Can my dog eat a plant-based diet and still be healthy and happy?

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear about Cooper’s allergies! Unfortunately, no, it is not safe to put a dog on a vegetarian diet, as they will not be able to absorb enough protein from non-meat sources and will be prone to malnourishment. The best option for dogs with severe food allergies is to be put on a hydrolyzed food such as z/d or Royal Canin HP. These diets break down the proteins into small enough molecules so that the body’s immune system doesn’t react to them. They are a bit expensive, but absolutely worth the cost for animals who need them! They are prescription only but most vets carry them, and many vets have an online pharmacy option where they can ship directly to you. Hope this helps!

Royal Canin makes a commercial vegetarian diet that I think is the best option since it is balanced. Otherwise you would need to have a veterinary nutritionist formulate a balanced diet, which can be difficult when you are eliminating meat. This website has nutritionists on staff and can help formulate a diet: they use their own vitamin supplement to balance the diets and are based in the United States but I believe they will ship internationally. Www.balanceIT.com

No - a diet of milk, rice, and chappati is absolutely not adequate for the nutritional needs of a dog. While it's technically possible for dogs to survive on a vegetarian diet, it must be specially formulated by a veterinary nutritionist in order to be complete; or, you can use a commercially available food such as Natural Balance Vegetarian. I don't normally recommend this unless there is a medical reason on the dog's part (such as severe food allergies), since dogs are biologically designed to prey on other animals and eat meat.

It's not the best choice for a dog as dogs are natural carnivores but if you do decide to feed him vegetarian food chose a good quality ready made diet (kibbles) such as Benevo or Yarrah for example.

Dogs are omnivores and require an appropriate balance of nutrients as a part of a healthy diet. Most dogs do well with twice daily feedings. Typically, I recommend commercially prepared foods, such as Science Diet, Royal Canin, and Purina ProPlan. However, many people prefer preparing their dog's food at home. Balanceit.com is a website out of UC-Davis that has a wide variety of recipes for home cooked diets with appropriate vitamin and mineral supplementation. I am not aware of any appropriately balanced vegan diets for dogs, but a vegetarian diet is certainly possible. Common fruits and vegetables that Pelu could consume include green beans, peas, carrots, beans, and apples. I don't understand your question about "dollops" of fruits and vegetables. Simply follow any home cooked recipe closely and be sure to supplement so that Pelu does not experience any mineral deficiencies.

Absolutely! There are some commercial diets, such as Dick van Patten's Natural Balance, the have salmon based diets. If you prefer home cooking Mary's food, balanceit.com is based out of UC-Davis and has a number of customizable recipes and vitamin supplements. Make sure to supplement her diet with any missing vitamins and minerals if you choose to cook for her!

No. I understand the ethical reasons for becoming vegan but feel that it is unhealthy and inhumane to force that diet on omnivorous or carnivorous pets. Dogs have not evolved to utilize a completely plant based diet efficiently and will end up malnourished or sick on a vegan diet.