Pet project

Pet parents are adopting human diets for their furry friends, which has health experts concerned
Sundeep and Swagatha with their pets
Sundeep and Swagatha with their pets

BENGALURU: Is there anyone who hasn’t tried a diet fad in Bengaluru? Intermittent fasting, paleo, vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan...the list goes on. But what’s interesting is that in recent times, some pet parents are putting their furry friends on the same diet as theirs.

However, vets seem to be concerned that pets are not getting the right amount of nutrition they require. Anand Vishwanath, the founder of Anvis Inc, a platform connecting pet parents to verified pet professionals, says putting dogs on such a diet can alter their behaviour.

“One of the first things we do when pet parents come to us is to check the pet’s diet and analyse his/her health. We often notice that a change in their meals helps improve their behaviour as well,” explains Vishwanath, who points out that the pets are already at an escalated level when they are approached.

Sundeep Dhar, a professional pet nutritionist and the founder of Canine Craving, a food company providing healthy dietary options for pets, says animal s are instinct ive ly carnivorous.

“Honestly, when I was growing up and we fed the street dogs, we used to give them the usual dal, rice, cooked vegetables and so on, and never found much of a difference. Having said that, over time, we’ve noticed that due to the many changes the planet has gone through, their life span has also reduced. So, it’s safe to say that while these diets might be good for them temporarily, it’s not advised as a long-term solution,” says Dhar, who also runs the company with wife Swagata.

While he’s completely in favour of veganism, he says it’s not a lifestyle pets can adopt. “No matter how many supplements you try to give them, you are essentially depriving them of their actual eating habits and setting them up for a tiring future,” he says.

However, web developer Prajwal Kumar disagrees. “All the dogs I’ve raised growing up have been vegetarian as I am one too. They never made a fuss...neither have we noticed anything wrong with their lifestyle.”

Suhasini Viswanathan, chief nutritionist at Qua Nutrition Clinics, follows a vegetarian lifestyle. She has a one-year-old rescue dog whom she considered putting on a vegetarian lifestyle too.

“I debated about it a lot and even wanted to put my dog on the same diet. But after doing a lot of research and speaking to people about it, I realised that it wasn’t the wisest option. Doctors recommend putting them on a plant-based diet if they are sick, just a temporary solution, but it can’t be a full-fledged diet they can be on,” she explains.

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