Veganism is becoming increasingly popular as a diet choice for humans in the UK. But have you heard of vegan diets for dogs? There is growing interest in which diet is actually best for dogs. With many pet owners opting to feed ‘unconventional’ diets such as uncooked meat or ‘raw’ diets as well as vegetarian or vegan diets. And some research has claimed remarkable health benefits – but do they actually stack up? Well, there’s new evidence in…
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Adding to the debate is a recent analysis by researchers at the University of Liverpool that concluded diet choice has a ‘negligible’ association with canine health (Barrett-Jolley & German, 2024). This is conflicting with an original study of the same data which claims that ‘the healthiest and least hazardous dietary choices for dogs, among conventional, raw meat and vegan diets, are nutritionally sound vegan diets’ (Knight et al., 2022).
So how can analyses of the same information draw two such different conclusions? And is the impact of diet on dog health really that insignificant?
The original study
The original study, written by Andrew Knight, analysed data from a survey of over 2,500 dog owners. But was criticised for being biased and not taking into account confounding variables that could have impacted the results. A key limitation of this study was that it relied on owners reporting and remembering information such as medications taken and perceived health disorders. And did not require a qualified vet to verify this. Therefore, we can only say there is a possible relationship between the two variables (dog diet choice and dog health); rather than a direct causality. There was also a question mark over possible conflict of interest given that the author follows a vegan diet and the study being sponsored by the charity Pro-Veg.
The data used in this study was made available to other researchers to use, which is where the new study of the data comes in.
The new study
The new study from the University of Liverpool offers a re-analysis of the data. The aim of this study was to ‘extend the earlier findings using different statistical techniques to create models that best predicted owner perceptions of health, and to identify the relative importance of the variables that contributed to the final model.’
Researchers created two new variables based on whether ‘any health problem’ or a ‘significant illness’ had been reported in individuals, to help distinguish those who were actually healthy from those with significant or serious illnesses.
The paper states that diet choice actually has a ‘negligible’ effect on dog health as perceived by their owners. Rather, age, frequency of vet visits and receiving medications were found to be the most important factors.
What do the findings actually tell us?
It’s important to look more closely at a study before drawing our own conclusions. Crucially, the data used in both studies are based on survey results filled in by owners, the majority of them living in the UK. Although the new analysis offers more control over certain variables that can affect the results, it is still reliant on owners’ answers to give a picture of their dog’s health and how they perceive it; rather than medical data derived from veterinarians or medical records. So the new study has argued that the age of your dog, the number of times it visits the vet and whether it is receiving medications are more likely to impact how healthy you believe your dog is rather than the diet you feed them, and whether that diet is a vegan one.
Although these factors will undoubtedly have some genuine reflection of how healthy an animal is, they are not a substitute for clinical data (like blood test results or confirmed diagnoses) which isn’t included in either publication. The researchers have acknowledged that ultimately we still cannot draw a conclusion as to which diet is actually better for dogs based on these results (Webb, 2024).
What diet should I be feeding my dog?
The best diets for dogs are those that are balanced and complete. There are plenty of high-quality and nutritious pet foods available to meet the needs of your canine companion; many with clinical research behind them. Every dog is different and their requirements will likely vary based on breed, age and lifestyle. If you are unsure what to feed your dog or if they have specific needs, you can contact your veterinary practice for advice.
References and Further Reading
- Barrett-Jolley, R. and German, A.J. (2024) ‘Variables associated with owner perceptions of the health of their dog: Further analysis of data from a large international survey’, PLOS ONE, 19(5). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0280173.
- Knight, A. et al. (2022) ‘Vegan versus meat-based dog food: Guardian-reported indicators of health’, PLOS ONE, 17(4). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0265662.
- Webb, A. (2024) New Study claims ‘minimal’ health link from Vegan Dog Diets, Vet Times. (Accessed: 18 June 2024).
- Vegan diets are healthier and safer for dogs – or are they? – Vet Help Direct
- Poor journalism by BBC over vegan pet food – Vet Help Direct
- Is more meat always better in a dog food?
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