What Vegan Foods can a Dog Eat?
The term Vegan Dog may sound off but there are certain owners who fede their dog an all plant based diet. The vegan diet is becoming increasingly popular in humans as people strongly believe it’s ethical to avoid animal products. At the same time, veganism is believed to be a healthier alternative and significantly better for the environment.
Many pet owners are also incorporating a vegan diet for their dogs or increasing the number of vegetables a dog eats. Like the panda, who naturally is on a vegan diet eating only bamboo, a dog can be vegan or an omnivore. In fact, many dogs are allergic to various proteins which can cause them to have loose stools or digestive issues.
In this article, we will explore some of the most common foods that you can feed your dog so they follow a vegan diet. At this point, I can’t fully recommend feeding your dog a vegan diet, but incorporating more vegetables certainly helps with gastrointestinal issues and hardens your dog stool.
Pumpkin for Dogs
Pumpkin is like a miracle food for dogs. If your dog has diarrhea, it’s like that your veterinarian told you to feed your dog pumpkin. This is because pumpkin is super rich in fiber and is easily digestible. In addition, pumpkin is also healthy because it essential vitamins such as vitamin A, E, and C as well as potassium and iron.
You’ll also see pumpkin in a lot of various dog foods because it acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics help to stimulate the bacteria in your dog’s intestines which helps them to digest food easier. If your dog hasn’t tried pumpkin before, it’s recommended that you start in small quantities and only feed them 2 to 4 tablespoons. This is because pumpkin is high in fiber and too much fiber can cause loose stools or vomiting. Eventually, you can work your way up and feed them more pumpkin. Pumpkin is a great vegan alternative for dogs.
Blueberries for Dogs
Humans consider blueberries to by one of the healthiest foods available to eat. Well, this is also true for dogs since blueberries are low in calories and have significant health benefits. Some of these health benefits include vitamin C, fiber, and phytochemicals which are known to prevent cancer. There have been several studies to suggest that blueberries not only improve the health of humans, but also animals such as dogs.
If you have an older dog, it’s recommended that you feed them at least some form of antioxidants. Luckily, blueberries contain a significant amount of antioxidants that your dog can eat. The only downsides of blueberries are that they contain a relatively high amount of sugar and your dog may choke on blueberries if they don’t chew them.
Cucumbers for Dogs
If you’ve ever had an overweight dog, one of the recommendations is to feed your dog cucumbers. Cucumbers are known to have virtually no carbohydrates or fats, and they significantly boost your dog’s energy. Also, cucumbers are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, C, K, potassium, and magnesium. Cucumbers also are a high water source content which is great if your dog doesn’t drink much water or it’s hot outside.
It’s recommended that you don’t feed your dog large pieces of cucumber because they may choke on them. Make sure to cut your cucumber down to manageable pieces. Dog’s typically love cucumbers and will eat them up really fast. This is rare as most dogs don’t love the taste of many vegetables.
Cranberries for Dogs
If your dog has ever had a UTI, chances are that you gave them some sort of cranberry chews. Cranberries are great for dogs in small quantities because they are highly digestible and will help clear out your dog’s intestinal tract.
However, they do contain a large amount of sugar so it’s recommended that you don’t overfeed your dog cranberries. Veterinarians recommend that you don’t feed your dog more than 10% of one food source. So keep the cranberries in moderation for your dog because they contain high amounts of sugar.
Carrots for Dogs
Carrots are a great vegan ingredient for your dog to eat. They are extremely low in calories and dogs typically love them because they have a crunch to them. If you’re debating between feeding your dog a bone or biscuit, or a cup of carrots it’s significantly healthier to feed them the cup of carrots. Carrots are also very low in sodium and fat. In addition, they a sustainable source of vitamins and minerals. You’ll find vitamin A, fiber, potassium, and several other health benefits for your dog in carrots. The only risk of carrots is that your dog can choke on them. It’s highly recommended that you cut the carrot into bite-sized pieces and don’t feed carrots whole to your dog.
Conclusion for 5 Foods for a Vegan Dog
There are several different human foods that your dog should avoid. However, the 5 foods on our vegan dog food list are perfectly safe and are highly recommended by many different veterinarians. We highly recommend that you incorporate at least a little bit more fruits and vegetables in your dog’s diet to reap some of the rewards such as essential vitamins and minerals.
