Study: Vegan Diets Can Meet Canine Nutritional Requirements

June 2, 2023 |

Issue: Online

Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences investigated two human-grade, lightly cooked vegan diets and determined they provide adequate nutrition for dogs.

"People are feeding vegan foods and human-grade foods to their pets, and it's important they be tested like all other foods to make sure they’re safe, complete and balanced," said Kelly Swanson, MS, PhD, Department of Animal Sciences professor and study co-author.

Swanson's team investigated two human-grade vegan diets made by Bramble against a leading brand chicken-based kibble diet. For three weeks, the researchers fed the diets to beagles and sampled their blood chemistry, fecal quality and microbiome. The team also analyzed the food content and confirmed that the vegan diets and the chicken-based diet met Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards for complete and balanced nutrition.

The study, which received funding from Bramble, demonstrated that the vegan diets tested resulted in desirable fecal characteristics, high nutrient digestibility and positive changes to certain blood and fecal metabolites.

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The vegan diets, which were formulated by veterinary nutritionists, contained whole foods such as lentils, garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, apples, blueberries, peas and carrots.

"As long as they are consuming the essential nutrients in the correct amounts and ratios, dogs can be vegan, vegetarians or meat-eaters," said Dr. Swanson. "However, knowledge of ingredient composition and nutrient needs is critical. Anyone can slap together a vegan meal for their dog, but without careful formulation, you might have something that's really imbalanced.

"For people who are interested in feeding their pets a vegan diet that aligns with their personal values, the diets we tested are a good choice," Dr. Swanson said. He stressed, however, that unless veterinary nutritionists formulated the diets, homemade vegan dog foods may not offer complete, balanced nutrition for dogs.

An online survey showed that approximately 10% of Americans over the age of 18 considered themselves vegan or vegetarian as of January 2022, which is a significant increase from the 5% of Americans who identified themselves as vegan or vegetarian in a 2018 Gallup poll. This is important, because companion animal nutrition trends often mirror human nutrition trends, since owners want to feed their pets a diet they consider healthy and environmentally sustainable. More studies are needed to ensure vegan and vegetarian diets meet dogs’ and cats’ nutritional needs.

The U.S. National Research Council (NRC), which makes recommendations on nutrient requirements for dogs and cats, says that potential problems with vegan and vegetarian diets for dogs and cats include insufficient protein, unbalanced fats and nutrient insufficiencies, but meat-free diets may be beneficial for companion animals, especially those affected by certain health issues, if formulated appropriately.