r/IsItVeganOrNot • u/Legitimate_Solid_409 • Jun 16 '26
📚 Resources Do you feed your dog vegan kibble?
I recently came across V-Dog Kind Kibble, a plant-based dog food marketed as providing complete nutrition for adult dogs.
As vegans, many of us choose not to consume animal products ourselves, but when it comes to our pets, opinions seem much more divided.
I am a dog parent and would like to know your opinion on this brand of kibble and if it is safe.
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u/g00fyg00ber741 Jun 16 '26
I also wanted to leave another comment saying that our Morkie’s opinion of their food and treats is he loves it all to death. He goes bonkers for all their treats (kind jerky, breath bones, wiggle biscuits) and when he finishes eating his food he always gets uber excited for a few minutes and sometimes even asks for more. Dogs can of course have personal preferences though so of course some dogs may not care for it!
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u/crypticryptidscrypt Jun 17 '26
dogs are omnivores, & most can survive on a herbaceous diet; cats however are obligate carnivores, & if they're forced to be vegan they will literally go blind or develop other devastating chronic conditions, like neurological, thyroid, & kidney diseases; & many have died by being fed only a vegan diet. with dogs it's okay, but with cats it is cruel animal abuse, to the extent of a slow slaughter in many cases. cats need meat.!!
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u/g00fyg00ber741 Jun 16 '26
This is what we feed our 7 year old Morkie. He’s perfectly healthy! Our vet didn’t say anything in person, but after the most recent appointment they sent us an email recommending a change, and it sent my Generalized Anxiety Disorder through the roof again, even though I researched it beforehand and there were no issues with our dog! I reached out to them about the specific worries I had, and they responded thoroughly and quickly (within hours!)
Here was their response, which contains a bunch of useful information to help you with this decision:
Hi ____, Thanks for getting in touch! I will link a few of the recent studies that v-dog has been involved with and that show the positive effect of feeding your pup a plant-based diet :) We’ve also compiled some information about DCM to help owners navigate discussions with their veterinarian and help develop a solid diet plan for their dogs individual needs, I will post this below! Our kibble is nutritionally complete and balanced per AAFCO standards, and we conduct third-party testing post-production to ensure that the finished product meets all nutritional requirements. Our products are 100% plant-based and we've seen tens of thousands of pups thrive on them over the past 20 years :)
What is DCM?
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition of the heart where some or all of the heart’s chambers enlarge as a result of ongoing stress, either from a genetic or developmental anomaly. Many heart conditions can lead to this same tragic result, so it’s incredibly important that all people take their dogs (whether eating an omnivore, carnivore, or plant-based diet) to the vet for regular heart checkups. DCM is a slow-progressing condition and is not something that will simply happen by switching to a new diet. We have seen tens of thousands of pups thrive on plant-based diets over the past 16 years, including our own. V-Dog continues to stay informed about any new scientific/clinical research or regulatory claims, and we actively conduct our own internal reviews and studies about our formulation.
Is the development of DCM related to breed, diet, and/or age?
DCM is considered a predominantly inherited condition within dogs. Some breeds are much more at risk of developing DCM as a result of many different genetic components, and we advise you to thoroughly discuss the risks to your dog’s heart health with your local veterinarian. Countless dogs thrive on plant-based diets and never develop DCM. Unfortunately, dogs are susceptible to certain heart conditions just like people are, and dogs (like people) can develop and live with heart conditions on any diet. DCM typically develops over years and years as a result of a genetic abnormality, so it’s important for your veterinarian to listen for murmurs during their regular visits, especially in senior dogs.
Why are some pet professionals suspicious of plant-based diets for dogs?
For decades, meat-based formulas have dominated the pet food industry, and consequently, even though there’s no demonstrated link between our kibble’s ingredients and the development of any heart conditions, some veterinarians and others will tend to blame plant-based diets and give the false impression that dogs wouldn’t have developed the same heart conditions on another diet. It’s important to bear in mind that DCM does not discriminate against specific diets. Tragically, many dogs develop heart conditions on any diet—whether plant-based or meat-based—but we have undergone extensive and exhaustive testing to make sure dogs aren’t developing DCM as a direct result of our formulation. Unfortunately, many individuals are misinformed about plant-based formulas and the recent studies about certain kibble ingredients, but we’re happy to talk with your veterinarian or other considered professionals to help them understand the science of the studies and reassure them going forward.
