Our little dog has stared into our souls while we’ve been nibbling on our favorite vegan cheeses, pleading with us to share some of the tasty plant-based cheese with them.
We decided to investigate whether or not it was safe to feed our dog vegan cheese.
Our little dog has stared into our souls while we’ve nibbled on our favorite vegan cheeses, pleading for us to share.
We decided to investigate whether or not it was safe to feed our dog vegan cheese.
It’s important to note that there isn’t a single “vegan cheese” that fits every scenario; however, we hope that we can help you navigate the nuances and provide you with some answers.
Can Dogs Eat Vegan Cheese?
The short answer to the question “Can dogs eat vegan cheese?” is “yes,” though only under certain conditions.
If you and your dog are both vegans, you might be able to share some vegan cheese. However, the fewer ingredients there are in the vegan cheese, the less likely it is that your dog will be able to eat it.
Vegan cheese is typically made with coconut oil or cashew nuts, both of which are healthy alternatives that are not toxic to canines.
Vegan cheese is safe for dogs to eat if it does not contain any harmful additives and the dogs are not allergic to it.
What is Vegan Cheese?
The term “vegan cheese” refers to a variety of cheese that does not contain any milk or other animal byproducts in its production. This indicates that there is no milk, cream, or rennet in the product.
Nuts, soybeans, and even coconut milk can all be used to create vegan cheese.
Animal products may be avoided in vegan cheese, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for dogs’ health.
Some vegan cheeses have undesirable additives like salt, fat, and sugar. If consumed in large quantities, these ingredients may be harmful to a dog’s health.
What Ingredients Are Used in Vegan Cheese
It is only possible to determine which vegan cheeses are safe for dogs to consume if we know exactly what those cheeses contain.
In another article, we go into greater detail about the components that make up vegan cheese. The primary ingredients will be discussed to determine whether or not they are safe for canine consumption.
Several of the most common components of vegan cheeses are listed below.
Coconut Oil
Some vegan cheeses are made with nut butters, while others use coconut oil.
Most of the branded vegan cheeses you find in supermarkets are made with coconut oil, which is one of the most common ingredients in vegan cheeses.
Salt
Keep in mind that some vegan cheeses do use salt, so double-check the ingredient list before feeding it to your dog if you’re trying something new.
Cashew Nuts
Vegan cheeses made from nuts, such as cashew nut cheese, are another option.
Many types of vegan cheese use cashew nuts; you’ve probably sampled some of them.
Note On Sodium In Vegan Cheese
The sodium content of vegan cheese is the primary concern when giving it to a dog. Even though vegan cheese has fewer calories, less sodium, and less protein than regular cheese, eating too much of it can still lead to health issues.
Symptoms of a high sodium intake include nausea, headache, drowsiness, tremors, a high body temperature, and possibly even seizures. Therefore, it is still critical to monitor the amount of intake introduced to your puppy’s diet.
Nutrition of Vegan cheese
The nutritional value of vegan cheeses varies. Depending on the manufacturer, a single slice of vegan cheese can have anywhere from 35 to 70 calories. A 50-calorie slice of dairy cheese.
Vegan cheese blocks can range in calories from 40 to 100 per ounce, while an ounce of traditional cheese contains 90 calories.
Compared to its dairy counterpart, the protein content of vegan cheese is lower. The less than one-ounce serving size is a contributing factor.
Vegan cheese slices contain only 1–2 grams of protein, while their dairy counterparts contain 4 grams. Vegan cheese blocks have between zero and four grams of protein per one ounce, compared to seven grams in their dairy counterparts.
The fat and saturated fat content of vegan cheese is often lower than that of dairy cheese. Sodium levels in vegan cheese may vary.
Vegan cheese’s sodium content can be higher or lower than dairy cheese’s, depending on the brand.
If you want to use vegan cheese as a source of calcium and vitamin D, you may need to supplement it.
Most vegan cheeses, with the exception of Galaxy’s Vegan & Rice Vegan cheese, are deficient in both calcium and vitamin D.
Soy foods (tofu, soy milk, etc.) that have been fortified with extra nutrients. Dark leafy greens and other dark leafy vegetables are also good sources of calcium.
Sunlight, vitamin D-fortified foods (like juices, cereals, and soymilk), and vitamin D-fortified calcium supplements are all good ways to get your daily dose of vitamin D.
