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Q: Vegitarian Dogs ( Answered,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Vegitarian Dogs
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: kivo-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 01 Oct 2004 16:00 PDT
Expires: 31 Oct 2004 15:00 PST
Question ID: 409095
Hi,  

Is it healthy to feed my 100 lbs Rhodesian Ridgeback a strictly vegetarian diet?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Vegitarian Dogs
Answered By: politicalguru-ga on 02 Oct 2004 04:35 PDT
 
Dear Kivo, 

This is a contested issue. If you search, like I did, for "vegetarian
diet" and "dogs", you'll find many vegetarian sites claiming that dogs
can sustain a vegetarian diet
(<://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&c2coff=1&q=%22vegetarian+diet%22+dogs&btnG=Search>).
Many of these sites are supported, or belong to, companies that offer
commercial solutions of vegetarian food for dogs. Of thsoe reactions
that support Veggie Diet, I liked (as always) Cecil Adams' (of the
Straight Dope) reaction (Can you feed dogs and cats a vegetarian
diet?, 26-Apr-1996, <http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a960426.html>).

However, most vets disagree. Dogs bowls are different than thsoe of
humans. It is true, that dogs *can* eat many foods that we eat,
including to have at least a partial vegetarian diet (I had a dog who
just loved a combination of toast, eggs and soft cheese).

Lew Olson, for example, writes, in the solution to the article
"Vegetarian Diet for Dogs?" (B-Naturals, August 2003 Newsletter,
<http://b-naturals.com/Aug2003.php>), that "It is extremely difficult
to prepare a proper vegetarian diet for dogs, and I believe it is not
possible to feed a vegan diet and supply all the nutrition that a dog
needs. Most vets do not recommend feeding a vegetarian diet to dogs.
[...] Even sources that support feeding vegetarian diets to dogs
stress the complexity of supplying all the necessary nutrients, and
the dangers of leaving them out, and the better ones all recommend
feeding eggs and dairy, even if meat is not fed. No one should attempt
to feed a vegetarian diet to their dog without a thorough
understanding of a dog's nutritional requirements and how those
requirements can be met, including which supplements (and in what
amounts) should be given. And no dog should be fed a vegan diet, which
is incapable of meeting their nutritional needs.". (ibid).

In oher words, if you try to give your dog a vegetarian diet, you'd
have to give many supplements. Is forcing your dog to eat nutritunal
pills and supplements natural and ethical? It is up to you.

I hope this aswered your question. I strongly recommend that you'll
consult with a vet before doing altering the dog's diet. Please
contact if you need any clarification on this answer before you rate
it.
Comments  
Subject: Re: Vegitarian Dogs
From: pinkfreud-ga on 02 Oct 2004 02:57 PDT
 
I truly do not mean to be offensive, but, frankly, I cannot imagine
why anyone would want to do this. If you find the carnivorous nature
of a dog to be morally objectionable in some way, have you considered
getting a pet whose normal diet is vegetarian, such as an iguana?
Subject: Re: Vegitarian Dogs
From: johnfrommelbourne-ga on 02 Oct 2004 04:56 PDT
 
I tend to agree with The Pink One, however I must concede that my 
Hindhu Indian in-laws who were almsot 100% vegetarian fed their dog
table scraps only which were  by implication all cooked vegetables. On
raising the subject with the family they said that while they only fed
vegies to Fido she was occasionally catching rats out in the rice
paddy. She appeared quite healthy but on reccolection just a touch on
the skinny side.

 John From Melbourne
Subject: Re: Vegitarian Dogs
From: just4fun2-ga on 02 Oct 2004 12:12 PDT
 
If you want to do "this" to make your dog healthier - it won't work -
dog's eat meat and they will live about 15 years.

If you want to do "this" because of a religious reason - Okay - but
your pup isn't going to like it.  I would let God sort it out.  But
you're going to do want you think is right.

If you want to do "this" because you want your pup to live longer and
you believe this diet will do that.  It won't.  Dog's live between 10
to 15 years.  Now there is a way to increase your dog's life span and
make him/her healthier.  He/she is not going to like it but it will
increase life span by 30 to 60 percent.  Feed your dog a cal.
restrictive diet.

I vote for a happy, meat full puppy tummy.  BTW I am a vegitarian for
religious reason, haven't eaten meat in 10 years and my two little
Yorkie's love meat.
Subject: Re: Vegitarian Dogs
From: silver777-ga on 02 Oct 2004 22:25 PDT
 
Hi Kivo,

Ever seen a Rhodesian Ridgeback attack a crop of Canola?

Phil

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