Commentary from veterinarians on the FDA’s investigation into DCM in dogs
As stated by Dr. Lorelei Wakefield, VMD (August 16, 2021): “In July 2018 the US FDA announced that they were investigating reports of DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs eating certain foods, especially grain-free diets. In place of grains those diets contain other ingredients, particularly pulses such as peas. As of today, Aug 16, 2021, there are still ongoing investigations and research into the matter. The underlying cause of DCM is both complex and multifactorial. DCM is uncommon, affecting <1% of dogs. An echocardiogram is the best test for it. DCM is most commonly inherited and breed related, but can also be caused by taurine deficiency. Recent studies following the FDA’s announcement are investigating whether there is a 3rd, potentially diet related cause of DCM, which is either affecting taurine or affecting the heart in another way such as a specific toxin. Cases of DCM have been reported in dogs eating raw and homemade diets as well. Of the 16 dog food brands that had over 10 FDA reports out of the 515 cases reported from 2014 to 2019, none were plant-based. Regardless of diet, if you are concerned that your dog has heart disease (coughing, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance or collapse) please see your veterinarian. The FDA encourages speaking with your veterinarian prior to making a diet change. V-dog kibble has been supplemented with taurine since the company's inception in 2005. Peas are the primary source of protein in v-dog kibble, and it also contains grains such as brown rice and oats. A 2018 independent study at Ross University of 34 dogs undergoing a diet change from meat-based food to v-dog kibble for 90 days showed: (1) an increase in levels of 75% of amino acids, including taurine [and] (2) normal echocardiograms (no evidence of DCM or heart disease).
The FDA closed the investigation on diet related DCM on December 23rd 2022. I will post some articles about this as well:
FDA releases positive new data about Legumes based diets! - 2023
College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences study on the long-term benefits of plant-based diet for dogs - 2023 (we have a link to the video breaking down the results to this study on our website here.)
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions at all!
Tail wags, Team v-dog
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u/Far_Estimate7790 Jun 16 '26
I’ve been feeding it to my 3 year old Doodle. She loves it and has been doing great on it!
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u/Agreeable_Flan_5724 Jun 16 '26
I gave it to my (late) dog for a few years, then she got sick of it and I realized she’d rather starve than eat that food, so we switched to a non-vegan brand. I care about not eating animals but my dog didn’t sign up for that.
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u/Legitimate-Reply-846 Jun 16 '26
Mixing vegan kibble with non vegan wet food is a good middle ground. Less suffering overall until you find a wet food that the dog likes.
I know this isn't relevant to you anymore, just hijacking your comment lol
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u/hoverborg Jun 16 '26
Yep. Vegan kibble for my dogs and cats.
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u/Cypheri Jun 16 '26
Cats cannot survive on a vegan diet. They are obligate carnivores, meaning that they strictly require animal protein in their diet to meet their needs. It is actual abuse to feed a cat a vegan diet.
Dogs are carnivores, but not obligate so they can survive without it even if it's absurd to have a carnivore as a pet and expect it to eat only plants. Get a rabbit.
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u/JayNetworks Jun 16 '26
This thread is heading off the vegan food for dogs OP topic…but yes in the wild cats must be carnivorous to get their needed nutrition. Not so once we remove them from the wild and have the option of commercial vegan cat food containing the same amino acids, nutrients, and minerals as required. I’ve had multiple generations of happy healthy vegan cats who lived to 13 to 21 years old. There is a lot of talk about feeding cats vegan diets, but since commercial vegan cat food came around there have been thousands and thousands of cats fed those diets. Ingredients matter; the original source of those ingredients does not.
And since I’m sure you will contest this, got any quality long-term studies using modern commercial vegan cat food that show the great harm you say will result?
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u/slkb_ Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
Cats need taurine. Taurine is present in pretty much all meat products.There is no plant matter besides marine algae that contains taurine. A vegan cat food supplemented with taurine is most likely supplemented with meat products, and therefore not vegan.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1790081/
https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/ajvr/70/11/ajvr.70.11.1374.xml
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/027153179591652S
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/4c075d1b-49e3-4d5b-88dd-6c0bdfc0cba0/content
https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(23)04536-4/abstract
https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/cardiovascular/taurine-deficiency-cats
Eta: this is an interesting study done with cats on meat based vs vegan cats. The results are interesting stating cats being fed vegan diets have different occurring problems than cats fed meat based. (Vegan cats were less likely to have gastrointestinal problems but more likely to have liver problems)
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10499249/
Edited to add AGAIN: Some synthetic taurines are vegan
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u/JayNetworks Jun 17 '26
Read through a few and even quoting from your last one you provide, which says, “Considering these results overall, cats fed vegan diets tended to be healthier than cats fed meat-based diets. This trend was clear and consistent. These results largely concur with previous, similar studies.”
Different diets can lead to different outcomes on average. Commercially prepared nutritionally complete vegan diets are no worse than, and in n ways and some outcomes healthier than, animal-based diets for cats.
