A study by the University of Guelph, published in the journal Plos One, found that about 35% of dog and cat owners consider feeding their pets plant-based foods. The intention, however, needs to be evaluated with caution, warns Fabio Alves Teixeira, a researcher at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science at USP.
According to him, in the case of dogs, it is possible to follow a vegan diet, but for cats this is very difficult.
Alves Teixeira explains that cats will not always be able to metabolize the necessary nutrients. And protein won’t always be the big problem in meatless diets.
An example of this is “vitamin B12, which is very present in products of animal origin. Or vitamin A too, [está presente] in meat, milk and liver”, he said.
A diet based on vegetables, such as carrots, for example, tends to be a good deal for dogs to replenish vitamin A, assesses Teixeira.
Carrots do not contain vitamin A per se, but beta-carotene – a component that will be transformed within the body of dogs. However, in cats, it doesn’t work that way.
“It’s like he [gato] had a deficiency of this nutrient. The dog can do this. This is an example that, sometimes, we can even put the nutrient there, but it may not be available, it may not be active”, he says.
Another example of a diet that would not work well for cats is a diet with plant-based fats.
Teixeira explains that dogs can metabolize vegetable fat and transform it into arachidonic acid (helps in muscle growth), whereas the cat cannot.
The consequences of not replacing these nutrients can mean damage to the animal’s health, for example.
“In routine, we have found many pets with serious nutritional problems, sometimes with fractures, seizures, in which they need very close monitoring”, said the researcher.
The study evaluated 3,670 pet owners around the world. Participants answered a questionnaire about dietary habits, veganism, and concerns about what the dogs and cats were eating.
Vegan pet owners were 6% of the total respondents and about 27% of them said that the vegan diet for pets is already a reality.
What can be done
Teixeira explains that for those who wish to maintain a vegan or vegetarian diet in their animals, there are alternatives that are based on professional follow-up and some specific care.
One option is to add nutrients synthetically, with the help of bacteria. Another alternative is guided supplementation.
The researcher says that even animals that do not follow restricted diets need to supplement some nutrients – however, in smaller amounts than those whose owners chose a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Home-cooked, unattended meals tend to pose a “nutritional risk.
According to him, “the entities of veterinary medicine recommend that the animals be accompanied by a professional with a lot of experience in formulating food for dogs and cats to ensure that they do not have problems. [de saúde]”.
*With information from the USP Journal
Source: CNN Brasil
