People
love their dogs and tend to view them as family members, so naturally
they will want to give their pets the best food available. Reading up on dog food reviews is a great way to achieve this, although some people are still stumped when it comes to the debate on vegetarian
dog food versus traditional meat-based varieties. Here are some of
the benefits and downfalls of each:
Pros
of Vegetarian Food
Most
people who choose to feed their dogs a vegetarian diet cite health as
the main reason. These owners believe that making their dogs eat a
plant-based diet will help circumvent disease and
obesity.
Ecological impact is another common reason to
feed a vegetarian diet. Plants require considerably fewer resources
and can be produced in greater quantities than meat. Many owners also
cite ethical reasons for feeding a vegetarian diet, claiming that
eating other animals is immoral.
Cons
of Vegetarian Food
Regardless
of issues like morality and resource availability, the simple fact
remains that dogs are carnivores. They are built to efficiently
consume and digest animal tissue. Nutrient deficiencies are another
reason why vegetarian diets aren’t ideal. Plants fail to supply
numerous vitamins and amino acids that dogs need to be
healthy.
Furthermore, many dog owners are seeing an increase
in health problems caused by plant-containing foods. These include
allergies, autoimmune diseases, mysterious rashes, chronic
infections, obesity and even cancer.
Cons
of Traditional Food
The
biggest problem with traditional dog foods is their impact on the
environment. Raising livestock for meat requires vast amounts of
resources and tends to create pollution issues regarding farm runoff.
Furthermore, modern methods of raising livestock are notoriously
inhumane. The animals are often kept in excessively small cages and
may be forced to live standing in a pile of their own excrement,
which is not only cruel but also a disease risk.
Pros
of Traditional Foods
Feeding
traditional food provides all of the nutrients that dogs need in
order to thrive. However, veterinarians are starting to recommend
that dog owners feed their pets foods made with real meat and no
grains. This helps to prevent many of the chronic illnesses that
people have been seeing in their pets within the last several
decades.
Ultimately, it is up to dog owners to decide what to
feed their pets. Whether a dog’s diet is vegetarian or traditional,
quality food matters more than anything. When choosing a food, people
are encouraged to look up dog food reviews to help them select brands
that are both nutritious and appealing to their dogs.