Lewis Hamilton slammed by experts for giving pet dog ‘dangerous’ vegan diet

Lewis Hamilton has been slammed by animal experts for giving his pet dog a "dangerous" vegan diet.

The Formula One champion recently claimed that a vegan plant-based diet had cured his eight-year-old British bulldog Roscoe's ailments.

The 35-year-old said his pet has been "fully vegan" since July and that he's now "like a puppy again" after suffering from skin allergies and breathing problems.

But animal experts have warned that giving dogs a meat-free diet can actually lead to a deficiency in some vital vitamins that they need, Daily Mail reports.

Nicole Paley, of the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association, said: "We advise that vegan diets – with no animal products – are carefully checked by a vet or animal nutritionist."

Television vet Dr Scott Miller, who has been an expert at BBC's Crufts, warned that meat-free diets could be "extremely dangerous" for dogs and cats.

He said: "Dogs and cats have sharper teeth for catching meat. As much as it makes sense for you to be a vegan, when it comes to our pets it’s going to prove problematic."

Lewis has been a proud vegan for a number of years and has been very vocal about the benefits of the lifestyle.

And he says Roscoe has seen the benefits too.

Sharing snaps of them together at the beach, Lewis wrote on Instagram : "This is Roscoe, I’ve had him for 8 years now. He loves to travel, he loves sticks, loves basketball and football.

"He ate normal dog food all of his life, as well as food with meat in it. His breathing has always been bad, which meant he was never able to walk very far and his joints would hurt. He also had skin allergies.

"3 months ago, I decided to transition him to a vegan diet. It has changed his life. He now doesn’t have any breathing issues, his throat is no longer restricted, and he doesn’t overheat like he did before and he loves to run. He also has no allergy issues. He’s like a puppy again!

"It’s been amazing to see these changes in Roscoe and I’m so grateful to be able to share this. That said, I always recommend consulting with your vet before making any changes to your pet’s diet to ensure their nutritional needs are being met – which is the most important thing."

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