One trending health practice that humans are adapting or rediscovering nowadays is vegetarianism. Lately, there has been a lot of clamor and commotion about being vegetarian or even vegan and not eating any food that comes from animals which include all dairy products and eggs. Many people are saying no to meat for the betterment of the environment, philosophical or more often religious preferences. But do we know that avoiding the consumption of animal products can be traced back over 2,000 years and this is not a new concept? While this may be feasible for human beings, when it comes to their four-legged furry friends, being a total vegetarian may not be the easiest thing to do.
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Why Do Dogs Love Meat?
We have always known canines to be avid meat lovers. Well, there are plenty of reasons for this basic instinct. A canine’s jaw structure and sharp teeth are made to eat meat. Eating meat mechanically supports the overall functionality of their body and its strong jaw makes it easy for them to crunch every part of the flesh and bone. Besides the teeth, dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans and they are not able to easily digest and process the waste of a plant-based diet through their gut and liver. On the other hand, the human digestive tract is longer, and with a certain teeth type, they can grind their food to smaller bits. Dogs also require some amount of meat protein because their body needs essential amino acids that can only come from their diet and getting it from a meat-based diet is the easiest way. Moreover, humans can also produce amylase in their saliva-an enzyme that can convert complex starches into simple sugars. But dogs do not have salivary amylase, so they do not spend much time chewing their food and prefer to eat it up as soon as it goes into their mouth. So, there are many factors to consider when deciding what are the best ingredients for your dog’s platter.
Cons Of Meat-Based Dog Food
Though an all-time favorite of all the canines, there are several concerns about your pet pooches eating meat, especially that comes from factory-raised animals where they live in unhygienic, disease-ridden, conditions before they are slaughtered for consumption. The meat from such an environment contains significant amounts of the cortisol stress hormone which can damage the adrenal glands and pituitary glands of your pet. Toxins present in such animal meat are also a cause of concern and contain pesticides which are far more dangerous than pesticides in a plant-based diet. This is because these pesticides in the form of toxic load are stored in the body fat of animals which if consumed by dogs is harmful, whereas plants do not have very high levels of this toxic load. There is also a chance that your pets can be allergic to several food types and meat allergy is one of them. In a nutshell, a bunch of apples will have fewer pesticides than a few kilograms of factory-raised flesh.
How Can Meat Affect Dog’s Gut Health?
The dog’s gut has junctions in the gut lining that can keep toxins inside the gut but totally out of the bloodstream. When there is inflammation in the gut, these junctions stretch and let all these toxins and undigested nutrients come into the bloodstream. This can lead to severe pet allergies, chronic inflammation in their body, and onset of auto-immune diseases in many dogs. As dogs age, their body starts to deteriorate and the primary line of treatment for many health issues in older dogs often includes a change in their regular diet. Many older dogs who have turned ten years and older are advised to go on a vegetarian diet.
What Can I Feed My Vegetarian Dog?
You must be wondering what to feed if you have decided to raise your dog the vegetarian way. Dogs can be on a vegetarian diet and there are no rules that say that every dog on earth is a meat lover. But it is not a humankind of vegetarian diet. An easy solution is a mix of which is the best dog meal. But if you chose to make your pet or her a pure vegetarian, it may not be an easy thing to do. However, it can be managed with extra effort and if the dog gets its required nutritional intake. Ideally, a dog’s diet should have a minimum of forty percent of protein and thirty percent of calorie components with the rest of its meal consisting of all vitamins, healthy fats, some fiber, and some minerals.
What Is An Ideal Veg Pet Meal Plan?
Every pet owner needs to ensure their pooch is getting all the essential nutrients it needs to live a healthy and happy life. Here is what can be a perfect vegetarian diet that will keep your friend in pink health at all stages of life:
- Lentils in any form can be a major source of iron, fiber, and proteins
- Millet, and oats are great sources of easily digestible carbohydrates
- Brown rice has higher proteins and lower fats, as compared to white rice which can be added occasionally
- Quinoa is an excellent choice as a gluten-free option for dogs that may not be gluten friendly
- Plant-based protein in the form of soybean is a great protein source. It is rich in folic acid and great in fiber
- Assortment of vegetables like spinach, carrot, peas, green beans, and broccoli provide all necessary vitamins
- Sweet potatoes, beetroot, and cucumber ensures the dog gets its iron, and calcium intake
- Homemade cottage cheese is high in protein and calcium and surprisingly a favorite of many dogs
- Apples, bananas, strawberries, litchi, watermelon, and pineapple are full of nutritious fiber and many dogs love eating them
