Meatless Merit? The Truth About Dogs and Vegetarian Diets.

The "Vegetarian Festival" has come around again this year, a festival popular among those who want to reduce or give up meat from large animals, to build merit according to their personal beliefs.

So, during this merit-making festival, could we invite our dog to join us in going vegetarian to build merit together? But !! Hold on there, dog owners -- before deciding to feed your dog this way, listen to this first: can dogs actually eat vegetarian food or not?

Can dogs eat vegetarian food? The answer is yes, but !! Dogs shouldn't eat this way continuously every day, because vegetables and fruit alone don't provide enough nutrients for their bodies. Dogs' bodies still need protein from meat, along with other nutrients and vitamins like vitamin A, B12, and D3. In addition, certain vegetables and fruits aren't suitable for dogs at all, such as grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, or macadamia nuts.

Dangers From Insufficient Nutrition: The main ingredients in vegetarian food are vegetables, fruit, grains, or flour, with no meat mixed in. If a dog eats only vegetables and fruit for a long time, this can cause digestive problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and worse long-term effects like malnutrition. Dogs whose owners feed them a vegan diet instead of regular food can develop muscle or bone abnormalities, blindness, urinary tract infections, and cardiovascular disease.

Going vegetarian isn't suitable for pregnant or nursing dogs, dogs who are still growing, or dogs suffering from various illnesses.

For this year's Vegetarian Festival, if you're determined to have your dog go vegetarian, we recommend consulting a veterinarian about proper feeding, including which vegetables and fruits are safe for them to eat. Alternatively, a way to stay healthy while still participating is to add beneficial vegetables into your dog's regular meals, so they still get complete nutrition, plus the added benefit of fiber from vegetables to help with healthy digestion.