The following information is not meant to replace any veterinary advice. It is only a recollection of my experience with my dogs and is not intended to convince pet parents to change their dogs’ diets or ignore the medical guidance and instructions given by a veterinarian.
The Murphdogs (my dogs) are going Vegan! That’s right! VEGAN! This is a personal choice, not one I am pushing on any pet parent. It’s simply my choice for me and my canine family. I do have a reason, however. It wasn’t just a lightning bolt idea that struck me as one I wanted to try. One of my dogs, Phoenix, who is three years old, became animal protein intolerant. The most common food allergy dogs suffer from is protein from chicken.
The more I researched and spoke to vegan friends and clients, the more it seemed worth a try, so I decided to go vegan as well.
Commercial vegan Dog Foods are available if you are a pet parent who wants to try a vegan diet for your dog but prefers not to home-prepare the food. Look for one that has the essential vitamins and minerals needed for your dog’s health.
Back to my dog Phoenix. If your dog is not feeling well, it’s best to discuss it with your veterinarian. Those who know me know I strongly advocate for canine health and well-being. I was lucky enough to benefit from the research and experience of studying and practicing nutrition and home-cooked human food for dogs. However, I now had to turn my cooking savvy in an unfamiliar direction. Yes, I felt overwhelmed, as going vegan was a new territory for me and my dog’s family.
I started by listing what was healthy, nutritious, and safe for dogs. I also made a vegan food list of what I would like to eat and found very little on my list that I should not feed my dogs.
By the way, I have three dogs, and I decided the best way to keep Phoenix safe and healthy was to feed all my dogs vegan food. I made a long-time decision not to have anything toxic to dogs in my home that could easily fall on the floor, such as grapes and raisins. I even avoid buying bird food that contains raisins.
I’m delighted that Phoenix showed improvement within the first 24 hours and is now completely healthy. All three dogs love their vegan diet and seem more interested in eating than ever before.
There are two significant things I need to mention. If you believe your dog has a food allergy, research the following.
One—Vegan food (home-cooked) cannot supply three essential components to maintain a balanced and healthy diet. Taurine and L-carnitine are both amino acids found in animal products. The third is B12, also from animal products. All three must be included in a healthy diet.
If a dog is poultry intolerant, it’s essential to review all the ingredients in canine commercial food and supplements. Ensure that bagged kibble like Fish and Potato is not cooked in chicken fat or broth. Any supplements that are not designed for vegan-fed dogs will contain animal products like chicken liver.
I am researching supplements strictly for vegan-fed canines but have only found two that I would consider. Unfortunately, neither is manufactured in the USA, and they will not ship them.
B-12, Taurine, and L-carnitine are essential for a dog’s good health. B-12 and Taurine can be found in commercial vegan dog food and used in addition to homemade vegan meals. L-carnitine can be found in whole grains. Again, talk to your veterinarian before making changes or decisions about your dog’s diet.
Two—Hydrolyzed dog food. This dog food contains protein that has been chemically broken down into tiny molecules to prevent an allergic reaction. My attempt to understand and verify the pros and cons of hydrolyzed dog food included phone calls to manufacturers, conversations with pet parents feeding hydrolyzed dog food at their veterinarian’s suggestion, and internet information that is not always correct. This is the result of my private investigation.
Research originally led me to believe it should be used for a limited amount of time, approximately eight weeks. It is considered a trial food so your dog can recover while testing one protein source at a time to determine which food your dog has an allergic reaction to. Hydrolyzed dog food can have side effects and should not be used long-term. However, research and pet parent conversations resulting from veterinary advice have also found information claiming hydrolyzed dog food is safe to use long-term.
I did not use hydrolyzed dog food because Phoenix could not tolerate all animal-obtained protein…not just chicken.
This is a partial list of ingredients I use.
Whole Grain Pasta Brown Rice Quinoa Oatmeal Whole Grain Matzos Sweet Potatoes Baked Potatoes Peas String Beans Chickpeas Broccoli Carrots Spinach Tomatoes Red Pepper Blueberries Strawberries Mango Apples Applesauce Banana Pumpkin Red Pears Zucchini Cantaloupe Watermelon Butternut Squash, and lots of love.
