Pets are more than just pets to most of us. They are family and can be considered our best friends. We always have their best interest at heart and would do all we can to keep them healthy.

Author: Jason Rapp

Dogs and a Plant-Based Diet

Dogs come from the same family as wolves. With this, we can sometimes assume they have to eat meat. Well, dogs are omnivorous. So, they can completely be safe eating a plant-based diet.

In fact, there are benefits to eating a plant-based diet for them. *Regular mass-produced dog food can sometimes contain only 25% of the item listed on the can or bag. The rest of the food can contain fillers and preservatives. Many preservatives have been found to be carcinogenic to humans. So why would we give our friends something that would not even be healthy for us? Some foods also contain artificial colors in order to make them look more enticing. This is more of a marketing ploy than anything else. There is no nutritional value to this, and it can instead cause or irritate allergies. 

The good news is there are several pre-made dog foods out there like V-Dog. In the past, you would probably have to consider cooking something extra for your dog while preparing dinner. If you want, you can even do both, and your dog will thrive even more. Dogs can thrive by eating beans, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and numerous other grains and vegetables. The only downside to the above is that it can sometimes take a little time for you to prepare meals. If you are short on time, then you can always switch to kibble. There used to be only a couple of brands. Now there are almost as many brands of animal-derived dog food. These pre-made food brands offer an equivalent nutritional option, and the prices of animal-derived dog food fluctuate.

Cats and a Plant-Based Diet

Cats are considered to be obligate carnivores by many. The reason for this is due to the fact that cats are unable to synthesize taurine. Without taurine, cats can develop serious health issues.

It is also difficult for cats to obtain vitamins like A, B12, and D by digesting plants. With all of this said, it may seem like eating meat is the only option for a cat. That is not necessarily true.

There are currently two vegan pet food options for cats that have developed ways to use vegetables to add taurine and the other vitamins that cats need. This is just the beginning as more companies continue developing these recipes, the more our cat friends will thrive on a plant-based diet.

Animal-derived food comes mostly from the byproducts of factory farming. Basically, the leftovers that are not deemed for human consumption. This can eventually cause health problems due to not only poor-quality ingredients. Also, due to the amount of antibiotics and other drugs that are generally used in animal agriculture. 

At the current rate, there will be more and more plant-based food options in the coming years. Also, as more of our furry friends and family switch to plants. We also reduce the need/want for animal-derived products. Just as a word of caution, before you make any changes to what your friend eats. Please consult a veterinarian and get their feedback. Just to rule out any underlying issues that could pose any problems. By joining the VegEconomy on the Vkind app. You can stay in the loop on the latest news and stay social. This is just one of the ways to grow the VegEconomy which is aimed at supporting sustainable businesses and saving the animals, our planet, and us.

Works Cited

https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_pet_food_for_your_pets_sake