PFMA Response To Recent Study On Plant-Based Versus Meat-Based Diets For Dogs

There has been a lot of media interest around the suitability of vegan and vegetarian diets for dogs due to a recent study considering whether vegan diets are healthier than conventional meat-based diets.  At PFMA we encourage research into pet diets as this contributes to the overall knowledge and better understanding of pet nutrition and health. Plant-based diets are still relatively new, the numbers of pets fed this way is relatively low and the historic information is limited. As a result, there is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that a vegan dog food diet is healthier than a meat-based diet.

The author of this most recent study acknowledges its limitations (for instance the health statistics cited are based on pet owner perceptions rather than clinical reports or facts, and with regards to sample size, the conventional diet was 4 times as large as the vegan diet). To help provide a broader perspective than has been shared in media articles, we encourage owners to read the PFMA Factsheet on Vegan and Vegetarian Diets and a recent blog from the British Veterinary Association ‘Is it safe to feed my dog a plant based diet’.