Does My Dog Need Human Food to Be Healthy?

Are Vegetables and Other Foods Good For My Pet?

     A client recently posed a question on Patton Veterinary Hospital’s Facebook page asking whether it was necessary to feed dogs vegetables to keep them healthy.  This stemmed from a post she saw on a page called Planet Paws produced by a man named Rodney Habib who is a pet blogger.  Mr. Habib’s passion is pet nutrition, but he is neither a certified nutritionist nor a veterinarian.  So, while he seems to have a large following, any information he is posting is based on his personal experience and not necessarily on any real science.

               There are few studies demonstrating an absolute positive effect of feeding vegetables to pets.  A single 2005 study cited by Habib that looked at Scottish Terriers seemed to show a reduction in one particular type of bladder cancer in the group fed green and yellow vegetables.  However, there are many types of cancer, and just because there may be a benefit in feeding veggies to Scotties to reduce transitional cell carcinoma, it does not necessarily translate that feeding vegetables reduces cancer across the board in dogs.  There is so much individual genetic variation as well as environmental and nutritional variation among our pets that it is impossible to make broad claims that adding vegetables to their diets is beneficial.  More research is certainly needed, but many pets who eat only commercial kibble live normal, healthy lifespans. 

               So, should you feed a home cooked diet to your pet or add fruits and vegetables to her kibble?  Patton’s vets agree that, while there is generally no harm in supplementing a pet’s diet with appropriate vegetables or fruits (no onions or grapes, please!), if your pet is eating a balanced, commercial canned or dry diet, he or she should not need additional ingredients.  All of the doctors’ pets currently eat some form of commercial dry dog food.  I will also mention that some medical problems could be made worse by feeding veggies--notably, dogs with calcium oxalate bladder stones may actually have an increased tendency to form more stones if fed vegetables like spinach and beets which are high in oxalates. 

               There seems to be a current trend toward feeding pets organic, natural, raw, and grain-free diets.  If your personal beliefs inspire you to feed your dog an organic, home-prepared diet, we respect that and we can’t stop you.  But bear in mind that it can be a lot of work to actually meet all of a pet’s nutritional requirements with a home cooked diet.  If you want to do it right, you really should talk to a veterinary nutritionist.  I don’t know about you, but I have enough trouble cooking healthy meals for myself and my husband, let alone trying to make a balanced meal for two dogs every day!

            Calcium, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals are very easy to over or under supplement.  Raw food diets sound natural and appealing but can pose risks like Salmonella and other bacteria that could harm not only your pet but your family as well.  Pet obesity is also rampant and can occur in dogs being fed commercial dog foods and home cooked diets alike.  Dogs with food allergies or intestinal issues might benefit from a home cooked diet, but it could also be detrimental with the wrong ingredients.  Lack of proper nutrition can lead to medical poor health.

               The bottom line is that if you feel strongly that you want to give your dog a few vegetables or fruits or lean cooked meat with his or her diet, there is no harm in doing so (other than possible weight gain, so do it sparingly!)  But there is simply not enough information to suggest that a dog will be healthier or beat cancer because he is eating vegetables.  Please do your own research and look at trusted sources for nutrition and medical information about your pets.  We are always happy to answer questions about what to feed your pet.

               This Blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding areas.