We tend to feed our pets on the foods that we like – yes we are all guilty of it! I feel far less guilty now that I am vegan and have chosen to feed Ruff only on healthy vegan nutritious options rather than on the pizza crusts, sausages and ham that as a family we all used to treat him with!
The gut microbiome (the new term for our intestinal flora genetic material) has a big influence on the physical and mental health of all of us – our pets included. There are several complex factors that can alter an animal’s microbiome, for instance diet, stress and who they live with (a bit like us humans!)
Luis Pedro Coelho and his colleagues at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, in collaboration with Nestlé Research, studied the gut microbiome of beagles and retrievers. They found not only many similarities with other dog breeds but also with the human gut microbiome. Furthermore, he found out that our gut microbiome is more similar to the dog gut microbiome than those of pigs or mice – two organisms used frequently in model studies.
Speaking of the discovery, Luis Pedro Coelho says: “The results of this comparison suggest that we are more similar to man’s best friend than we originally thought.”
Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by humans, and we have frequently shared food resources and living quarters with our ‘best friends’ throughout history – in fact for the 25 000 years or more.
There are important implications and applications that extend from the discoveries of Dr Coelho and his colleagues. One of which is using the dog as a model for human gut microbiome studies and vice versa, as Dr Coelho explains: “These findings suggest that dogs could be a better model for nutrition studies than pigs or mice and we could potentially use data from dogs to study the impact of diet on gut microbiome in humans, and humans could be a good model to study the nutrition of dogs.”
Amazing isn’t it that we can be used as models to help our dogs rather than animals being used to benefit us!! There are research models underway where humans and dogs are treated for certain diseases with ‘donor samples of faeces’ from healthy individuals as shown in this article Stool Substitute Transplant Therapy.
It is well known that high fibre natural unprocessed foods carry far more of these healthy ‘good’ gut bacteria, so yet again, more proof that a vegetable-based diet is healthier for our pets….and for us!
Should All Dogs Go Plant-Based?
Dr Arielle Griffiths is interviewed on live TV Channel 5 and shows Jeremy Vine how delicious vegan dog food is
Beautiful Loki the Vizsla loves Give A Dog A Bean
He’s on Solo Vegetal, as I’ve always been a dry food feeder for convenience, but he goes absolutely nuts for your Give A Dog A Bean!
Oldest living dog Bobi dies aged 31!
How your dog can live as long as Bobi eating a wholefood balanced diet as oldest vegan dog lived until she was 25!
The kindest pet owner you can be
At this noisy time of fireworks, and at anytime, we advise on how to be the kindest pet owner that you can be!
Surrey Vet School Students Are Inspired
Hi Arielle, Thank you so much for coming this evening, it was a fantastic talk! We’d love to have you back to do another talk! Many thanks VetSoc Surrey
The transformation was unbelievable!!
A fascinating discovery by top Vet Oncologist Dr Clare Knottenbelt who put her own dog Jumble on a plant-based diet
Pets At Home Commits To Net Zero Goals
Pets At Home Commits To SustainabilityThis article from October 23 is enormously reassuring in how the big players such as Pets At Home are moving forward - Supporting sustainable pet owners An example of these kinds of environmental commitments can be found at...
Arthur the Diabetic Labrador thrives on his plant-based diet
Just as in humans, the best diet when suffering from diabetes, is a balanced fibre rich, plant-based diet
I’m proud to be the vegan owner of a healthy vegan Cockapoo
We can all be just so proud of what we are doing, and together let’s be the ones to pioneer what Prof Knight has started
I had previously tried him with Yumove tablets and saw no difference!
I recently trialled the Gold Dust along with the Algae oil with a 9 year old 40 kg English Bulldog that I look after who was struggling to lift his back legs to pee and go up and down the stairs
Kissy developed urinary tract problems
She was advised to go onto Royal Canin S/O which is high in wheat and corn gluten, animal fats, hydrolysed animal proteins, crushed shellfish, fish oil, soya oil and dehydrated poultry – nothing kind that suited Kissy!
Prof Andrew Knight’s studies continue!
Prof Knight’s latest study shows the remarkable environmental impact of dogs, cats and us going vegan and how it could quite literally save the planet!