Raw Diets: Information for Clients

A study following therapy dogs over the course of one year. Recording diet history showed raw-fed dogs were 17 times as likely to be shedding multi-resistant E. coli compared to non-raw-fed dogs. Lefebvre et. Al, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2009

A study of healthy dogs in households fed a commercial or homemade raw diet were greater than 5 times as likely to be shedding Salmonella than other dogs. Leonard et all, Zoonoses and Public Health, 2010

A study investigating therapy dogs in Ontario and Alberta showed raw-fed dogs were 23 times as likely to be shedding Salmonella and 17 times as likely to be shedding multidrug resistant E. coli. Lefebvre et al, Zoonoses and Public Health, 2008

Campylobacter jejuni was found in the feces on 2.6% of raw-fed dogs and Salmonella was found in 14% of raw-fed dogs. Neither was found in any dogs not fed raw meat. Lenz et al, Canadian Veterinary Journal, 2009

Intensively farmed livestock (meat products purchased from a grocery store or speciality shop) pose a much greater risk of being contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and Listeria than wild meat.

Although the majority of dogs do not show signs associated with the above mentioned bacteria, some will in fact have diarrhea and/or vomiting and pass these contaminants on to their owners.

The following recommendations are for owners considering feeding raw-fed diets:

1. Only use meat that is suitable for human consumption
2. Keep raw meat frozen until you need it. Handle raw meat with care. Wash your hands thoroughly and disinfect all surfaces that raw meat has come in contact with.
3. Inform your veterinarian that you feed raw meat. This is particularly important if your dog develops vomiting or diarrhea.
4. It is very important to make sure that your pet’s diet is well balanced, which can sometimes be difficult to do when feeding non-commercial or raw diets.
5. We recommend not feeding raw meat to pets that have contact with ‘high risk’ individuals (infants, elderly, pregnant women, immuno-compromised individuals).
6. We recommend not feeding raw meat to puppies or kittens – as they are more susceptible to serious infection, disease and nutritional imbalances.
7. We recommend not feeding raw meat to sick or pregnant dogs.
8. We recommend not feeding raw meat to therapy dogs due to their interaction with sick and/or immuno-compromised individuals.

By Kim MacAskill, RVT