What are the benefits and risks of a raw food diet for pets?

Benefits and Risks of Raw Food Diets for Pets

Raw food diets for pets pose significant health risks that outweigh potential benefits due to bacterial contamination concerns, making commercial cooked diets a safer choice for both pets and their owners. 1

What is a Raw Food Diet?

A raw food diet for pets typically consists of:

• Uncooked meat, organs, and bones
• Sometimes includes raw eggs, fruits, and vegetables
• May be homemade or commercially prepared frozen/fresh products
• Often marketed as "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food" (BARF) or Raw Meat-Based Diets (RMBDs)

Risks of Raw Food Diets

Microbiological Hazards

• Bacterial contamination: Raw pet foods consistently show high levels of pathogenic bacteria including:

  • Salmonella species
  • Listeria
  • E. coli (including shiga toxin-producing strains)
  • Campylobacter 1, 2

• Zoonotic disease risk: These pathogens can be transmitted to humans through:

  • Direct contact with the raw food
  • Contact with pet feces
  • Contact with pet food dishes
  • Pet saliva after eating 1

• Antimicrobial resistance: Raw pet foods commonly exceed hygiene thresholds for Enterobacteriaceae counts, which often carry resistance to critically important antibiotics 1

Nutritional Concerns

• Nutritional imbalances: Homemade raw diets are frequently nutritionally inadequate 3

  • 30.4% of owners modify prescribed homemade diets
  • 40% do not adequately control ingredient amounts
  • 73.9% do not use recommended amounts of oils and salt
  • 34.8% incorrectly use vitamin and mineral supplements 3

• Food safety issues: General food safety guidelines recommend avoiding raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs due to contamination risks 4

Perceived Benefits of Raw Diets

According to pet owners who feed raw diets, perceived benefits include:

• Improved coat condition
• Better dental health
• General health improvements
• More "natural" diet similar to wild ancestors 5

However, scientific evidence supporting these claims is limited. While some studies show altered intestinal microbiome and subjectively improved stool quality, there is currently no robust evidence for many of the other claimed benefits 1.

Food Safety Recommendations

If owners choose to feed raw diets despite the risks, they should follow these food safety practices:

• Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw pet food
• Clean and disinfect all surfaces and utensils that contact raw food
• Keep raw pet food separate from other foods
• Store raw pet food according to manufacturer instructions
• Discard uneaten raw food promptly
• Prevent pets from licking people's faces after eating raw food 4

Veterinary Considerations

There appears to be a communication gap between veterinarians and raw-feeding pet owners:

• Raw feeders tend to rate their veterinarian's nutritional knowledge lower
• Raw feeders rate their own nutritional knowledge higher than owners feeding commercial cooked diets
• Only 12.5% of raw feeders rate commercial cooked diets as highly nutritious 5

Conclusion

The scientific evidence indicates that raw food diets pose significant health risks to both pets and their human families. While some pet owners report subjective benefits, these must be weighed against the documented risks of pathogen transmission and nutritional imbalances. Commercial cooked diets that meet established nutritional standards remain the safer choice for most pets.

For those determined to feed alternative diets, consultation with a veterinary nutritionist is recommended to ensure nutritional adequacy while minimizing health risks.