Hey, Happy Wednesday! There’s been some interesting news from
(my homeland) across the pond. And it’s bound to spark debate. At the end of July, the British Veterinary Association ended its opposition to vegetarian and vegan diets for dogs — a stand that had been criticized due to the BVA’s relationship with Mars Petcare,
purveyors of many meat-based dog foods. I’m not suggesting there was any untoward influence or that the relationship has no benefits, but the perceived conflict of interest
wasn’t a good look, so the BVA set up a working group in 2023 to review its position on the various diets people feed their pets. It found that 94% of companion animal vets reported having clients who feed a raw diet, 42% reported clients who feed meat-free diets and 29% reported they have clients who feed insect-protein in place of meat.
However, one in six vets were unsure how many of the pets they saw
were on meat-free diets.
The BVA’s new position is not
to determine the ‘best’ diet for individual pets. It instead focuses on supporting pet owners to make sure pets’ nutritional needs are met, whichever diet they choose. BVA President Anna Judson said:
“We know that owners of cats and dogs are increasingly drawn to pet diets that reflect their own personal values and lifestyle choices, and this is leading to a surge in alternative approaches to pet food. We support owners making informed choices about what to feed their pets, but they must be aware that these choices play a pivotal role in the health of the animal and can
also have a wider impact on human health and environmental sustainability. “One of the key issues in these conversations is the lack of long-term,
evidence-based research. If vet teams are to maintain our position as the ‘trusted voice’ in these conversations, it’s vital that we ask the right questions and also record as much data as possible so that we can understand the long-term impact of some of these newer diets.” This subject is always one that divides opinion — and is also one rife with misinformation. We try to approach the matter with balance and science in this article:
As you can see, there’s a lively comments section at the bottom of the
page. I encourage you to engage in the discussion in a polite and open-minded manner. We’re all dog lovers so nobody is coming at this from a position of wanting to do harm to animals. There's no agenda being pushed by anyone and maybe by talking to each other respectfully we'll all learn something!
Until next time, Andrew Editor
The Dog Food Advisor
Saving Good Dogs From Bad Dog Food
Related to the above article, kind of... High-quality meat is a fantastic source of protein and amino acids vital to a dog’s health. However, obviously, there’s more than one kind of meat. So, which are best for your dog? What qualities does each meat possess? We asked board-certified nutritionist Sally Perea, DVM, MS, DACVIM, who works with 5-star-rated fresh dog food company Nom Nom, to list the nutritional benefits of some of the most commonly used meats. You can read what she says in this article: What Are the Best Meats for Your Dog? It’s a valuable
and interesting read — and also highlights why we believe in diet rotation. If you want your dog to gain from each meat’s nutritional strengths, feed them different
meats. Also, if you want to try Nom Nom, you can get 50% off and free shipping with your first
order by clicking this link.
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Deal of the day: 60% off Spot & Tango in August Great savings on dog food
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