feeding dogs vegetarian

[Guest guest]

In light of the recent report on Iams pet food, I am posting some

links and info on feeding dogs and cats vegetarian. Firstly, I

will share that I have been feeding my dobie-shepherd dog

vegetarian kibble most of his long and healthy life. He is 10

now, and got started when he was around 1 or 2. He is looking a

little older now, some white around his face, but he is still as

happy and spry as a puppy. He has had no health problems at all.

We started him on Nature's Recipe vegetarian formula, and that

was great for a long time. That is widely available. When he

got to be about 8 or so, he started to have a bit of gas, so the

vet suggested we try the Medical formula, made in Canada,

available only through vets. It seems to have reduced the gas

problem quite a bit, and he likes it very well. Both types are

properly supplemented with B12, plus some other additions

considered necessary by some. There are other types available in

the States.

 

Cats can also be fed vegetarian fomulation, but I haven't been

able to get any of them in Canada. Vegecat is a supplement

mixture that can be added to homemade food according to

instructions, and there are also fully-prepared kitty kibbles.

Here is one of the websites that have information on these.

http://www.montanasat.net/vegepet/index.html It has reference to

the book Vegetarian Cats and Dogs by Peden.

 

When introducing a new food, patience is key. Cats and dogs will

often turn up their noses at new foods, even when going from

meat-based to meat-based food, because they get into " food

fixations " . So, introduce it slowly, and for most dogs, it will

happen quite easily and naturally. With dogs, a few of the new

kibble in with their old kibble at first, increasing a few at a

time until the switch has been made, it may take up to two weeks

to do the whole shift. Some dogs take to it much faster, but a

gradual switch is still a good idea just to avoid upsetting their

systems with too sudden a change.

 

With cats, it can be a little trickier to make the switch. Some

cats can be so fussy, they won't switch... some will refuse the

food to the point of starvation, so it's good to leave it a

little more up the cat. If the cat will accept his old food with

a few of the new crunchies in it, then the same slow progress can

be done like with the dog. But some cats will turn away even

from their old food if it has anything new in it. In that case,

leaving the new food out in a separate bowl, also available along

with the old food, for the cat to try IF it feels like it, may be

the best one can do.

 

Deborah