Study Finds Minimal Evidence to Support Benefits of Vegan Diets for Dogs: University of Liverpool Research

The University of Liverpool recently revisited a study on vegan diets for dogs, finding minimal evidence to support earlier claims about their benefits. According to the new analysis, there appears to be little correlation between feeding dogs a vegan diet and owners’ perceptions of their pets’ health.

The original research, published in April 2022, suggested that dogs fed either a raw meat or vegan diet fared better than those fed a conventional diet. However, the new analysis by researchers at the University of Liverpool challenges these findings. Professor Alex German pointed out that the original study relied solely on owner survey data and had an observational design, which could only suggest possible correlations and not causality.

The University of Liverpool researchers conducted further statistical analyses on the original study dataset, taking into account variables such as the age of the dog, owner demographics, and veterinary care. They found that owner opinions of dog health were most strongly associated with the age of the dog, with other variables like owner age, education, and breed size also playing a role. Interestingly, the association between owner opinions of health and feeding a vegan diet to dogs was minimal in all best-fit models.

Professor Richard Barrett-Jolley emphasized the importance of considering variables other than dog diet when assessing the health of pets. The study, published in PLOS ONE, underwent a rigorous peer review process, with the senior author of the original paper acting as a reviewer. The details of the review process, statistical analyses, and code used are all available alongside the paper.

In conclusion, while the new study does not definitively determine the best diet for dogs, it highlights the importance of considering various factors beyond diet when assessing the health of pets.