No, actually, this dog doesn’t look excited for its meat-free meal.
Vegan Pets?
Here is a thing that apparently is happening in the world today: Vegan humans are forcing their dogs to be vegan, as well. I know, it sounds insane, but it’s true.
It’s a Bad Idea
Vets warn against feeding dogs and cats a vegan diet. One vet used the analogy of feeding them an only plant-based diet is like feeding a horse only meat.
“For dogs, certainly vegetarian and vegan diets can be done, but they need to be done very, very carefully. There is a lot of room for error, and these diets probably are not as appropriate as diets that contain at least some animal protein.”
Does She Look Excited?
Despite the obvious dangers of feeding a vegan diet to a dog, people still do it. Like this person on Tumblr who posted this photo with the caption:
On the menu for Maggie tonight is puréed sweet potato, puréed brown rice, sprouted organic tofu, chia seeds, and digestive enzymes. Does she look excited? She is!
Backlash
It’s pretty clear that this dog is not excited about what its human is trying to force it to eat. Commenters let this human have it.
This Dog’s Meal Isn’t The Best Gift, But These Are…
Vegan dog meals might not be the best choice, but these treats for Valentine’s Day definitely are!
Taurine
Another commenter chimed in to note the importance of taurine in a pet’s diet, especially cats.
Potential Problems
These are just some of the potential problems with feed dogs and cats a vegan diet:
Inadequate total protein intake (less than the 25 grams per 1,000 calories recommended)
Imbalance of the certain amino acids, such as taurine and L-carnitine (dogs and cats) or essential fatty acids arachidonic acid (cats only), in particular
Deficiency in vitamins and minerals (such as B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and iron) that are obtained ideally, or only, through meat or other animal products
Things to Consider
And here are four important things to consider before making your pet vegan:
Never feed vegetarian or vegan diets to puppies and kittens or to dogs and cats you plan to breed.
Only consider or feed commercial diets that have gone through feeding trials and meets the requirements for AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) compliance.
Consult with a veterinary nutritionist who can analyze your commercial or homemade vegetarian pet diet and make recommendations for additional health safeguards.
Schedule more frequent wellness exams, including blood work, with your family veterinarian — at least twice a year, even for young pets eating vegetarian diets.
I would add a fifth to this list: don’t do it.
RELATED STORIES
Get A Rabbit
This thoughtful Twitter user made a good point about vegan pets, noting that you can buy a pet that is naturally a herbivore, not one that has a natural inclination to eat meat.
Can’t Stress This Enough
Most can’t make a big enough point about forcing your pets to eat a vegan diet, so they can live side-by-side with you as guilt-free members of society.
‘We Taught A Lion To Eat Tofu!’
This Futurama clip shows how a lot of people view teaching/forcing animals to eat a vegan or vegetarian diet when they aren’t naturally built for it.
Supporters
There are supporters of the vegan diet for pets, though. And it would seem that there are strides being made to close the gap and make it healthier for pets.
Vegan Food
They have vegan dog food on sale and new medical options to make it a better possibility for more dogs.
