Dogs

Note: This content is generated with AI. I asked ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok to research on this topic and used ChatGPT to merge their reports into one. Introduction The question of whether dogs and cats can subsist on vegetarian or vegan diets and remain healthy is complex and species-dependent. Growing ethical and environmental concerns have prompted some pet owners to consider plant-based diets for companion animals (Dodd et al., 2019). Dogs and cats, however, have fundamentally different nutritional biologies. Dogs are facultative carnivores (often functioning as omnivores) with notable adaptations for digesting plant-derived nutrients, whereas cats are obligate carnivores with strict requirements for nutrients found primarily in animal tissues (Che et al., 2021; WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, 2020). This report examines the scientific evidence on the feasibility and health implications of vegan or vegetarian diets in dogs and cats, drawing on peer-reviewed studies, clinical trials, and veterinary nutritional guidelines. Nutrient requirements, physiological adaptations, health outcome studies, and official veterinary positions are reviewed to provide a rigorous assessment. All findings are referenced to primary sources in accordance with APA style, and a summary of key nutrients is presented in tabular form (see Table 1). ...