focused on the source of the nutrients that we forget about the nutrients, themselves. The key factor in any diet is that it provides the needed nutrients. Dogs can have their needs met through a vegetarian or vegan diet.

As for longevity, we know that vegetarian and vegan dogs live as long or longer than their meat-eating counterparts, as long as the diet is meeting their nutritional needs. They benefit from good health and typically don't ingest as many preservatives and contaminants, so they are usually quite healthy. Most research says that a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet is a good long term choice for dogs. Dogs with certain ailments such as allergies can often find relief in a vegetarian diet, so those dogs definitely see their quality and length of life improve.  

There is such a wide variety of diet choices for our dogs, and pet owners have very strong opinions about the diet they choose to feed their pet. Have you tried feeding your dog a vegan diet? What do you think about dogs going vegan?

This article by me appeared in its original form in November 2013 on Hybrid Rasta Mama, a blog to which I contribute regularly, and has been reprinted with minor changes with permission. 

Please hop on over to Hybrid Rasta Mama and check out my December 2013 article, Veterinary Acupuncture for Prevention and Treatment.

feeling thankful, for love is being owned by a husky and the giving spirit

I don't often participate in group gift exchanges. Not because I don't believe in giving, but because I don't need any more junk from someone who only kinda knows me, and I don't really want to spend money on a bunch of crap for someone I barely know. So when Pamela from Something Wagging This Way Comes gave me the opportunity to participate in the Pet Blogger Gift Exchange and no material gifts were required, I had to check it out. 

Here's the deal: I signed up, and I got partnered up. Not with some secret-santa-gift-pressure-thing, but with a genuine blogger. Our only gift to each other is to get to know one another and each other's work and share what we like of each other, and it's all good. 

I am thrilled to be getting to know Love is Being Owned by a Husky. 

Although I haven't read all she has to offer, yet, Jenna, the author, has already taught me so much. 

She's all about love. Just pure love of her pets. Her glorious huskies. A cursory look at her blog made me realize that I need to do more love on mine. As a professional pet sitter, I see so much. There are the pets and the business of it all and the causes and the rescues...well...I love it all, but I don't think my blog is showing the love like I feel it. Looking at "Love is Being Owned by a Husky" inspires me to do more love.

Jenna and her huskies are just getting to know me and my blog, too. So here's something they (and you) may not know: My dog, N.A.S.H.A., a scraggly mixed terrier, has some serious husky ties, though you'd never know it and you might have to read about her to understand. 

So check out "Love is Being Owned by a Husky" and feel the love!

shop black friday with Pet360.com

Skip the camping out and the store crowds, and shop Black Friday for the pets in your life at Pet360.com. Pet360 offers not only a huge selection of gifts and supplies for pets, but it offers advice, product comparisons, and great prices. Plus, you can customize your experience by registering your pets!

Pet360.com is offering our readers a special deal, 10% off orders over $70, plus free shipping! 

Check out their Holiday Headquarters, and come equipped with some awesome coupon codes on our deals page. We've added some just in time for Black Friday!

Pet360.com offers the best pet shopping experience, and you can do your shopping in the comfort of your own home, curled up with Fluffy and Fido by the fire. Just don't let them see what you put in your cart!

Happy Holidays from Well Minded and Pet360.com, kicking off the holiday shopping season right!

Disclaimer: Well Minded is an affiliate of Pet360.com, but all opinions are my own. Well Minded does not promote products or services that we would not use, ourselves. Shopping through the Pet360 links on this site will provide you access to the same great prices, but you'll also be supporting this blog, so, thank you!

artificial food dyes and pet food

pet food image source: beneful.com

pet food image source: beneful.com

It seems these days that everything will kill us, and there's an argument against nearly every type of consumable, including pet food. We worry about fillers and protein content in our pets' food, and sometimes it can be overwhelming to have to think about one more thing. But we should.

