# Vegetarian dog food?



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I saw this in the pet store today.. Natural Life Vegetarian Dog Kibble.

" Its reduced protein and fat levels help provide a nutritionally balanced diet"

It's 17% protein and 7% fat!

The ingredients are:
Ground Brown Rice, Ground Yellow Corn, Full-Fat Soybeans, Oatmeal, Ground Whole Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Linseed Meal, Vegetable Oil (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols, citric acid, rosemary extract and ascorbyl palmitate - a Vitamin C ester), Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Brewer’s Dried Yeast, Garlic, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Choline Chloride, Natural Antioxidants, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin Supplements (E,A, B2, B12, D2), Niacin, Calcium Ascorbate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Inositol, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Cobalt Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite

Would a dog actually be able to LIVE off that? Zero animal protein whatsoever


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

Sure a dog could live on the stuff. Thrive, not so much. I don't think even very ill dogs need to go this far. People that feed this sort of junk are either pushing their beliefs onto their carnivorous pets or not able to do the work to find animal proteins that will work for allergic/IBS afflicted dogs.


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## stajbs (Jun 5, 2010)

I would be very concerned about all the carbs in this dog food, and I am far from an authority on canine nutrition. Personally I would be worried for older dogs and potential diabetes, not sure if that is a valid worry but I would rather see a meat source protein. Even if a dog had health issues I would still think a meat protein a better option, the more bio-available the protein the better, correct??


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I wonder how big a poop from a great dane on that stuff would be.. :biggrin:

Seriously though, why get a carnivorous pet if you are against feeding meat?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

The problem is that most people don't see dogs as carnivores, unfortunately. So they believe that a food like this is great. Dogs are not obligate carnivores because they can survive on pretty much anything for at least a while. Instead dogs are opportunistic carnivores that will eat more species appropriate foods when they are available but will eat anything to survive. So I just don't get why people would provide their dog the food that they would eat only if they were starving (in a wild/natural scenario)...and not offer them the foods they would eat in times of plenty. Oh well.


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## JayJayisme (Aug 2, 2009)

The problem is that many people don't see their dogs as dogs. They think they are their children or an extension of their human family. "Empty-nesters" are famous for this. 

It is these dogs who usually suffer the most with regards to behavioral guidance and diet because their owners try to apply human logic to their psychological upbringing and dietary needs. The sad thing is that many of these people mean well, they are just totally clueless and the pet food industry knows exactly how to manipulate them into buying into their ludicrous claims.

Thankfully, it is safe to say that most of the great people on this board don't fall into this category. Anyone who comes here looking for the right answers for their dog's diet have already figured out that human-based diets just don't cut it.


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## Katie Chumlee and Shorty (Oct 22, 2010)

*Geezus*

*DON'T GIVE THIS FOOD TO BLOAT BREED DOGS*


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

MEAT, MEAT, and more MEAT. A DOGS POINT OF VIEW! :biggrin:


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

> I wonder how big a poop from a great dane on that stuff would be..


HUGE!!!!!!! ahahahahaha


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I live next door to someone who feeds their little schnauzer a vegetarian kibble because the vet said she is allergic to animal protein. The dog is riddled with yeast infections, smells horrible, all greasy, her body is all hot and she's just totally miserable. I felt so bad for her that I bought some Orijen Fish. She had no allergic reactions at all. With the fish formula, her yeast infections started to clear up, her licking and scratching stopped and she had more energy. Even the owner was surprised, but still put her back on the vegetarian food. I was so disappointed, some people just brass me off.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Some people take vet's nutrition advice like it's the word of god.. 

Why would the vet just come up with the idea that the dog was allergic to animal proteins? That's .. interesting.. to say the least!!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I absolutely agree. Apparently the vet did one of those allergy tests. I can understand the dog being allergic to say beef and chicken, but its far fetched to say all proteins. Anyway, we proved that with the fish. The vet vegetarian food is awfully expensive too, so its not the cost. At the end of the day most people think their vet is the end all to be all and thats what they listen to. People do love their dogs, but in my opinion a lot are just plain lazy. I know I carry on a bit but I'm still majorily po'd, only for her dogs sake.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

as much as I would LOVE to say that a Dog can thrive on a Veg diet...because I detest the treatment of animals in slaughterhouses.... I just cannot. 

Simply put, Dogs must have meat. And usually more than most think.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

I tried to help out this guy by me. The vet recommended his dog go on Science Diet RX formula, after one of those allergie test. Supposedly he's allergic to chicken. I recommended TOTW pacific formula. He went out and looked at the label of praire formula and said it contained chicken in it. He said he can't use it. I told him the pacific formula doesn't have chicken. He seemed a little frustrated with my advice. I guess he's happy spending alot of money on garbage You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I'm not talking about his dog ahahahaha


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

cast71 said:


> I tried to help out this guy by me. The vet recommended his dog go on Science Diet RX formula, after one of those allergie test. Supposedly he's allergic to chicken. I recommended TOTW pacific formula. He went out and looked at the label of praire formula and said it contained chicken in it. He said he can't use it. I told him the pacific formula doesn't have chicken. He seemed a little frustrated with my advice. I guess he's happy spending alot of money on garbage You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I'm not talking about his dog ahahahaha


Cast, kind of hard to understand this guy... the question of whether or not the food has chicken is not a "DEBATE"... hahahahaha. Tell him he should take a class on what separates fact from opinion. 

Ingredients
Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber, natural flavor, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.


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## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

Nah, he's a nice old timer up on the mountain:biggrin: I'm just going to leave him be. He's kind of funny. Plus he's always helping out, so I don't want to be a pain in the butt.

My boy is on the pacific formula now. I know it has lower protein and fat, but he loves this formula the best. It's like doggie crack ahahahaha


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