STORY
How my dog Nelson – food allergy sufferer – became a vegan
German Shepherd mix Nelson lived to the age of 16 and lived vegan for 8 years. He came from an animal shelter and was adopted at the age of 2. Nelson suffered from food intolerance for years. The vets were at a loss. They tried everything the market had to offer: hypoallergenic dry and wet food from vets; horse meat, kangaroo meat, ostrich meat - the entire range of exotic meats that vets recommend for food intolerances; with potatoes, without potatoes, and even raw meat feeding, known as BARF. Nothing brought the desired results. The itchy skin and gastrointestinal problems did not improve. At some point, Nelson's vet advised him to avoid all animal protein. Vegan for the dog? I thought that was a joke. "How is that supposed to work?", "Is that even species-appropriate?" were just a few of the many questions.
Because I was so desperate, I wanted to try everything and asked a vet to create recipes for me to cook myself. After 4 weeks, Nelson was free of symptoms. However, the cooking was very time-consuming.
The problem was that many vegan ready-made foods were called complete foods, but they lacked essential additives such as taurine, carnitine and vitamin B12, which must be included in a complete food. I decided to fill this gap and started looking for a veterinarian specializing in animal nutrition to work with her to develop the first vegan, grain-free and 100% complete food that meets all of the animal's needs.
This is how VEGDOG was born.
The recipe development took over a year. Sample batches were repeatedly produced and tested in the laboratory for their nutritional content until the goal was achieved. The demands on food for your own dog are extremely high - it makes a big difference whether you are developing food for your own dog or whether economic interests are in the foreground. At the beginning of 2016 the time had come. The first cans went on the market. VEGDOG is now sold throughout Europe (dealers) and is pleased with the constantly growing influx. Behind VEGDOG is the founders Tessa Zaune-Figlar and Valerie Henssen, a motivated team of veterinarians, dog owners, vegans and do-gooders - all united by the passion to produce healthy dog food that also protects animals and the environment (our team). At VEGDOG, the use of high-quality, regional ingredients wherever possible and gentle processing in compliance with the highest German quality standards in a German production facility are the top priority. To ensure 100 percent coverage of requirements, we add a mineral powder and a very special algae to supply omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
A food allergy in dogs is a very painful topic: the dog is in pain and the solution is not found in a simple medication. Often, after a food allergy or intolerance is first diagnosed, medication is used. Although these relieve the symptoms in the first step, they do not solve the original problem. The search for a suitable solution can sometimes take years. This was the case with Nelson (you can find his story here). More and more dogs are suffering from the same illness as Nelson: food allergy . Many dog owners, like Tessa at the beginning of Nelson's illness, are not aware that animal proteins are one of the main allergens in dogs. In a meta-analysis by the University of Munich (link), meaningful studies from recent years on the subject of food intolerance in dogs were summarized and evaluated. Dermatological symptoms (itchy skin, ear infections, etc.) are by far the most common in dogs with food intolerances. Gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) are also found, but much less often than skin problems.
In this study, various allergens were tested that are considered to be the most clinically important in Europe . The following allergens caused the most reactions in the dogs that tested positive and can therefore be considered the main allergens in dogs: beef (34% of dogs had a positive reaction), dairy products (17% of dogs had a positive reaction), chicken (15% of dogs had a positive reaction), lamb (14.5% of dogs had a positive reaction), wheat (13% of dogs had a positive reaction).
With VEGDOG we avoid all of these main allergens and thus offer a healthy alternative for severe food allergy sufferers like Nelson. VEGDOG covers the needs and is 100% plant-based and gluten-free. The ADULT Lentils & Millet and SENIOR Peas & Millet varieties contain potatoes, among other things, to which a few dogs also react (very rarely, but still sometimes). For these, we recommend our SENSITIVE lupin protein variety or our GREEN CRUNCH dry food.
In contrast, or in addition, some four-legged friends react to so-called food mites. These are small arachnids whose presence in dry food cannot always be avoided. Contrary to popular belief, freezing the food is not a suitable method for treating the allergy. The mites are then dead, but still contained in the food. They are therefore still recognized by the dog's body as an allergy trigger. In this case, we recommend feeding only wet food and/or home-cooked rations.
