Is it unethical to feed a dog a vegan diet?

I know dogs are omnivores, can they get all their nutrition from a vegan diet?Is it unethical to feed a dog a vegan diet?
Dogs are not omnivores. They can eat things besides meat, but they are actually carnivores. Wolves are the closest relative to a dog and they are carnivores.Is it unethical to feed a dog a vegan diet?
You are right that dogs are omnivores. So are pigs, chickens, rats and humans. They all live very healthy lives (sometimes healthier) by eating a vegetarian or vegan diet.

I would not suggest feeding a vegan diet to a cat, however. It is difficult for a feline to get Taurine from plant or synthetic sources and you risk them developing a urinary tract infections. Cats on a vegan diet should be closely monitored with urine tests.
Well I'm sure almost every dog out there would eat a piece of meat if it were offered to them.

Most would also eat a bowl of lentils and veg too.

A lot of dogs actually have to be vegan/vegetarian due to allergies to milk/meat/eggs etc etc.

If you are interested in researching this subject more, I'd suggest finding some websites- there are many out there. Past questions along these lines at Yahoo Answers are totally flooded by people who automatically think feeding dogs any type of meal without an ounce of meat is wrong in every way, and it's obvious none of them have done any of research on the subject.



Fact: The oldest dog about is a vegan collie dog. (http://gnn.tv/threads/1954/World_s_oldes鈥?/a>



So in answer to your question, no, not in my opinion. Most dog foods are made with the worst bits of meat you could possibly imagine (again, independent research advised), and most of it is made with vegetables anyway. Of course, with a vegan dog, you also get all the other more ethical features humans enjoy such as less harm to the environment.



Overall, it's the owners choice. A dog will almost always go for meat instead of veg, but that doesn't mean they won't enjoy vegetable meals too, and it most definitely doesn't mean the dog will benefit more because s/he chose that food.



With careful research, a dog could benefit immensely from a vegan diet. I'd certainly Never consider buying the processed total Rubbish they offer at shops. Once, when we offered our dog a bowl of baught chicken dog food, and a bowl of lentils, there was no contest, lentils were the big hit.



Research research research! It has been done, and very successfully.Is it unethical to feed a dog a vegan diet?
It is possible for a dog to get all required nutrients on a meat free diet. Many people feed veg*n diets to dogs that have allergies, as they are often used as an allergy diet.



Just like with people, the key is balance. There are many good veg*n dog foods on the market, it is just a matter of research and finding them.



I think as long as the owner of the dog know their facts, has spoken to a vet for advice, and is feeding a good food, then no it is not unethical. I think it is more unethical to skimp on cost and feed dogs cheap foods such as ol' Roy, or Kibbles and Bits, as these offer very poor nutrition.
Dog food is generally a by product of the meat industry, animals are not specifically being killed for dog food. Therefore I believe it is unethical to feed a dog on a vegan diet when the dog food available is not the reason animals are being slaughtered. Or yeah like that other person said is it unethical to be forcing your beliefs on someone else?Is it unethical to feed a dog a vegan diet?
It's not necessarily unethical. There are vegan dog foods on the market that are nutritionally complete. Although dogs generally rely on meat products, they can live long healthy lives on vegan diets specially formulated for dogs. If you want to feed your dog a vegan diet, do a lot of research to find the best product for your pet.
YES!! it is EXTREMMELY unhealthy for it, but if you give your dog a vegan diet, it will not get the required nutrients it needs and will not grow to its full size, and it will get sick more often and not have any energy. I suggest some nice, plain old dog food made with the proper nutrients to help your dog grow and thrive
Yes its very unethical. If you don't believe in killing animals for food then don't own a dog, you will just be putting it through a terrible life it doesn't deserve.



get a hamster
Dogs are omnivores,so no,but please ask a vet how this can be done properly.Although I do believe it is healthier to feed them on meat.



Cats? Yes.
Is it ethical to force one's diet onto others? I'd give the dog a bowl of meat and a bowl of rice and beans. Let him choose. I'm a vegetarian, but I'm against forcing my diet on others.
I made vegetarian food for my dog for several years until he got struck by lighting. I used recipes from a company in Montana called Harbringers of A New Age. My dog was so shiny it looked like someone had poured shellac on him.
Cats are carnivores, so never.

It would take VERY VERY VERY precise, long thought out decisions to feed a dog vegan, i guess its possible, but not very healthy cause chances are youll miss something..sorry
No. Many dogs enjoy the wholesome goodness of a carrot diet.
Dogs can do fine for health without meat, but cats cannot live without meat.
Dont do that to your dog. It isnt very nice