Vegan companion animal diets

Vegan Companion Animal Diets www.VegePets.info Andrew Knight BSc., BVMS, CertAW, MRCVS, FOCAE Veterinarian Animal Consultants International Vegan cat and dog photos: www.VegePet.com and www.VeganCats.com

‘ Little Tyke’: the vegetarian lioness

Summary
Meat-based diets: health hazards
Meat-based diets: associated diseases
Animal diets: biological requirements
Vegan diets: unnatural behaviour?
Vegan diets: health benefits
Transitioning to a vegan diet

US 2007 pet food recall due to melamine contamination
Affected brands:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/
http://www.avma.org/aa/petfoodrecall/default.asp (includes links to manufacturer websites).
Signs of kidney failure: inappetence, lethargy, vomiting, dehydration, death

Meat meal and byproducts: slaughterhouse waste, 4-D meat, supermarket rejects and rendered dogs and cats
Premium brands
Digest
Restaurant grease
Fish contaminants
Infectious diseases

Meat-based diets: health hazards (cont…)
Endotoxins
Mycotoxins
Hormones and antibiotics
Preservatives
Processing

Meat-based diets: associated diseases
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Heart disease
Neurologic disease
Visual disease
Musculoskeletal disease

Meat-based diets: associated diseases (cont …)
Skin diseases
Bleeding disorders
Birth defects
Immunocompromisation
Infectious diseases

Meat-based diets: associated diseases (cont …)
Bingham AK, Huebner HJ, Phillips TD, Bauer JE. Identification and reduction of urinary aflatoxin metabolites in dogs. Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Nov;42(11):1851-8.
Boyer CI Jr, Andrews EJ, deLahunta A, Bache CA, Gutenman WH, Lisk DJ. Accumulation of mercury and selenium in tissues of kittens fed commercial cat food. Cornell Vet. 1978 Jul;68(3):365-74.
Coleman WE, Tardiff RG. Contaminant levels in animal feeds used for toxicity studies. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 1979;8(6):693-702.
DiBartola SP, Buffington CA, Chew DJ, McLoughlin MA, Sparks RA. Development of chronic renal disease in cats fed a commercial diet. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1993 Mar 1;202(5):744-51.
Dobson RLM et al. Identification and characterization of toxicity of contaminants in pet food leading to an outbreak of renal toxicity in cats and dogs. Toxicological Sciences 2008; 106(1): 251-262.

Dow SW, Fettman MJ, Curtis CR, LeCouteur RA. Hypokalemia in cats: 186 cases (1984-1987). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1989 Jun 1;194(11):1604-8.
Freytag TL, Liu SM, Rogers QR, Morris JG. Teratogenic effects of chronic ingestion of high levels of vitamin A in cats. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2003 Feb;87(1-2):42-51.
Houpt KA, Essick LA, Shaw EB, Alo DK, Gilmartin JE, Gutenmann WH, Littman CB, Lisk DJ. A tuna fish diet influences cat behavior. J Toxicol Environ Health. 1988;24(2):161-72.
Pion PD, Kittleson MD, Rogers QR, Morris JG. Science. Myocardial failure in cats associated with low plasma taurine: a reversible cardiomyopathy. Science 1987 Aug 14;237(4816):764-8.
Sousa CA, Stannard AA, Ihrke PJ, Reinke SI, Schmeitzel LP. Dermatosis associated with feeding generic dog food: 13 cases (1981-1982). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1988 Mar 1;192(5):676-80.
Strieker MJ, Morris JG, Feldman BF, Rogers QR. Vitamin K deficiency in cats fed commercial fish-based diets. J Small Anim Pract. 1996 Jul;37(7):322-6.

Animal diets: requirements
Nutritional soundness
Palatability
Bioavailability

Vegan companion animal diets: natural behaviour !?

Vegan companion animal diets: health benefits
Decreased ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, lice and mites)
Improved coat condition
Allergy control
Improved weight control
Arthritis regression
Diabetes regression
Cataract resolution

Vegan companion animal diets: health benefits (cont …)
Increased overall health and vitality
Decreased incidence of cancer
Decreased incidence of infections
Decreased hypothyroidism

1 st large-scale study of the long-term health of vegetarian cats: Wakefield et al. J. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc. 2006;229:70-73

Vegetarian cat health study: study population
34 cats maintained on vegetarian diets for 1+ yrs
52 cats maintained on meat-based diets for 1+ yrs
No significant differences in age, sex, body condition, housing, or perceived health status.
Most cats described as healthy or generally healthy.
Variable Vegetarians Carnivores P value Age (mean +/- SD) 7.0 +/- 4.7 7.8 +/- 4.8 0.48 No. of years diet fed (mean +/- SD) 4.6 +/- 4.1 6.5 +/- 4.7 0.06 Sex distribution (spayed female; castrated male [%]) 38;62 56;44 0.13 Kept strictly indoors (%) 65 69 0.80 Reported to be in ideal body condition (%) 82 65 0.17 Reported to be healthy or generally healthy (%) 97 96 0.38

Vegetarian cat health study: nutrient selection
Taurine and cobalamin status:
Lacking in a vegetarian diet
Adverse health consequences with deficiency
Assays that have been validated in cats were available
Blood values reasonably reflect total-body status
Lack of an appropriate assay was the reason other nutrients of concern in vegetarian cats, such as arachidonic acid or retinol (vitamin A), were not evaluated.

Taurine
Blood taurine concentrations were within reference range for most of the cats tested. However, 3 cats had blood taurine concentrations between the reference range and the critical concentration, suggesting that their dietary intake was marginal, but that they were not clinically deficient.
Possible explanations: variation in cats’ individual diets, such as the addition of table scraps and treats (all 3 received either or both); and potential quality assurance issues affecting manufacture of the diets.

Cobalamin
The concentration for all cats was within reference range.

Vegan companion animal diets: making the change
Transitioning to a vegan diet
Safeguarding health:
Use a complete and balanced nutritional supplement or complete diet
Prevent urinary alkalinization and urolithiasis (the formation of urinary crystals and stones)

Conclusion
We choose vegan diets for ourselves for ethical, environmental and health reasons. The same benefits apply to vegan companion animal diets, which provide the best choice for both our companion and so-called ‘food’ animals.

Further information and suppliers: www.VegePets.info Vegan cat and dog photos: www.VegePet.com and www.VeganCats.com

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Vegan companion animal diets

by Andrew Knight on May 11, 2010

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