Hi Thomas,

The overlooked factors are:

1. Undisclosed “Meat-based” kibble isn’t a good baseline. Most kibble is unhealthy grain-based processed food. A true baseline would be a natural diet for a dog, such as raw meat, organs, and raw meaty bones. If this were done, the vegan diet wouldn’t look very good at all.

2. From research into vegan food for cats and dogs which I’ve delved into, it’s the vegan foods which show the most concerning illnesses – such as organ failure, compared to the illnesses shown on “Meat-based” diets amounting more to dietary intolerance, itchy skin, ear infections, and the like, which occur because the kibble contains inappropriate ingredients for the species.

The summary above I have seen often, so it’s no surprise that’s what ChatGPT has served up. It’s the perfect example of how science can be wrapped up to appear convincing, yet does not disclose the severity of the illnesses suffered in each set, or what the “Meat-based” dog food actually is.

Lastly, a survey of 2500 domestic dogs does not account for most dog owners feeding terribly unhealthy “meat-based” kibble to their pets.

Google AI said this: in Curious if your professional opinion has changedafter recent studies?

“Recent scientific research suggests that nutritionally sound plant-based diets can support a longer, healthier life for dogs. Large-scale studies published between 2022 and late 2025 indicate that dogs on these diets often experience fewer health issues and potentially increased lifespans compared to those on meat-based diets.
Key Scientific Findings on Longevity
Increased Lifespan: A major 2022 study from the University of Guelph found that dogs fed plant-based diets had a mean lifespan of 14.1 years, compared to 12.6 years for those on meat-based diets—a difference of roughly 1.5 years.
Reduced Illness Risk: The largest peer-reviewed study to date (surveying over 2,500 dogs) found that plant-based dogs had a 14% to 51% lower risk across seven general indicators of illness.
Specific Health Benefits: Plant-based diets are associated with significant risk reductions (50%–61%) for common disorders, including:
Gastrointestinal and hepatic (liver) diseases.
Dermatopathy (skin issues).
Endocrinopathy (hormonal disorders).
Renal (kidney) disease. “

Hi Lisa, not sure where that quote came from? Many dogs survive on terrible processed kibbles with barely any meat ingredients, so there’s an argument a vegan diet can be more nutritious than many kibbles!

Always good to have feedback like this on any dog food. Vegan for dogs may be against my beliefs, but I have no issues hearing positive endorsements for a brand if it’s worked for someone.

To jump in – I think an important point in your comment Stacy is “done correctly a vegan diet can be healthy for dogs”, especially when you consider how bad most “meat-based” dog foods are. i.e. it’s not hard to raise the bar, and this is possible with a vegan diet.
My concern, based on my experience of raw/homemade feeders, is many think they know what they’re doing, or think they’ve researched enough (usually on social media groups), but they really don’t. It’s very easy for dogs to become malnourished on any diet over a period of time, especially without variety. It only takes the absence of one nutrient over time to potentially cause dietary-related disease or diminished organ health. Most of the time it will be many years before a dog shows any symptoms whatsoever, so that’s the risk we take.

Hi Kim,

May I enquire what qualifications you have to work in retail that makes your opinion more valid than a vet nurse? If you have valid research and qualifications to reference regarding your views above I’d love to see them.

With respect, done correctly a vegan diet can be healthy for dogs as it can any omnivore, especially humans. Whilst I personally think that feeding dogs kibble of any form as their sole diet is a poor health choice, screaming statements and demeaning someone making a simple remark is poor form.

Perhaps you should keep your comments about diet respectful also and consider what happens with the environment before spouting your non researched opinions and being nasty.

Hi Lani, thank you for sharing the information, and I think the main thing is your Aussie bulldog is doing better on BIOpet Vegan. As much as I advocate meat diets for dogs, it has to be said most dogs are fed poor quality grain-based kibbles. With that in mind I’m not surprised some vegan dogs are healthier.

Some breeds, Bulldogs included, can be very susceptible to food intolerance. Sometimes genetic, sometimes from a previous diet, medication, or antibiotic which has disrupted their microbiome. When this is the case it can be hard to find a food which agrees with them, so we can only do the best we can to make sure they’re comfortable and happy!