We’re halfway through this year’s National Arthritis Week, and couldn’t let it pass without sharing one of our Founder’s very personal experiences. Dr. Guy has been caring for his dog Bondie since before he became a vet, and became his guardian when Bondie was a young puppy. He is a very handsome black Labrador, and is currently heading towards his 16th birthday! (And he will be getting a very yummy plant-based feast to help him celebrate!)

Bondie is doing brilliantly, he loves his Omni, he loves his walks (which are briefer and more gentle these days), and still enjoys playing with toys and meeting friends.  However things weren’t always so good.  A few years ago, Bondie developed arthritis.  Guy recognised the signs early (thanks to his training as a vet), seeing his gorgeous dog slowing down, becoming less active, less agile, and not as interactive as he used to be.  He quickly started him on the available treatment, which saw an improvement, and also used his knowledge and skills to introduce new medications when he could tell that Bondie needed extra help.

Bondie has been so lucky, his pain has been well managed and controlled, and Guy has taken extra steps to help his doggy companion and slow the progression of this disease.  These include using orthopaedic bedding to support Bondie’s joints while he rests, nutritional supplements to help Bondi’s joint health (look out for our upcoming vegan supplement range - which includes a joint support 1-a-day soft chew), and using brain games to keep Bondi entertained and happy, even when he can’t go for the long walks they used to enjoy so much.

Arthritis can be a crippling condition, limiting movement, and causing chronic pain, which is exhausting.  It affects around 80% of dogs over 8 years old, and 35% of dogs of all ages.  Potential risk factors include being overweight, large breeds, and congenital joint problems.  Dogs don’t always show they are hurting, but stiffness, lameness, and slowing down are all signs that it is time to visit the vet, and see what they can do to help.

We love dogs, and we all especially love Bondie, and with the right support, we can make sure that we give dogs the best life we can 💚

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5884849/#CR8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7198754/

FAQs

But aren’t dog’s carnivores?

Dogs are in fact nutritional omnivores as demonstrated by a robust scientific study published in the reputable journal Nature (1,2) in which it was shown that they have 30 copies of the AMY2B gene responsible for digesting plant-based foods.

They have also evolved relatively long intestines (21) (almost as long as humans) and relatively flat surfaces on their molars (31, 22) which they use for digesting and chewing a whole range of foods.

The common misconception that dogs are carnivores probably arises from the fact that they are classified in the order Carnivora but so are plenty of other species like bears, skunks, racoons who are omnivores and even the giant panda who thrives on a plant-based diet (20).

Is plant protein digestible to dogs?

Absolutely yes, studies which have looked at how much protein dogs can absorb from plant-based and fungi-based foods like soya and yeast demonstrated over 75% digestibility which is on par with meat-based foods (23, 24, 34, 35 & 25).

Both these protein sources also contain all 10 essential amino acids (36, 37) that dogs need to thrive.

Isn't there too much fibre in plant-based food?

The average amount of fibre in a commercial dog food diet is between 2-4%. omni’s plant-powered recipe has a fibre content of 3% which is on par with meat- based diets.

In our survey with over 200 dog owners, 100% reported that their dog’s stool consistency was either ‘normal’ or ‘perfect’ and there were no reports of any digestive upsets (data on file).

Can I mix omni with other meat-based diets?

We are proud that our recipes are nutritionally complete and so include everything your dog needs to thrive. This means omni can be fed as a sole ration. We also fully support a 'flexitarian approach' like meat free lunches or using omni as a mixer.

Every little helps to bring some of the health and environmental benefits of plant-power to meal times. Mixing omni with meat/fish will help to add variety into your dog’s diet whilst adding in healthy ingredients with a relatively low carbon footprint.

Can plant-based food provide the essential fatty acids dogs need?

All the essential fats and oils that dogs need, including omegas 3 and 6 are found in a variety of both meat and plant-based foods (31, 28).

omni’s recipe is rich in plant-based sources of these nutrients so your dog will get all the essentials they need.

I hear a lot about feeding raw meat, isn’t that better?

Feeding raw meat to dogs has become a very popular trend in recent years, but most vets will warn against this practise. This is because the cooking process is vital to help kill off dangerous bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter (9) that have necessitated several food recalls from the market and caused serious illness and even death in both dogs and their owners (40, 41, & 42).

There are also several worms and parasites that are only killed off when raw meat is cooked. Dogs are dogs, not wolves and thanks to their domestication over thousands of years, thankfully don’t need to hunt to get their grub nor do they need to eat raw meat, it's just not worth the risk.

References

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