Is it normal to have a vegetarian dog that drinks a lot?

Question

plz help.
i found out that my dog is a vegetarian and red meat just passes through him. He will eat the meat but it passes through he very quickly.
does he have a medical problem.
He also likes to drink a lot of water and is this a problem aswell.

he is a collie dog.

feed him normal tinned food from local supermarkets.
dry food aswell.

Answer 1

ive honestly never heard of a dog being a vegetarian! But than again, it could be true! if the dog is drinking alot of water, or if u noticed that he started drinking more then usual, he could have diabetes. you should ask your vet about this, and possibly get him tested. good luck.

Answer 2

It sounds like your Collie has a sensitive tummy. If you're in the UK there is a feed called Supadog. It is a dry feed and comes in chicken or lamb. You could try him on that and see how he gets on. As for the other problem you have with him drinking a lot of water....this could be a seperate issue to the feed. Pop your Collie to the vets for a check-up because he could be diabetic. Have a word with your vet about him passing red meat quickly through his system too. If it is diabetes it can be treated with medication so don't worry. We have a friend who has a dog with diabetes and he leads a normal doggy lifestyle. xx

Answer 3

Canine's are carnivores so eating 'red meat' and it 'passing right through' is a problem -- although I am not sure what you mean because later you say you feed him commercial dog food and not 'red meat' ... Are you saying you feed him the canned food that as the red food coloring in it? If so they don't digest the food coloring so their stools will be colored like that -- it isn't the best food at all to feed him. Also, your dog isn't a 'vegitarian' - again, they are meat eaters by nature and if you are feeding him veggies, odds are he isn't digesting them as dogs can't digest plain veggies due to the cellular membrane of plant material. The excess drinking of water can be from feeding him bad dog food -- high levels of sodium...

I would take him to a vet, get him checked out -- start him on a GOOD dog food -- the internet is filled with information on good quality dog foods and the local grocery store isn't where you will find ANYTHING good unless you feed a raw regimen -- which you should learn a LOT more about before attempting...

Answer 4

Do you actually know what a vegetarian is? It's a human (not an animal) that doesn't eat meat. It is not someone who can't digest meat. Animals that do not eat meat are herbivores, and dogs are not herbivores, they are carnivores.

Your dog does eat meat, as you've said. He is a carnivore. What exactly do you mean by 'passing straight through him' anyway? Does dog food drop out his back end?!

If he's not digesting food properly, and if he really is drinking excessively then yes, this could certainly be a medical condition. Excess drinking may indicate diabetes, but it could also indicate kidney problems, which is more likely if your dog does indeed have problems digesting food (malabsorption)

Chalice

Answer 5

There is no such thing as a dog that is vegetarian unless it is the owner who imposes that diet on it. If red meat doesnt agree with him, try chicken or some other type but again, it sounds like this has been happening for some time. Why on earth are you wasting time posting questions which should be directed at a vet.

Answer 6

Definately not normal - dogs are omnivores, will eat anything that appeals to them - no such thing as a vegetarian dog.

Take your dog to a vet fast.

By the way, a good dry is a lot better for him that tinned, which is mostly water. Try a dry that lists meat as the first product, no corn meal fillers.
Canidae is good if you can get it in your area.

Your dog needs to see a vet, soon.

Answer 7

We had a friend with a Border Collie who suffered with much the same problems. He ended up on the Science Plan diet from the vets, which was the only thing that seemed to suit him. It eventually transpired that the dog had diabetes....and in view of the fact your dog drinks a lot, it might be well worth asking your vet to check for this. ( And, if you don't have it already, get your pet insured!)

Answer 8

Dogs do not do well on a vegetarian diet. They are carnivores and as such need meat/protein in some form.
What are you feeding your dog? Dog food?
I suspect something is not right with this dog and I would strongly suggest you see a Vet. for nutrition counseling and possible tests to see what's wrong with his system.
MJP

Answer 9

Have you tried feeding your dog food from the following suppliers?

http://www.veggiepets.com/

Finding your dog fresh red meat (if that was the case) then it was probably just not suitable for him..maybe even too rich. If you really want to have a vegetarian dog then you really should consider feeding him properly.

Alternatively it could be your dog has a real sensitive tummy, take him to the vets and seek advice from your vet regarding a vegetarian feeding programme.......if that is what you want.

Answer 10

Dogs are omnivores and can live very well on a vegetarian diet. Drinking a lot can have several causes from kidney problems to diabetes. Take your dog and a sample of his urine to the vet and get it sorted.