A raw meat diet for pets could actually be dangerous

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 raw meat diet for pets
Copyright: tatyanagl / 123RF Stock Photo

Experts from The Netherlands are warning dog and cat owners to be aware of the risks associated with feeding their pets raw meat-based diets (RMBDs), instead of the more conventional dry or canned pet foods.

According to research published this month in Veterinary Record, these diets may be contaminated with bacteria and parasites and as such, may pose a risk to both animal and human health.

Feeding RMBDs to companion animals has become increasingly popular across the world, yet claims of health benefits are not backed by evidence, and several studies have reported possible risks.

Of most concern, however, is the risk to public or animal health due to contamination of RMBDs with zoonotic bacteria and parasites, that can pass between animals and humans.

So, a team at Utrecht University set out to determine the presence of four zoonotic bacteria and two parasite species in commercial RMBDs, available in most pet shops and supermarkets.

When they analysed 35 commercial frozen RMBDs from eight different brands, widely available in The Netherlands, they found E. coli O157 in eight products, Listeria in 15 products, and salmonella in seven products. Both E. coli O157 and salmonella infections in humans have been linked with serious illnesses.

In addition, four products contained the parasite Sarcocystis cruzi and another four Sarcocystis tenella. In two products, Toxoplasma gondii was found. The Sarcocystes species are not zoonotic but pose a risk to farm animals. T gondii is an important zoonosis with a high disease burden in humans.

“Despite the relatively low sample size of frozen products in our study, it is clear that commercial RMBDs may be contaminated with a variety of zoonotic bacteria and parasitic pathogens that may be a possible source of bacterial infections in pet animals and if transmitted pose a risk for human beings,” the researchers said.

“Cats and dogs that eat raw meat diets are also more likely to become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than animals on conventional diets, which could pose a serious risk to both animal health and public health.”

3 COMMENTS

  1. Grossly uneducated article. Sure, processed kibble filled with garbage, fake flavors and ingredients that cause inflamation such as rice is better. Moronic. Paid by the big pet food companies or big pharma? Likely both. We already know veterinarians get limited nutrition education and what they do get comes from kibble companies. Here you go au: [Brand name redacted] Ingredients based on their website, in order: Wholegrains, wheat, sorghum, meat meal (beef & lamb), cooked cereal meal, poultry meal, hominy, wheaten pollard, tallow, salt, vitamins A, D3, E, K, B1, B6, B12, niacin, biotin, folic, pantothenate, choline, minerals, zinc, iron, iodine, preservative. NO MEAT, ALL GARBAGE, AND FILLER…SURE THIS IS BETTER THAN A BONE IN STEAK. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA How dumb.

    • Thank you for your thoughtful comment. The article reports on research undertaken in the Netherlands which was, to the best of our knowledge, independent. Certainly, we received no payment for running it. All the best, the Vet Practice editorial team.

  2. Dear Sirs, I am very interested in this topic and particularly the research performed for the paper. On the strength of this paper a number of animal assistance charities have banned all visiting pets fed on a raw diet. What has not been addressed anywhere (that I can see) is a comparison between raw food contaminants and commercial pet food comtaminants; actual probabilistic risks of infection transfer and mechanism; and historic statistics of cross infection. I would be very grateful for any citations.

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