Veganism is a way of living and thinking in which we try to minimise the suffering caused to other creatures. Dogs cannot make that decision themselves. They rely on their guardians to make the right call for them. Our choices can allow them to live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives. Understanding the physiology of our dog’s bodies is key to meeting their dietary needs.

There are many brands of nutritionally balanced dog kibble in the market. Most of them consist of highly processed grains and legumes. Even though they contain essential macronutrients and also some micronutrients required in a dog’s diet, not all dogs are equally equipped to digest high amounts of grains and legumes. Their digestive system is very different than ours. Processed kibble – vegan or not – also lacks multiple compounds that support a healthy and diverse microbiome.

Unlike humans, dogs have heightened senses that allows them to efficiently track, chase, hunt, kill and digest raw meat. Many dogs would catch their own prey and eat it entirely, skin and all. Their digestive tract has evolved throughout centuries to resemble that of scavengers and opportunistic animals, who can survive on various plant based foods. Some dogs may have a digestive system that allows them to properly absorb nutrients from plant foods. Generally speaking, though, dogs cannot chew their foods like humans do, and they lack salivary amylase to pre-digest grains and carbohydrates. It’s yet to be determined whether or not some dogs produce enough pancreatic enzymes to digest high amount of plant proteins and carbohydrates. Their stomach is highly acidic, designed to digest animal proteins quickly and their intestinal tract is very short, not allowing enough time for proper breakdown of certain plant substances. In the long term, high consumption of kibble containing grains could lead to severe nutritional deficiencies. It could also burden their pancreas, possibly leading to early onset of pancreatic issues.

Dogs from a genetic line of scavengers have mostly survived on human leftovers. They may have evolved to have less acidity in their stomach and to produce enough enzymes to digest grains. That could explain why some dogs seem to thrive on vegan diets while others could develop allergies, skin problems, or other digestive conditions after some years of eating a grain-based diet. From my experience and observing vegan dogs from other vegans around me throughout the years, I am convinced that not all dogs will live healthy enough if fed exclusively plant foods. The healthiest vegan dogs have been the ones fed mostly home cooked meals, not processed kibble.

Basically, dogs can vary in their dietary needs as much as they vary in their physical appearances. Each dog has their own preferences and reacts in a different way to their environment. As their caretakers, it’s our role to observe them closely and try to listen to their needs.

There is currently not enough research on the long term health of dogs (and cats) on vegan diets. Anyone claiming that all dogs or cats can be vegan because there is vegan kibble available should probably consider reading more on the subject. In any case, we should all keep a close look at the general health of our furry friends to ensure they are doing fine and not missing anything.

Is your dog or cat thriving on plant-based foods? Great. If they show recurrent health problems that might be reversed by shifting to a non-vegan, fresh, high-quality, species-adequate diet, there is no reason to feel bad about feeding them what they need. Part of our role as their guardians is ensuring they live as healthily and happily as possible.