By Donna Campisano, specialist, Communications, APHL

The raw pet food business is booming, increasing 20% in 2021 alone. Many pet owners think raw pet food more precisely mimics the diet of their pets’ wild ancestors and perceive it to be a healthier, tastier alternative to dry kibble.

But looks can be deceiving—and serving your pet raw food can be dangerous to you, your pet and even the environment.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing

Commercially available raw food—packed with meat, vegetables and eggs—looks healthy and tasty. And when it’s formulated with the input of a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, it may also be nutritionally sound (something that’s hit-or-miss with home-prepared raw foods).

But a major danger with raw pet food is not just its potential to be nutrient deficient, it’s the fact that raw foods—particularly raw meat and eggs—can be teeming with any number of pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli (E. coli).

“Pets can acquire infections from these bacteria just the way humans can,” said Julie Breher, DVM, MPVM, a veterinarian with the County of San Diego Public Health Laboratory and a member of APHL’s Human and Animal Food Committee. “And while dogs and cats don’t always become sick, some will become quite ill.”

Last September and October, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued advisories cautioning consumers not to feed their pets certain Darwin Natural Pet Products and Answers Pet Food raw food for dogs and cats. Both companies had pet food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella. FDA recommended throwing the products away in secure containers that people and animals can’t access and thoroughly cleaning all exposed dishes, utensils and containers.

How raw pet food can spread illness

Wishbone and Whiskers aren’t the only ones apt to get sick from bacteria-contaminated pet food. You and your family can inadvertently get infected, too.

Transmission is possible, for example, by touching the raw food and then touching your mouth. Or by not thoroughly cleaning utensils and food bowls. Or by giving your pet with raw food on its mouth some ill-placed kisses.

In 2018, the Minnesota Department of Health received reports of four cases of Salmonella Reading, a serotype not typically found in humans. Two of the cases involved siblings living in a household that fed their pet raw dog food. The parents claimed that the children—one of whom developed a blood and bone infection due to the Salmonella—did not have direct contact with the food, suggesting they may have been exposed by interacting with the dog.

Another prime way germs are spread is through your pet’s feces. And that can be a danger not just for you (when you pick up the poop, for example), but also the environment.

“When a dog or cat ingests a raw food with Salmonella in it,” explained Breher, “then they, at least temporarily, are more likely to shed those organisms in their stool.”

And when the contaminated stool gets exposed to the soil, widespread problems can occur. Crops grown in the soil can be tainted. Feces can enter water sources. It’s the perfect example of how animal health impacts human health impacts environmental health. What’s more, raw food can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria, contributing to the rise of antibiotic resistance in both humans and animals, Breher said.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend feeding dogs and cats raw pet food—and that can include things like rawhide treats and freeze-dried food toppers. If you opt to do so anyway, CDC suggests consulting with your veterinarian. They can tell you what to look for in a raw diet, how to properly store the food and best practices to avoid infection. FDA advises that consumers who feed their pets raw pet food handle the products carefully. Raw food should be kept away from other food, food left uneaten should be refrigerated promptly and consumers should thoroughly wash their hands and all utensils after handling raw items. It’s also important that you do not kiss your pet near their mouth or allow them to lick your face, especially after they’ve eaten raw food.

The post Feeding Fido a Raw Diet? Why It Can Harm Your Pet and Your Family appeared first on APHL Blog.

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