What are the benefits of vegan cheese?
Vegan cheese may be good for your dog in several ways:
- Since there are no animal products in vegan cheese, it can be fed to dogs that are allergic to or intolerant of cow’s milk and other dairy products.
- In many cases, vegan cheese has fewer calories and less fat than its dairy counterpart. Dogs that are overweight or obese may benefit from this.
- The nuts and soy protein found in some plant-based cheeses are good for you.
There are vitamins and nutrients in these foods that could be beneficial to your dog.
However, not all vegan cheeses are suitable for canines. Salt, fat, and sugar are just some of the unhealthful ingredients found in some plant-based cheeses. The consumption of these ingredients in large quantities may be harmful to the health of dogs.
What are the risks of feeding vegan cheese to dogs?
You should be aware of the possible side effects of feeding your dog vegan cheese. To start, there are vegan cheeses out there that are loaded with salt, fat, and sugar that aren’t exactly good for you.
Ingesting excessive amounts of these substances may be harmful to a dog’s health. Second, some vegan cheeses contain nuts or soy that can be dangerous to dogs.
Before giving vegan cheese to your dog, make sure it’s safe for them to eat by consulting with your vet.
What Can Dogs Eat
Since dogs are obligate omnivores, they can get by on either meat or plants; the oldest dog on record was fed a vegan diet, and this trend is only expected to grow.
We won’t delve too deeply into that because there are plenty of other places to learn more about how to raise a canine vegan.
Most vegan cheeses contain coconut oil, salt, and cashew nuts, as we saw above; below, we investigate whether or not these ingredients are harmful to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Coconut Oil
First of all, you’ll notice that most dog foods include some form of oil, and that’s because it’s cheap to produce and helps bulk up the calories in the food. So coconut oil should be fine for your dog, right?
Article from UK Pets:
When cooked properly and served in sufficient quantities, it’s not only a tasty treat but also a healthy one.
The Dog Bakery’s Goodies
That first query is, of course, answered in the affirmative. The coconut meat is just as nutritious and beneficial for dogs as the oil. My dog absolutely adores the flavor of coconut oil, so I figured I might as well try other treats made with this healthy ingredient.
From AKC
While coconut is safe for canine consumption, the medium chain triglycerides it contains may lead to gas and bloating.
Dogs can safely consume the coconut oil found in many vegan cheeses.
Can Dogs Eat Cashew Nuts
One of the main ingredients in vegan cheese is cashews, which are also one of the main nuts used.
There are plenty of other nut varieties and even soya that can be used to make vegan cheeses, but in this article, we’ll focus on cashews and see if dogs can eat them.
From AKC
What about cashew nuts for my dog? For the most part, cashews are fine for canine consumption. Cashews, in contrast to macadamia nuts, are not harmful to canines.
Written by Rover
Although dogs seem to enjoy peanut butter, this does not mean that any other nuts are fine to give them. Though cashews are not toxic to dogs, some dogs may have severe allergic reactions to them. If you decide to feed your dog cashews, keep an eye out for any reactions.
Another resounding yes, cashew nuts are dog-friendly (especially considering how much our dog digs peanut butter).
Macadamia nuts are one nut that dogs should not eat, but other nuts and allergies should be watched for as well.
Can Puppies Eat Vegan Cheese?
No. Vegan cheese has been rumored to be lower in protein and calcium. Cheese is not a good choice as a puppy food because of the lack of protein.
It is important you feed your puppy with meat and other nutritional dog treats for their growth.
Can dogs have a Vegan diet?
Providing a vegan diet for dogs is possible. Vegan dog food can be purchased at pet stores, and homemade options are also available.
Vegan dog food is made exclusively of plant-based ingredients like fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, and nuts. Vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients are added to the vegan dog food of some people.
Even though most dogs can safely follow a vegan diet, it’s best to get your vet’s approval before switching your dog over.
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Conclusion
A dog’s diet should be relatively simple, and no more than 10% of their food should be vegan if you choose to feed it vegan cheese.
Some canines might not be able to stomach vegan cheese because they get sick to their stomachs when they smell it or because they have diarrhea after eating it. Never make any significant adjustments without first consulting your veterinarian.
Vegan cheeses come in a variety of flavors and textures, but the ones that use a combination of nuts, fruits, and vegetables tend to be the most delicious. It’s more likely that a pet will experience health issues if they consume highly processed foods.