Toby the Border Terrier’s transformation on a plant-based diet

Have weaned him off steroids and has had a couple of mild flare ups in the 18 months, but he just doesn’t thrive that well. His coat is dull. He does hold weight (if I feed him a lot) but he has no top line and is tucked up through the flanks. He is constantly hungry and scavenging for food, eats his own poo, generally unsettled and eats any tissues that he finds. I know all Borders can be cheeky but he is unsettled in his behaviour.

He is active and fit and properly walked but even so I can just tell he could feel better. He is a prolific pooer! I have been very nervous to try any other food, given that the vets have told me that he can’t be on any other food other than the Royal Canin.

I would agree that his problems are diet related ie allergic to certain proteins, I suspect chicken, turkey etc. I have tried fish but I’m not sure. My other dog, labrador, is fed on Skinners Salmon & Rice and Toby can’t have this either.”

To be honest, when I read Toby’s history, my heart leapt with excitement as I just knew that transitioning him to a balanced plant-based diet would make the world of difference and sort out all his problems. When I did get to speak to Toby’s Mum however, I realised that my job to convince her was not going to be an easy one!

She owned horses and was extremely knowledgeable about horse diets and management but she knew nothing about plant-based diets for humans and even less for dogs. How I admired that she was open-minded enough to contact me for the sake of Toby’s health.

Then there is the fear of change and going against what her vet recommended. This is the hardest one for all of us to stand up against a professional! She confessed to having spent over £4000 on all the tests and treatment in diagnosing his condition but confessed too that with all the money and testing, Toby still was not right and not happy. So with much hesitation and concern that she was doing the right thing, but equally with nothing else working, she agreed to at least give it a try and listen to my gentle but thorough persuasion over Zoom. I made her promise to let me know how Toby got on and here was her e-mail that absolutely lit up my Inbox just 3 weeks later……..