In recent years, the popularity of raw food diets for dogs has surged, sparking debate among veterinarians and pet nutritionists. This article delves into the advantages and disadvantages of feeding your dog a raw food diet, providing a comprehensive overview to help you make an informed decision.
What is a Raw Food Diet for Dogs?
A raw food diet for dogs typically consists of uncooked meat, including muscle meat, offal, and whole or ground bones. It also incorporates other uncooked or minimally prepared ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, and eggs. Proponents of raw food diets often view them as a more natural and species-appropriate way to feed their canine companions. The raw food diet is also known as BARF- for Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. While not the most attractive acronym, BARF spells out raw food diet basics. There is no universal raw food formula.
Perceived Benefits of Raw Food Diets
Many owners who feed their dogs a raw food diet report improvements in various aspects of their pets' health. These anecdotal benefits include:
- Improved coat condition: A shinier and healthier coat, reflecting better health overall.
- Increased muscle mass: Enhanced muscle development and definition.
- Better dental health: Chewing on raw, meaty bones can help to keep teeth clean.
- Smaller and firmer stools: Indicating better nutrient absorption.
- Higher energy levels: Increased vitality and activity.
Another potential advantage of feeding your dog a home-prepared raw food diet is that you should, in theory, know exactly what your dog is eating. This helps you avoid any unnecessary additives or processed ingredients. Owners feeding RMBDs report that their pet has a healthier body condition, higher energy level, shinier coat, cleaner teeth, and normal bowel movements.
Potential Risks and Concerns
Despite the reported benefits, raw food diets also pose several potential risks that need careful consideration:
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Bacterial contamination: A number of research studies have demonstrated that raw food diets for dogs frequently include pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli. A few years ago, a study tested 60 raw-meat dog food samples from 10 UK and wider-European manufacturers found that they all contained Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, which can indicate faecal contamination. More than half the samples contained bacteria levels that exceeded EU regulations. Meat (especially ground meat) and eggs for animal or human consumption carry microorganisms. Raw pet food poses similar risks for pathogenic bacteria as do raw meat and eggs for humans. Freezing, freeze-drying, or dehydration results in a reduction in bacterial counts but viable pathogenic bacteria survive. This is of real concern if the household includes, or is planning, pregnancy, children under 5 y of age, the elderly, or any person who is immuno-suppressed.
Nutritional imbalances: Something else to consider - particularly with a homemade raw food diet for dogs - is making sure that it provides all the essential nutrients your dog needs. Dogs have very specific nutritional requirements from puppyhood to senior life, which can be difficult to achieve using home-prepared formulations. Concerns over whether the diet is complete and balanced according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles especially with small companies which use only whole food ingredients, avoiding synthetic nutrient supplements. It is difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals from natural ingredients into muscle-based food in an economical combination. Vitamins and minerals usually must be added to a diet of meat and vegetables, and the calcium to phosphorus ratio needs to be approximately 1:1.
Bone-related hazards: Another risk associated with a raw food diet for dogs is the fact they often contain bones. Feeding bones to dogs should be approached with caution. While raw bones are softer, spongier and less of a concern, they still involve risk. Potential issues include fractured teeth, gastrointestinal obstruction, or GI perforation from ingestion of bones.
Addressing the Risks: Safety and Preparation
To mitigate the risks associated with raw feeding dogs, it’s important to handle their food with care. The Food Standards Agency recommends storing and defrosting raw pet food well away from human food, using dedicated containers and utensils. Always freeze raw dog food until it is required. Wash your hands thoroughly immediately after handling and preparing raw dog food - and always clean and disinfect any surfaces that the food has touched, from worktops to feeding bowls.
Here are some safety suggestions:
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- Properly Cooked Meat and Eggs: Properly cooked meat and eggs can also be added as a treat for pets.
- Consult a nutritionist: If a (cooked) commercial diet is not included for maintenance, and a homemade recipe comprises the majority or all of the pet's diet, then it is wise to consult with a boarded veterinary nutritionist to be sure that the recipe is providing a complete and balanced diet for the pet.
- Human Grade: Although there are no government standards for defining "human grade," clients who elect homemade recipes should be encouraged to feed only food they deem appropriate for human consumption.