Artificial food dyes are proven sources of health problems for both humans and animals, yet they are prevalent in processed foods. Why? They often make foods appear more appealing to the consumer. Processed foods are much different from the natural foods they are trying to mimic, so color is added to make the foods look more authentic or natural, or even more fun. But do dogs and cats care about the color of their food? I'm not a dog or cat, so I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing they don't.

Adding artificial dyes to pet food is purely for us, the pet owners, because we are the ones making the purchasing decisions. If a pet food claims to be healthy and contain real meat and vegetables, we might expect it to look like it contains meat and vegetables. Meat is red...vegetables are green. So let's add red and green to the kibble to make it look like it contains real ingredients.

The problem? Adding those colors likely has a negative impact on the health of the animal.

I am often asked "what should I feed my pet?" I always take the needs of the individual animal into consideration, and I recommend different things based on those needs. That being said, there are a few highly processed foods that contain artificial dyes that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. I hate to name names, but I'm naming names. One of the worst is Beneful. Let's check out why together. 

source: beneful.com

source: beneful.com

Beneful presents itself as a healthy pet food in every way. The name is awesome. It screams "beneficial" and "full of all that is good." Their sub-branding often uses the word "healthy." The packaging is great, too. The design is modern and fairly clean. The white background stands out among the competition and makes us feel like the food is clean and pure, and it gives us the feeling of trust. White is good. And then, just look at all of the real, healthy food pictured on the box. If they show all of those foods on the package, they must be in there, right? The image Beneful projects is nothing but positive, and it works. It sells.

Beneful makes all sorts of food and treats for both dogs and cats, but let's take a peek at Beneful's Healthy Fiesta dog food as an example. Here is the ingredient list, which I pulled from Beneful's Web site: 

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), chicken, soy flour, rice flour, water, propylene glycol, sugar, tricalcium phosphate, salt, phosphoric acid, animal digest, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, dried carrots, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried tomatoes, avocado, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, Yellow 5, ferrous sulfate, Red 40, manganese sulfate, niacin, Blue 2, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, Yellow 6, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

So that I don't get too far off track, let's forget about the fact that the first ingredient is "ground yellow corn." Let's focus on the dyes (I've highlighted them in bold). We have Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, and Yellow 6. 

Yellow 5     Also known as tartrazine or E102, this dye requires a warning label in Europe. It is commonly found in processed foods we humans consume as well as pet food, it is thought to cause neurochemical and behavior effects, including hyperactivity, aggression, and insomnia. It is also linked to asthma, allergies, thyroid tumors, lymphomas, ADHD, and chromosomal damage. 

Red 40     Perhaps the most well-known artificial food dye because of it's prevalence and bad reputation, it is tainted with cancer-causing contaminants. You've probably heard a lot about it because it is linked to ADHD and hyperactivity in children.

Blue 2     Often contains cancer-causing contaminants and may contribute to abnormal cell development, especially in the brain. It is most closely linked to brain tumors. May also cause allergic reactions.

Yellow 6     Has been reported to cause allergies and is linked to hyperactivity in children. Some studies have shown that it has caused adrenal gland and kidney tumors in animals. It is also linked to skin issues, asthma, and chromosomal damage.

Beneful is definitely not the only pet food that contains artificial dyes. 

Whether these dyes are dangerous and how dangerous they are is the subject of scientific research and debate. What no one argues about is the fact that artificial food dyes provide no health benefit whatsoever. 

Very little research has been done about the direct affect of artificial dyes on our pets, but it is better understood than ever before that they aren't good for humans. Still, we consume them, and, still, we feed our pets food that contain them. Who benefits from shielding us from their dangers? The companies who produce these products consider the dyes a primary marketing tool in making their food more attractive to the consumer. They want to keep using them so they can sell more product.

Artificial dyes are of no benefit to our pets. So if Fido and Fluffy don't care what color their food is, aren't we better off reading the labels and choosing foods that don't contain artificial dyes? Our pets are at our mercy, so let's choose wisely for them.  

This graphic is a fantastic look at some of the most common dyes used both in our food and our pets' food: