# News article about vegetarian dog diets



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I know lots of us here at HHC aren't solely hedgie owners and I thought this article was interesting. 

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-expert ... -dog-diets

What are your guys' thoughts on this? The last paragraph really jumped out at me. As hedgehog owners, we know that the foods made specifically for our quilled friends aren't technically good for them, which makes no sense whatsoever and really frustrates me. I thought that paragraph summed up my feelings pretty well.

Does anyone here not feed kibble to their dogs?


----------



## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I skimmed the article(kinda distracted by law and order). I found it interesting from what I saw. But I don't think I would ever make a dog a vegetarian. I feel like they have those giant teeth for a reason and it's for ripping into meat. 
Granted some could feel differently if you only feed your dogs kibble. But my old dog use to get chicken dinners and other home cooked meals (he ate better then I did lol)
Besides he use to get so happy when he got a bone (we use to get real cow bones from the butcher.) Or when he got something with meat in it.
I feel like if we just gave him veggies he would of been like "Whats this?"
As far as his health is concerned. He lived for 16 years and 4 months. Which is a long time for a lab. 
But then again he was on the worst dog kibble there was. Like candy for dogs. But he loved it and wouldn't change. 
So maybe diet doesn't influence everything as far as health and lifespan.

Sorry if my typing seems unorganized. I'm just typing as I think.


----------



## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

I've seen dogs on vegan diets... and they were not the happiest dogs in the world. Their owners finally got some common sense to switch back to a high quality food brand.


----------



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

It is my firm belief that you shouldn't be feeding any of your pets a forced vegan/vegetarian diet because of your own life choices... however, I think the article makes a fair point in saying we should be supporting ecologically/ethically friendly made dog food, etc.

The only time, imo, a vegan/vege diet is good for a dog is if they are allergic to certain things, such as meat (which can happen).

Besides that, I am all for giving them a balanced diet.

I think that a lot of people might also be interested in learning about the Raw food diet for both dogs/cats. Many raw food companies practice ethical/eco-friendly farming, and the diets are beneficial to both dogs and cats (much more than dry food/wet food)!


----------



## HedgieGirl519 (Oct 21, 2011)

My dogs eat only raw meat and bones. Tonight they had lamb legs, they eat better than me :roll: . They are carnivores...


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I work at a dog boarding kennel and have seen a few dogs on vegan diets, usually because the owners are super crazy vegan. (like activist call you a cow rapist for drinking milk, that kind of super crazy vegan :shock: ) I haven't noticed much a difference between the dogs on meat diets and not. I guess I'd have to see a lot more dogs on vegan diets...

As for the article though, I agree with everything it says. Plus the last bit about sustainability. Sustainability and taking good care of food animals is always nice.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I was expecting to disapprove of the article, but didn't find it so bad. I still have to agree with Shae though. I really dislike the idea of forcing your pet to follow your lifestyle. If you refuse to eat meat, then get a pet that doesn't naturally eat meat. I can see the article's point of them being omnivores rather than obligate carnivores like cats, but regardless, I don't see a point to forcing them not to eat meat unless there's a completely valid medical point for doing so. Like everyone else, though, I like the idea of the ethical food, as well as ecologically friendly.

Also, I've been kind of reading into this sort of thing recently. I borrowed a holistic health dog book from work a couple days ago and fangirled a bit over the nutrition section. I'm really interested in experimenting with raw diets (whether bought commercially or raised myself - was thinking of raising chickens and possibly turkeys or something) for my future dogs, as well as my cats and ferrets. I'm not sure how realistic the cost and time would be, but it's definitely something I'm going to look into once I've graduated and have a job and move out.


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I think my main issue when it comes to feeding kibble is not knowing for sure where the meat in the kibble came from... or how the animals that were used for that food were treated. I know PETA goes a bit overboard and some people find them rather annoying, but I have seen some truly disturbing things they have filmed.

I am definitely more into holistic diets and cooking for my pets than forced vegetarianism :lol:


----------



## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

hanhan27 said:


> I think my main issue when it comes to feeding kibble is not knowing for sure where the meat in the kibble came from... or how the animals that were used for that food were treated. I know PETA goes a bit overboard and some people find them rather annoying, but I have seen some truly disturbing things they have filmed.
> 
> I am definitely more into holistic diets and cooking for my pets than forced vegetarianism :lol:


I feel the same way...

Even though I'm vegetarian, I'd never force my animals onto my diet >_<


----------



## Emiry (Nov 24, 2011)

As humans we are meant to eat vegetables and fruit with small animals as extras. So if we cut out meat, we can still do good.

Dogs and cats are carnivores. They are made to EAT MEAT. By forcing them to eat a veg. lifestyle you are taking away a staple part of there genetics. If I ever get a dog, I will be putting it on a raw meat diet, or high quality kibble if raw meat is not just possible at the time.


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Emiry said:


> As humans we are meant to eat vegetables and fruit with small animals as extras. So if we cut out meat, we can still do good.
> 
> Dogs and cats are carnivores. They are made to EAT MEAT. By forcing them to eat a veg. lifestyle you are taking away a staple part of there genetics. If I ever get a dog, I will be putting it on a raw meat diet, or high quality kibble if raw meat is not just possible at the time.


Hmm. But on the other hand, that 'staple part of their genetics' doesn't involve food being put into a bowl for them 2 times a day... it involves hunting. There are dogs out there that are vegetarian due to their owner's choice and live just as long as other dogs (or the one the article mentioned about living to be 27 years old - the oldest dog in recorded history). The vet that wrote the article said

"The comment that I most often hear after I state that dogs can be fed a vegetarian or vegan diet is that canines do better on a meat-based diet. Again, I'm not going to argue. There aren't any studies that I'm aware of that have compared longevity and disease occurrence in dogs who've been fed meat versus canines on vegetarian diets."

So basically, it comes down to one's opinion on the subject rather than scientific fact. :lol:


----------

