PET PANTRY – GOING GREEN

Despite heated debates over its health impact, the vegetarian canine diet is more than a fad. We speak to Lindsay Rubin, vice president of vegan dog food brand V-dog, to find out more.

The vegan canine diet is more than a fad. Find out how it has evolved, and how it might work for your pet

With hyper-engineered plant protein on the lips (and in the tummies) of just about every person now, vegetarian canine food might seem like a trendy product of the times. But proponents for a vegetarian diet for dogs have been around much earlier: Barbara Lynn Peden, who published her book Dogs and Cats Go Vegetarian In 1988, is often credited as one of the earliest champions of feeding pets a meatless diet. While there is on-going discussion about the impact of such a diet, the point of contention is always the same: whether or not a dog is able to get the necessary nutrients purely from plants.

The arguments against vegetarian dog food often circles around the intake of protein and micronutrients available in meat, and how it is against their wolf instincts to survive purely on plants. Yet dogs have evolved since domestication more than 15,000 years ago — it is not just their habits that have changed, but also their ability to digest different foods. Similarly, vegetarian dog food has also evolved: technology now allows better extraction of protein and essential vitamins and minerals from plant sources, and research has given pet food producers better insight into the dietary needs of dogs. In that aspect, commercial pet food that is developed with a dog’s nutritional requirements in mind might pose less risks than homecooked food, for which nutritional composition might be difficult to gauge.

Here, Lindsay Rubin, the vice-president for American vegan dog food brand V-dog (known outside the United States as v-planet) shares with us her industry insights on vegan diet for canines.

What is the biggest myth surrounding vegan canine diets, and what is the truth? That dogs are carnivores and need meat to thrive. The fact is that dogs have evolved alongside humans for over 10,000 years. On a genetic level, domesticated dogs have evolved to make excellent use of starchy, plant-based foods. Thanks to the AMY2B gene, dogs can thrive on a complete and balanced vegan diet.

Do you see vegan canine diets becoming a mainstream option, and if so, when?

V-dog was founded in 2005 and has thousands of customers in the USA, and v-planet is currently available in five countries outside of the USA — including Hong Kong and Singapore, with new countries coming soon. We project to continue along our path of monthly growth and expansion with both our USA and international brands. As pet parents continue to research the pet food industry and factory farming standards, more consumers are choosing plant-based options for their dogs for health and ethical reasons. The pet food industry also continues to trend toward plant-powered ingredients. With more science, including in-progress veterinary studies on v-dog, the industry and veterinarians will be able to feel more confident about the many health benefits of nutritionally-complete, plantbased diets for dogs.

How does v-planet kibble’s compare to conventional meat-based options in terms of nutrition values?

V-planet kibble is a 100% vegan, complete and balanced kibble for dogs. The goal is to provide a tasty, healthy, meatless food that adult dogs thrive on well into their golden years. We work with PhDs in animal nutrition, veterinarians and pet food formulators to create any new products at v-dog and v-planet. Along the way, we have also made some slight adjustments, including removing peanuts and including 100% non-GMO ingredients for our v-planet formula.

Our kibble meets all AAFCO standards for adult dog nutrition, so the nutrient levels are comparable to those of commercial meatbased diets. Our kibble is regularly tested post-production by a third-party laboratory to ensure that the finished product contains the appropriate nutrition. We’ve seen thousands of dogs thrive on our v-dog products during our 14 years in business without any issues related to deficiencies.

What are some key, scientifically-proven, canine health benefits that a vegan diet provides?

Vegan diets are naturally hypoallergenic, so they can greatly benefit sensitive and allergy-prone dogs. According to a 2016 study published in American medical journal BMC Veterinary Research, dogs are most commonly allergic to beef, dairy, chicken and other animal products. Vegan diets are also naturally antiinflammatory, which can help with joint health as dogs age. They provide all of the nutrition that dogs require without any of the animal byproducts, fillers, hormones and antibiotics associated with the animal agriculture industry. Many vets speculate that the increase in incidences of cancers, kidney failure and other degenerative diseases in our pets may be due to the harmful ingredients in many commercial meat-based pet foods.

Is there any negative health impact that can arise from a vegan diet?

With any diet that is not nutritionally balanced (whether it be plant-based or meat-based), you run the risk of nutritional deficiencies. As long as you choose a complete and balanced vegan formula like v-planet, you can be confident that your dog is receiving the appropriate nutrition.

What should one look for when shopping for vegan kibble?

We recommend choosing a food that is nutritionally-complete, balanced, and formulated by a nutritionist. It’s also important to choose a food with ingredients that you trust. Steer clear of products that include fillers, byproducts, and artificial colors and flavours.

Is a vegan diet suited for all dogs, including puppies under 1 year and senior dogs?

Our kibble is formulated for dogs one year and up, including seniors. Although our products haven’t been formulated for puppies, we’ve seen many customers feed vegan diets to their puppies successfully. Seniors see incredible benefits from a vegan diet, including improved digestion and reduced inflammation.

What are the key benefits for the owners who chose to put their pets on a vegan diet? A vegan diet is not only beneficial for your dog’s overall health, but also treads lightly on the planet. Animal products are incredibly taxing on our natural resources, including land, water and fossil fuels. Switching your pup to a vegan diet dramatically lowers their carbon pawprint. Vegan diets are also 100% cruelty-free, which is an important cause to us here at v-dog. If we can feed our dogs a diet that provides them with the nutrition they need, without harming a single animal, we believe this is the optimal choice.