Why Go Vegetarian on Your Dog Food?

October 1 is World Vegetarian Day. We think that this is the best time to discuss the benefits of being a vegetarian. There are so many things going for them–cholesterol levels are lower, lower risk of stroke and diabetes, metabolism is faster… Wouldn’t that be great for your dog too?

Can dogs be vegetarians?

We have this notion that dogs are carnivores because they descended from wolves. On the contrary, dogs are omnivores. They will survive on a vegetable diet. According to PetMD, dogs have “the ability to transform certain amino acids, the building blocks of protein,” into something which their canine body can maximize. This means that dogs can get their much-needed amino acids from other sources aside from meat, like vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

Best for sensitive dogs

A vegetarian diet favors dogs who are sensitive and prone to allergies. These are dogs who are sensitive to animal proteins. When this happens, you have to find protein alternatives so that your pet can still have his daily nutritional needs.

Addiction Foods Zen Vegetarian is a hypoallergenic dog food formulated with choice vegetable proteins and fortified with vitamins and minerals. This unique pet food does not contain any meat protein at all, nor any artificial flavorings or preservatives.

Zen Vegetarian’s main ingredient is soya which is rich in isoflavones. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Perfect for sensitive dogs to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle across life stages, without depending on meat proteins.

Should your dog go vegetarian?

Most vegetarian pet owners wish to have their pets on a vegetarian diet too. Based on a study published by PLOS One, 35% of 3,673 pet owners expressed their desire to feeding their pets a plant-based diet. Of the pet owners surveyed, 212 (5.8%) are already vegetarians and have indicated that they want to feed their pets a plant-based diet. Of the 212, 58 (27%) are already feeding their pets a vegetarian diet. 27% may seem small but if you take in the actual numbers of pets, it’s definitely huge.

But that doesn’t mean you should be swayed by the numbers. As a pet owner, you should know what’s best for your dog. Especially if he’s prone to allergies. A quick trip to a veterinarian is always the best thing to do before giving your pet a hypoallergenic diet.

Zen Vegetarian and other Addiction dog food products are available from your local store.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for more pet health and nutrition updates.