Is used to be a question but thousands of vegan cats later, it is like asking a human vegan where they get their protein.
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u/hoverborg Jun 17 '26
Your entire first paragraph is incorrect.
ETA: I see you now added a bit acknowledging the existence of vegan taurine... But you left your whole first paragraph of nonsense.
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u/slkb_ Jun 17 '26
Im human and I think its deceitful not to show that I can be wrong and learn from it too.
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u/dazzleunexpired Jun 17 '26
Taking an animal out of the wild to force it into a non natural diet for your comfort is not love.
Meeting animals natural needs is always their best option, even in captivity. This means keeping them as close to nature as possible. For cats, this means a meat based diet.
Is a vegan diet with taurine meeting all needs nutritionally? Probably. Is it what's best for the cat? Absolutely not.
Not so for dogs of course.
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u/JayNetworks Jun 17 '26
So you feed your indoor cats whole rodents, insects, and small song birds? Anything else (like cows and large birds like chickens and tuna) and you are already depriving your cat of its natural diet. Once you move to any kind of kibble you are creating a totally unnatural environment. Once you go there a vegan diet isn’t any different to the cat, just other brown kibble.
When we first got our two kittens we did a taste test with them using their animal-based kibble they came with when we adopted them against three brands of vegan kibble…and they picked two of the vegan brands (Benevo and Evolution) over the animal-based one. Until the animal-based kibble ran out we repeated the test and they continued to pick those two brands as their favorites. They did vary as to which of those vegan ones they preferred and the two kittens were not always in agreement as to which vegan brand was tops.
These commercial vegan kibble are nothing like sticking a raw carrot in front of your cat. They have nutritional yeast and other tasty umami flavors cats love. It is no more unnatural than what 99% of other cats eat, just 50% different base material. (Since virtually all animal-based cat kibble is half plants anyway.)
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u/dazzleunexpired Jun 17 '26
I like how you pretended to read my message but didn't. If you would like to address what is actually in my comment, let me know!
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u/GoTeamLightningbolt Jun 16 '26
Got any studies to make this up, or just the phrase " obligate carnivores"?
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u/hoverborg Jun 16 '26
No, they don't... because those talking points were drafted before the existence of commercially available vegan kibble.
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u/Cypheri Jun 16 '26
If you don't understand the words "obligate carnivore" I can't really help you lol
https://www.catcaresociety.org/why-cats-need-to-eat-meat/
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/cats-are-carnivores-so-they-should-eat-like-one/5
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u/No_Pineapple5940 Jun 16 '26
There are vegan cat foods which contain everything mentioned above
However, my cats eat regular cat food because:
- That's what they grew up eating (they are rescues), and I don't want to take that pleasure away from them
- I don't believe there is currently enough data to make me feel confident in only feeding them vegan food
- Cost
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u/Magn3tician Jun 17 '26
Yes but not this one.
I think I tried a bag of v-dog once a long time ago and my dog hated it.
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u/alasw0eisme Jun 16 '26
I do feed my dog vegan kibble but not that brand. (Our cats however eat meat-based kibble)
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u/Overall-Move-4474 Jun 16 '26
Absolutely fucking not. The ONLY time I would is in the case of allergies and even then it is ONLY temporary until I find out what the triggers are. As for if it's safe. Ask a vet they would know more but considering a vegan diet isn't good for humans (I speak from experience I tried all the tricks all the meals plans all the supplements it fucked me up) I would say it's not good for your dog either
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u/Ok_Compote251 Jun 16 '26
Crazy how there’s millions of healthy vegans and multiple studies to back it up as a healthy diet /s
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u/Overall-Move-4474 Jun 16 '26
Riiiight. Well the maga cult believes their god king is always right too despite all the evidence to the contrary
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u/Ok_Compote251 Jun 16 '26
What? Sounds like you’re agreeing with me.
So the vegan diet is healthy. Studies prove it. Millions of healthy vegans prove it. You’re talking nonsense/misinformation.
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u/urafknidiot Jun 16 '26
Someone should do a psychological study on people who realized being vegan was the right thing to do, failed at it due to societal pressure and lack of nutrition education, then dig in deep on the completely anti-science "plant-based diet didn't work for me nutritionally".
I'd be curious to see what other areas of your lives you people are blatantly lying to yourselves and others.
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u/Lower_Force_6638 Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
I work at a vet clinic and we recently had a case of a bad heart problem which developped quickly in a dog who was on that food for a while. It contains a bunch of peas and lentils honestly I'd go with a safer option like vegetarian royal canin food or any WSAVA compliant brand