A new study published in the scientific journal PLOS One shows that the man’s best friend may benefit from an entirely plant-based diet.
The study involved over 2,500 dogs, 13% of whom were fed an exclusively vegan diet for at least a year, while 33% followed a raw meat diet. The rest ate conventional meat-based dog food.
Researchers observed seven health indicators for the dogs, including the number of vet visits and the presence of 22 specific health disorders.
The results indicated that the general health of dogs who ate vegan pet food was markedly better than of those belonging to two other dietary groups.
Namely, only 36% of the owners of vegan dogs reported some health problems. On the other hand, 43% of dogs on a raw meat diet and 49% of dogs on a conventional diet experienced health issues.
What’s more, 17% of the dogs eating regular food required at least four vet visits, compared to 8% of the raw meat eaters and 9% of the vegan dogs.
In addition, dog parents reported healthier weight, more energy, fewer allergies, better quality coats, and better digestion when they switched their dog’s diet from meat-based to vegan treats.
So, which treats to turn to to help your dog set out on a vegan diet journey towards better health?
Nowadays, there are plenty of vegan options out there. One of the good examples is Wild Earth treats based on a high-protein koji fungus.
The startup behind it claims the treats provide the same nutritional value as the conventional ones but require significantly fewer resources for production. They also employ cruelty-free methods and produce lower carbon output.
So, switching your dog’s diet to vegan can be a giant leap forward in reducing carbon production, given that 60.2 million American households own dogs.
On a global scale, if all pet food is replaced by plant-based and cell-based alternatives, it’ll mean a giant leap forward in reducing carbon production. According to VegNews, we’re talking about 64 million tons of carbon produced by the pet industry on an annual level.
What’s more, going vegan alongside your pet can help you save up to 34% on your food budget.
