# Can carnivores live on NO meat?



## rawfeederr (Sep 9, 2009)

Okay, so, everyone has heard about the dog that lived 27 years eating a vegetarian diet. 

But if dogs truly are carnivores, wouldn't this be impossible? 

Is it possible for carnivores to live on a diet with NO meat?


I have always thought dogs were carnivores... until I actually thought about this. I still consider them carnivores but I am confused... 

BTW - I wasn't sure where to post this so I just posted it here.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

rawfeederr said:


> But if dogs truly are carnivores, wouldn't this be impossible?


Pretty much so, yes.



> Is it possible for carnivores to live on a diet with NO meat?


I guess its POSSIBLE they could SURVIVE if they receive a correct mixture of fruits and veggies AND those foods are highly processed. A dog cannot under any circumstances survive on a diet of fresh whole fruits and veggies.



> I have always thought dogs were carnivores... until I actually thought about this. I still consider them carnivores but I am confused...


They are carnivores. Eventhough the dog food companies would like you to think different, there is no scientific evidence that they are anything but carnivores. You can't force a carnivore to eat omnivore food and turn him into an omnivore.



> BTW - I wasn't sure where to post this so I just posted it here


You done good. :smile:


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Yeah they can survive off of a vegetarian diet because their bodies produce enough taurine that they don't actually require meat to do supply it for them. However, nothing else about their physical make-up suggests that they should be vegetarians.


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

Honestly I think that was a fluke.

It's like the old marine who lives to be over 90, eats nothing but red meat and lard, smokes 2 packs of cigs a day, etc.

Know what I mean?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

There is no doubt that dogs are carnivores. BUT they are not obligate carnivores, like cats. Cats would die within 2-3 weeks of eating a vegetarian diet because they cannot produce tauring (amino acid) on their own, and it is an essential nutrient for survival. Taurine is found in animal tissue only. Thus their need to eat at least a little bit of meat to survive. So cat food has to have meat in it.

Dogs are opportunistic carnivores and scavengers. They can produce taurine themselves. They will eat whatever they can to survive in a famine situation. Granted they will eat meat, bones and organs first if they are available, but will eat what is necessary to survive.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs are "smarter" or more adapted to their environments than cats, because they are opportunistic carnivores. This gives them a higher survivability rate and is a better lifestyle evolutionarily. This is one of the reasons why the big cats are mostly endangered or very scarce.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

I still maintain that dogs cannot survive on a diet of nothing but whole fruits and veggies. They must have processed fruits and veggies to extract enough nutrients to survive. Of course they can THRIVE on meat bones and organs with NO fruits and veggies. :smile:


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## rawfeederr (Sep 9, 2009)

spookychick13 said:


> Honestly I think that was a fluke.
> 
> It's like the old marine who lives to be over 90, eats nothing but red meat and lard, smokes 2 packs of cigs a day, etc.
> 
> Know what I mean?


Yeah, definitely could be!


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## chrisinaustin (Dec 6, 2009)

Just when I thought my weekend was winding down with some simple, actionable decisions... 

Like everything else these days, what at first seems straightforward (give dog raw meat/bones) comes down to a raging duality:

a) "Dogs are carnivores!" Duh, duh, duh. Just duh. A given. To think otherwise is insane.
b) "Dogs are _omnivores_." Tricker. They could do great on meat; they could do great on no-meat.

I agree that a dog couldn't thrive on raw unprocessed vegetables. They don't have the biology or tools to extract nutrition. That seems free from debate. But I don't do so great on raw kale. But if I can mechanically break it down through juicing or blending, the nutrition is insane, and blows the doors of anything meat-based or that I can easily chew.

What would be really helpful -- as I don't want to instigate any Sunday afternoon debates -- are responses with these two things:

1) Carnivore or omnivore? Your take.
2) One link that you believe most accurately backs your take up. Or one personal story with your dogs that makes it most clear to you.


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