Study Shows A Vegan Diet Is Healthier For Dogs & Can Save You From Frequent Vet Bills
A 2022 peer-reviewed study of over 2,500 dogs revealed that dogs who eat a well-balanced plant-based diet require less medication, visit the vet less frequently, and show fewer signs of poor health compared to dogs who eat conventional meat-based dog food.
Multiple studies over the past few years have shown the benefits of feeding your dog a complete and balanced plant-based dog food but this new study confirms the fact that not only is a vegan diet healthier for dogs, but it can also save you a lot of money in vet bills.
The most recent study on vegan dog food is the largest and most thorough study to date. The results have revealed that dogs on a nutritionally-complete, plant-based diet exhibited fewer signs of poor health, such as repeat trips to the veterinarian or common illnesses.
Dr. Andrew Knight who is a professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics at the University of Winchester, and the co-author of this recent study states “Our study is by far the largest study published to date,” and that “It revealed that the healthiest and least hazardous dietary choices for dogs are nutritionally-sound vegan diets.”
The study analyzed seven commonly used indicators of ill health in dogs in order to monitor the general health of the dogs:
- Unusual numbers of veterinary visits / frequency of vet visits
- Medication use of the dog
- Pet parent / guardian opinion on daily health status
- Reported veterinary assessment of health status
- The percentage of unwell dogs
- The number of health disorders per unwell dog
- Progression status onto a therapeutic diet
The study analyzed the overall health, the frequency of vet visits, and the types of medication used by over 2,500 dogs throughout a 12-month period. It found 17% of dogs that ate a conventional diet required four or more visits to the vet over the course of a 12-month period, whereas only 9% of vegan dogs required this frequency of vet visits. Those dogs that ate conventional meat-based dog foods were also more likely to require medication that is considered “non-routine” while a noticeably smaller percentage of vegan dogs required the same type of medication.
This means that a vegan diet for your dog can not only provide them with better overall health—but can save you money from frequent vet visits and routine medication usage.
Try Wild Earth Dog Food 30% Off Today!Moreover, of the dogs studied, about 50% of dogs on conventional dog food diets suffered from health disorders but only 36% of vegan dogs were impacted. The study suggests that weight issues may be a huge reason that dogs who eat conventional dog food struggle with health issues because conventional dog foods typically have significantly more calories compared to vegan diets. This higher caloric intake can lead to obesity-related health issues for your dog. Dr. Knight goes on to say that, “One of the most common health problems for dogs is being overweight or obese and it is unfortunately common that when we do tests on the commercial meat-based diets, there are more calories.”
Health Disorders That Are More Common For Conventional Dog Food Diets
This study analyzed and reviewed over 20 common health disorders and tracked the frequency of these disorders based on the type of food the dog ate. The study showed that dogs who ate conventional meat-based dog food were more likely to suffer from gastrointestinal issues, skin/coat issues, more frequent ear infections, joint pain, mobility issues, bodyweight issues, and other health disorders compared to vegan dogs.
These health disorders and issues are found to be less common in vegan dogs:
- Allergies & Skin irritation
- Issues with eye health
- Anal gland issues
- Dental and oral health issues
- Bones and muscle issues and deterioration
- Epilepsy
- Lower urinary tract issues
- Hormonal imbalances and issues
Of all the dogs studied, the vegan dogs were less likely to experience the health disorders and issues listed above and are thought to have a better level of general health compared to meat-based diets.
Wild Earth Dog Food Is Backed By Science
Wild Earth Cruelty-Free Dog Food provides your pup with the highest quality ingredients and superfoods such as sweet potatoes, spinach, blueberries, and pumpkin, as well as the high percentage of protein and amino acids that your dog needs. Our food uses a clean and complete protein that contains all 10 essential amino acids that your dog needs without negatively impacting the environment.
The average commercial dog food brand contains low-quality meat, by-products and fillers that can potentially cause allergic reactions and won’t provide your dog with the highest quality nutrition that they deserve.
In addition to overall improved general health and fewer veterinarian visits for vegan dogs in general, pet parents who have switched to Wild Earth’s vegan dog food have reported benefits such as:
- Fewer allergies & itchy skin
- Better digestion & gastrointestinal health
- Healthier skin & coat
- An improvement in joint health
- Healthier maintenance weight
- And more!
All new customers who sign up for a Wild Earth Complete Protein Dog Food subscription will receive 30% off & Free Shipping on their first bag of food.
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Wild Earth’s plant-based products require dramatically fewer resources than farming animals to produce the same nutritional value. In addition to a complete protein without animal ingredients, the veterinarian-developed formula offers omega fatty acids, whole food ingredients, all essential amino acids, digestion-boosting enzymes, and prebiotics to support gastrointestinal microbiomes. Like food innovators creating cultured protein for human consumption, biotech startup Wild Earth is developing clean high-protein pet foods that are healthier, better for the environment, and more humane than conventional products.
