Forums: January 2010 Kickstart Forum Archive: Vegan Foods for Pets?
Created on: 01/12/10 10:12 AM Views: 2288 Replies: 10
npauthor Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 35	Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 10:12 AM Research by UNE scientist shows dogs thrive as vegetarians 21 Dec, 2009 09:00 AM http://tinyurl.com/yb666b9 ARMIDALE scientist Wendy Brown is at the centre of groundbreaking international research that has found that dogs can thrive on a meat-free diet. Dr Brown was part of a team of scientists who monitored the health and performance of Siberian huskies over a 10-week sled-racing season. They concluded that hard-working dogs can perform just as well on a meat-free diet as they do on a meat-rich diet. Their results, published earlier this year in the British Journal of Nutrition (Vol 102, pp 1318-1323), add to the evidence that dogs fed an exclusively vegetarian diet can be just as healthy and happy as their meat-eating relatives. Dr Brown, the canine nutritionist from the University of New England who led the husky trial, is confident that dogs can thrive on a meat-free diet. She warns dog owners, however, that preparing an adequate vegetarian diet for a dog is more difficult and time-consuming than they might think. Dr Brown has concerns, too, about some of the vegetarian dog foods that are becoming commercially available in growing numbers. Many of these, she said, are untested. "People manufacturing and buying vegetarian and vegan pet foods are often against testing, believing that even feeding trials are cruel," she said. "But feeding trials can be done in a friendly way. For my own trials, I borrow people's pet dogs - some of them show dogs - and they are always well cared for. People visiting my kennels comment on how happy the dogs look. And they are. "When I feed my own dogs, I want to know that what they're eating is nutritionally adequate. "As dogs belong to the order Carnivora, it's often assumed that they are exclusively carnivorous, but in fact they are omnivores, belonging to the same superfamily within the Carnivora as the bamboo-eating giant panda and the omnivorous bear." In a paper presented at the University of New England during the international conference Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition 2009 and published in the conference proceedings, Dr Brown addresses the common argument that vegetarians should not impose their own values on their pets.
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goobygirl Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 70	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 1:33 PM I have a group on yahoo groups called veggiepets where we explore these issues. Feel free to join! My six and three year old standard poodles are lifelong vegetarians and veru healthy..
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VeganRecipeGuy Joined: 01/03/10 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 131	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 1:39 PM I feed my dogs vegetarian. (Not vegan) I am a big fan of home cooking for dogs. Bloo lived to be 15. Cedar who was vegetarian from day one, is big beefy dork. But I sure do love him. www
	Edited 01/12/10 2:21 PM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
Oceandog Joined: 01/10/10 Location: California, USA Posts: 642	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 1:46 PM Does anyone who is feeding vegetarian have any experience with Addison's Disease? Always offer kindness and a soft word to the beings around you; You do not know their journey. Your words can be the hug they need or the shove that breaks them.
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goobygirl Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 70	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 2:08 PM I have no experience with addison's but can tell you that i have my dogs on a modified vaccination schedule by Dr Jean Dodds and that i think not suppressing a dogs natural immune system is key to their health. Ive avoided unnecessary vaccination by titering to see if the immunity still exists(no unnecessary boosters) and by keeping fleas and heartworm at bay with natural methods.
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gibson Joined: 01/10/10 Posts: 5	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 2:21 PM I am currently making dog food (non veg) for my elderly dog as it is all she will eat and I can tell you it requires organization, comittment, and the buy-in of your veterinarian to ensure you're meeting your beloved's nutritional needs. It's also quite expensive -- even when compared to premium commercial dog foods. Cats, on the other hand, are obligate carnivores. They essentially need only meat. The amount of grain found in a mouse's stomach accounts for the veg needs of cats. (Gross maybe, but true.)While it may be possible to concoct a veg diet for them it is not easy or natural. The grains and veggies that are added to commercial cat foods, particularly mid- to low-quality foods, are not good for cats and can lead to all sorts of health complications including obesity and kidney problems. I have found grain-free cat food, both wet and dry, to be the best for my boys.
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VeganRecipeGuy Joined: 01/03/10 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 131	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 2:32 PM Vegetarian cooking for your dogs can be time consuming. There is a product called VegeDog that "Makes people food into dog food" by adding the vitamins and minerals in the proportions suggested by the AAFCO. Our boys eat a diet based on whole eggs (with shell) beans, rice, tubers, greens, and the occasional leftovers. When you talk about high cost of making vegetarian dog food at home consider 15 lbs of beans from CostCo (which makes what, 50 lbs of cooked beans ?) for about $6. 15 lb bag of rice $12. (Making another 35 lbs of cooked rice) I have nearly 100 lbs of food for under $20! Vegetarian feeding is almost free compared to Eukanuba. Whole cooked egg (vegetarian, not vegan but these are dogs after all) is an excellent source of complete protein and fat for your pet. The biological value of protein in egg is the international standard (94-100% BV) to which all other protein sources are measured. The protein in eggs is very high in quality - higher than that of meat, poultry or fish. It is also the most easily digested protein source. The protein in eggs is more available to your pet when the eggs are cooked rather than fed raw. Boiled whole, and blended in a powerful blender, the shell provides natural calcium. www
	Edited 01/12/10 2:36 PM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
gibson Joined: 01/10/10 Posts: 5	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 2:40 PM The cost, in my case, does reflect a pound of ground chicken or turkey every two days. At 15, a major dietary change is not in the cards for my dog. I will say though, that after researching both dog and cat foods, the whole pet food industry is a marketers paradise repleat with wild claims and suppositions meant to guilt and confuse pet owners. My advice is read the fine print, do your research, and talk to your vet.
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Oceandog Joined: 01/10/10 Location: California, USA Posts: 642	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 2:41 PM Addison's isn't related to feeding, and I have been avoiding vaccinations for years, just titers. I just have to be so careful as if they get a digestive upset, aka diarrhea, it can really play havoc and be very hard to control. I have home cooked for years and the vets told me years ago my dogs would not make it past __ years of age. Fill in the blank, and so far, they have! Tinkerbelle is 14 1/2 Bosco is 10 10 1/2 and Juliette (whom I have only had for a few months) is 7 (affectionately called Ms. Piggy, as she cannot eat enough!) Always offer kindness and a soft word to the beings around you; You do not know their journey. Your words can be the hug they need or the shove that breaks them.
	Edited 01/12/10 2:43 PM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
goobygirl Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 70	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 3:35 PM Addisons is hereditary. Cats are not obligate carnivores! Myth! For proof check out www.vegepets.com. Photos and stories of healthy vegan cats. I also suggest using a dog nutritionitionist or animal nutritionist formulation if making your own food like that found at www.vegandognutritionassociation.com. I like the supplements and recipes found at www.vegepets.com.
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goobygirl Joined: 12/31/09 Posts: 70	RE: Vegan Foods for Pets? Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 3:48 PM http://www.vegancats.com/pages/1007/FAQ.htm#1008
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