The study found that plant-based diets are healthier than traditional ones

Published on 04/13/2022 21:54

A dog eating a melon – (Credit: Isla / Disclosure)

Nutritionally complete plant-based diets are healthier and less dangerous to dogs than raw meat or traditional diets. So says a survey of more than 2,500 dog owners from the UK, Australia, North America, New Zealand and Oceania, which explored the links between a dog’s diet and health outcomes. The research was published on Wednesday (4/13) in PlusLibrary of scientific journals and publications.

The researchers responsible for the study used the research platform Online polls To meet pet owners. Respondents provided information about themselves and a dog or cat that has been in their home for at least one year. In addition, they reported in detail about the main components of the pet’s natural diet. They were asked to determine whether the diet was based on conventional, raw or laboratory foods, meat, insects, fungi, or algae, or whether it was a vegetarian, vegan or other diet.

Analysis of the survey results generally indicated that dogs on a traditional diet were less healthy than dogs on raw meat or vegetarian diets. If those who ate raw meat and those who ate only plant foods were taken into account, those following a meat-based diet appeared to be healthier. However, this is probably due to the age difference between animals on a raw meat diet and those on a vegetarian diet. “For example, dogs on a raw meat diet were significantly younger than dogs on a vegetarian diet, which may help explain why they appeared to be healthier. Dogs that depended on raw meat were also less likely to take it to Vet: While this may be a sign of better health, previous research has indicated that dog owners who follow a raw meat diet are less likely to seek veterinary advice.

Even with this age difference, which made a more accurate finding in this study impossible, previous research has linked raw meat diets to an increased risk of pathogens and nutritional deficiencies. In light of the new and previous findings, the researchers suggest that a nutritionally healthy plant-based diet may actually be the healthiest and least risky option for dogs.

“Many factors can influence dog owners to choose unconventional diets for their pets, including concerns about the environment, the treatment of animals used as food and the health of their pets,” the study details.

Regarding the traditional diet, the study was conclusive in noting that this is the least healthy diet of the three major systems analyzed (vegetarian, raw, and conventional meats). “Dogs fed conventionally appeared to be less healthy than the other two food groups. They had poorer health indicators in almost all cases.”

More studies are needed

Due to the confusion between dogs that eat raw meat and dogs that eat a vegetarian diet due to the difference in age, the researchers suggest that more research is needed to confirm whether a raw meat or vegetarian diet is associated with better outcomes in human health. dog.

The researchers emphasized that large-scale, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of dogs maintained on different diets, using data such as veterinary clinical examination results and veterinary medical history, could lead to more reliable results.

The authors add that this study, published Wednesday (13) “is by far the largest study published to date, exploring the health outcomes of dogs fed vegetarian and meat diets. It analyzed a range of objective data as well as owner opinions and reported veterinary health assessments.” It revealed that the healthiest and least risky food choices for dogs are nutritionally healthy plant-based diets.”