IDA invites you to read this column by guest blogger Dr. Armaiti May, DVM, CVA, veterinarian, animal activist, and “Animal Issues” radio show host.

Upon discovering the horrors of factory farming, it’s only natural to want to remove one’s support from such cruelty, starting with ceasing the consumption of animal products in one’s own diet. Being vegan feels good because we are not contributing to the unnecessary confinement, mutilation, and ultimate untimely slaughter of innocent beings.

After a while, it makes sense to wonder if there’s more we can (and should) be doing to minimize our contribution to animal suffering. For example, what are we feeding the family dog(s)? Can we adequately meet a dog’s nutritional requirements through a vegan diet? Fortunately, in most cases, the answer is yes. In fact, in many cases, a well-balanced nutritionally appropriate vegan diet can actually be superior in its health-promoting properties compared to a meat-based one.

The next time you go to the grocery store, pick up a bag of dog food and glance at the ingredient list. Up to 50 percent of commercial pet food brands are comprised of “meat meal” and “byproducts,” which include various body parts (such as beaks, brains, spinal cord tissue, bones, lungs, and intestinal tracts), slaughterhouse wastes, 4-D meat (from dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals), supermarket rejects, as well as rendered dogs and cats from animal shelters.

Other contaminants which have been found in commercial dog and cat foods include old restaurant grease complete with high concentrations of dangerous free radicals and trans fatty acids; PCBs, heavy metals and other toxins, particularly from fish; bacterial, protozoal, fungal, viral, and prion contaminants, along with their associated endotoxins and mycotoxins; hormone and antibiotic residues; and dangerous preservatives.

Many speculate that the dramatic increase in incidences of cancers, kidney failure, and many other degenerative diseases in our companion animals in recent years may be due to the harmful ingredients in many commercial meat-based pet foods. This has led people to seek out alternatives, including vegan diets.

Dogs can be healthy and in fact, thrive on a vegetarian or vegan diet, as long as all necessary nutrient requirements are met. Dogs are biologically omnivorous and can adapt well to a plant-based diet which meets all their nutritional needs. It’s important that the food have good bioavailability (digestibility) and palatability.

The transition to a plant-based diet should be a gradual change (mixing the two foods in different proportions until the new food is given exclusively) to minimize the occurrence of gastrointestinal disturbances (such as diarrhea and sometimes vomiting). When evaluating a pet food, care should be taken to make sure it is labeled as meeting the nutritional standards of the United States Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). The largest manufacturers of vegetarian dog food in the United States are Evolution and V-dog.

In my clinical practice, skin allergies are among the most common ailments I diagnose and treat in dogs. Recurrent skin allergies (itching, scratching, biting, licking, leading to recurrent inflammation and infection of the skin) are usually due to one of the following (and sometimes a combination of these factors): (1) flea allergy dermatitis (the most commonly diagnosed); (2) food allergy (occurs in about 10-20 percent of cases); and (3) atopy, which is an allergy to something in the environment, such as house dust mites, pollen, grass, etc. Atopy is relatively uncommon.

Most food allergies in dogs are due to meat protein such as beef, chicken, or other common meat sources. Vegetarian diets may bring these food allergic dogs relief from their skin allergies. A smaller percentage of dogs are allergic to soy, which may limit choices of commercially available vegetarian diets. In that case, if a caretaker wishes to feed a vegan diet, a homemade diet may be the next best option. Even more care must be taken on a homemade diet to ensure appropriate nutrient balance, which may include supplements.

Although dry kibble is sometimes considered good for dental health, if the dog is predisposed to urinary problems such as urinary crystals, canned (moist) food would be a better choice. The higher water intake helps to dilute the urine and reduce the incidence of crystal and stone formation. One of the potential risks associated with vegetarian diets in dogs is the occurrence of struvite crystals, which are more likely to occur if the urine pH becomes too alkaline. (This problem affects certain dog breeds more commonly; the affected breeds include shih tzus, miniature schnauzers, bichon frises, miniature poodles, cocker spaniels, and Lhasa apsos.) Adding water to the dry food or encouraging the dog to drink water would be another way to address the issue of urine concentration as related to crystal formation (the more dilute the urine, the less likely crystals are to form).

To avoid any problems associated with urinary alkalinization secondary to the dog being on a vegetarian diet, I recommend that 2-3 weeks after switching the dog from a meat-based to a plant-based diet that he/she be brought to a veterinarian to have a urinalysis performed. This simple test will show what the urine pH is, as well as whether or not struvite crystals are present, therefore heading off any problems before they start. If the urine pH is too high (too alkaline) and/or struvite crystals are present, various acidifying agents can be used.

Although diet-related problems are unlikely to occur for dogs on a nutritionally complete and balanced diet, certain dog breeds are predisposed to DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy), a form of heart disease which may be influenced by lack of sufficient intake of taurine and/or carnitine (amino acids which are naturally occurring in flesh foods but can be added to the diet via synthetic supplements which are readily available). Doberman pinschers, boxers, “giant breeds” (Scottish deerhounds, Irish wolfhounds, Great Danes, Saint Bernards, Afghan hounds), and cocker spaniels are the dog breeds predisposed to DCM.

The role of carnitine and taurine in the therapy of DCM remains controversial. American cocker spaniels with dilated cardiomyopathy generally respond favorably to taurine supplementation. Those not responding to taurine will often respond to the addition of L-carnitine. This site contains info on ordering supplements of taurine and carnitine for affected dogs. For those with one of the predisposed breeds, it may be beneficial to supplement with taurine and/or carnitine if not already present in the vegetarian diet, in conjunction with consulting one’s veterinarian.

In summary, feeding your precious pooch cruelty-free cuisine is indeed doable, and in fact beneficial for all concerned. For an in-depth consultation with Dr. Armaiti May about your dog’s specific needs, please send an email to veganvet@gmail.com.

To learn more about Dr. Armaiti May, please visit her website. Dr. May is a practicing house-call vet for dogs and cats in Los Angeles. She hosts a radio show called “Animal Issues With Dr. Armaiti May.” To listen, visit http://veganvet.net/podcastepisodes/. You can also subscribe on iTunes. To submit a question or comment, please send an email to veganvet@gmail.com.