{"id":180335,"date":"2025-10-05T13:27:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T13:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/180335\/"},"modified":"2025-10-05T13:27:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T13:27:13","slug":"why-lewis-hamilton-was-100-right-to-make-his-beloved-bulldog-roscoe-a-vegan-by-pip-tomson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/180335\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Lewis Hamilton was 100% right to make his beloved bulldog Roscoe a vegan, by PIP TOMSON"},"content":{"rendered":"

Just like Lewis Hamilton<\/a>‘s late dog Roscoe, my dog Billy was a vegan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And just like Lewis Hamilton, I was slammed by ignorant numpties who said I needing reporting to the RSPCA.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the time, it did feel a bit uncomfortable admitting that ‘My dog is a vegan’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But today, I’m forever grateful to those who advised that putting my Tibetan Terrier on a plant-based diet was the best course of action.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And the kindest thing I could do for him. Now before you start spitting out bits of your Shepherd’s Pie, let me explain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Billy was 13-years-old when his interest in food started to wane.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Namely his high quality, grain-free kibble.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First, I put it down to him being a fussy so and so. Or so I thought.<\/p>\n

\"Pip <\/p>\n

Pip Tomson always felt awkward admitting her\u00a0Tibetan Terrier Billy (pictured together)\u00a0 was a vegan but she said it helped save his life after his interest in regular meaty kibble declined<\/p>\n

\"Billy <\/p>\n

Billy was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Pip was advised to put him on a vegan diet to ensure he was no longer in pain\u00a0<\/p>\n

But coupled with this change in appetite was a marked change in vocal ability.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This quiet, relaxed dog suddenly found his voice, barking relentlessly which gave the impression he was hungry.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But still he wouldn’t touch food. It got so bad that we resorted to putting him in the car in the evening (a safe space which he adored) just for a little respite.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We tempted him with anything and everything.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scrambled egg? Nope.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fresh chicken? No.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A sprinkling of cheese? Not on your nelly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Something was seriously off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So Billy was referred to a veterinary surgeon, specialising in internal medicine and clinical nutrition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He underwent various tests while we prepared ourselves for the worst. A cancerous lump had already been removed two years previous.<\/p>\n

After thousands of pounds worth of scans (thank god for pet insurance), tests and a feeding tube to get some nourishment into him, Billy was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).\u00a0<\/p>\n

An extremely painful condition which causes inflammation in any part of the digestive tract such as the stomach and intestines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some breeds of dog are genetically predisposed to it. Symptoms can include weight loss, vomiting and – in Billy’s case – a massively decreased appetite and loose stools.<\/p>\n

The diagnosis was a relief. The specialist informed me that Billy could no longer eat regular dog food, meat, fish or dairy and needed to embark on an incredibly boring and bland diet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In other words, go vegan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Lewis <\/p>\n

Lewis Hamilton’s beloved Bulldog Roscoe was also on a vegan diet like his famous owner before the 12-year-old rescue died earlier this week<\/p>\n

\"Pip <\/p>\n

Pip was relieved to have a diagnosis but surprised that\u00a0Billy could no longer eat regular dog food, meat, fish or dairy and needed to embark on an incredibly boring and bland diet<\/p>\n

‘Think of it as tough love,’ I was advised.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘You need to do this Pip otherwise he’ll be in pain all over again. So just be strong and don’t let him break you.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is easier said than done.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I feared that he might stop eating altogether but then I read that dogs can only go for several days without food. Cats longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He’d eventually capitulate. The first time Billy ate his hydrolysed protein food was one heck of a celebration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the first time in weeks, he was satisfied on a full tummy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

No more barking or restless behaviour. Some days were hit and miss but we were on the right road. I don’t want to get too graphic but his poos were quality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Easy for him to dispense and easy for me to collect.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I was so elated about this that I sent my family photos.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Only true dog lovers will understand this.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Six months down the line and Billy’s health transformed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Pip's <\/p>\n

Pip’s beloved pooch was healthy and happy before he passed away at 16 years old and Pip is sure\u00a0that being on a plant-based diet gave him that extra time and vitality<\/p>\n

He was pain-free, gobbled up his vegan feast with vegetable accompaniments and demolished his raw carrot afterwards.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the age of 15 he was still running round the fields, easily overtaking my other two dogs if they tried to race him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Billy passed away on his 16th birthday last December.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I have no doubt that being on a plant-based diet gave him that extra time and vitality.<\/p>\n

As all us dog guardians know from wretched experience, Lewis Hamilton will be hurting like hell right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But I hope he’s found comfort in the knowledge that Roscoe lived a long and luxurious life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In no small part due to a plant-based diet. Just like my Billy.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Just like Lewis Hamilton‘s late dog Roscoe, my dog Billy was a vegan.\u00a0 And just like Lewis Hamilton,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180336,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[97,519,59,832,86,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-180335","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-femail","10":"tag-gb","11":"tag-lewis-hamilton","12":"tag-technology","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}