- Commonsense safety precautions should be taken in the kitchen of all cooks to minimize risk of bacterial cross-contamination, especially of raw meat and eggs. This concern is magnified when groups of raw food supporters join together to make large "batches" of a raw diet in bulk and then divide it between families. Hands should be washed frequently, and bowls, utensils, and countertops cleaned thoroughly with bleach.
- Proper storage of raw food should also be emphasized; most refrigerated fresh or thawed meat products should be used within 3 days.
- Any uneaten raw food should be removed from pet bowls and properly disposed of as soon as the meal is over, and pet food bowls should be washed with hot soapy water daily.
- Children and people considered to be immunosuppressed should be discouraged from handling any pet food, especially raw diets.
Veterinary Perspective and Considerations
Various veterinary associations have issued position statements discouraging the use of RMBDs including the CVMA, AVMA, WSAVA, and AAHA.
In this opinion article, I discuss the approaches a veterinarian may take, and the consequences, when owners have decided, for whatever reasons, to feed their dog or cat a raw food diet, or to add raw meat to their pet’s other food, or to use as treats. A growing number of pet owners are choosing to feed raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) to their dogs and cats. In recent years, raw pet food sales have increased by at least 15% annually and approximately 15% to 25% of dogs and 10% of cats are fed some raw meat. In addition, owners often add raw eggs or meat to an occasional meal, or give dehydrated RMBD treats to their pets, usually omitting to inform their veterinarian.
Clients have learned not to inform their veterinarian (and all too often veterinarians do not take a thorough dietary history). Pet owners who choose to feed RMBDs have lower levels of trust in veterinary advice in general, as well as with respect to nutritional recommendations.
- Unrushed Discussion: My recommendations depend upon an unhurried discussion with the client. The final decision is always made by the pet owner.
- Record Keeping: As the client and I discuss their choice of their pet’s diet, I note the client’s decision, and my recommendations and safety precautions in the pet’s medical record.
- Complete and Balanced Diet: Then I put together a complete and balanced diet appropriate for that pet.
Types of Raw Diets
- Home-prepared RMBDs. To ensure that these diets are complete and balanced, calcium, vitamins, minerals, and taurine must be included.
- Commercial raw frozen, freeze-dried, or dehydrated meat diets that are not complete and balanced.
- Commercial raw frozen complete and balanced diets with a variety of protein sources. Some are limited to one protein source, especially those using exotic meats.
- Commercial freeze-dried complete and balanced diets that have been frozen under vacuum to remove nearly all moisture.
- Commercial dehydrated complete and balanced diets have been heated slowly to remove nearly all the moisture. Whether the low heat has a significant effect on the nutritional quality of the food is unknown.
- Commercial high pressure pasteurized (HPP) complete and balanced diets have been subjected to high pressure (43 500 to 87 000 psi) without heating.
Generally, raw pet diets are made from high quality food sources and aimed at the informed, discerning pet owner. They are more expensive than regular dog or cat kibble. The freeze-dried, dehydrated, and HPP foods are more costly than the raw frozen diets due to the additional processing. The costs may be substantial when feeding many cats or medium to large dogs.
If the owner believes that a raw diet is best for their pets, and wants to feed it, this is their choice. Some owners think that a commercial pet food is not good for their dog or cat, and prefer to feed a more natural diet (minimal processing, no grain, and ingredients that they can understand).
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In my experience, commercial or home-prepared raw diets can be medical problem solving for dogs and cats that have developed food allergies, especially to common meats such as chicken and beef. These allergies usually manifest as vomiting and/or diarrhea (including soft stool), recurrent ear infections, and/or excessive scratching or licking. Most commercial raw pet food limited ingredient diets (LID) are made in the company’s own grinding and mixing machines, and are generally not cross contaminated with other proteins. They are usually grain-free. The presence of bioactive peptides and antioxidants in RMBDs may contribute to the response.
In some cats, diarrhea, intestinal discomfort, and/or flatulence can be caused by dietary carbohydrates. This is due to the feline carnivorous alimentary system being relatively short in length and transit time, along with limited capacity for starch digestion and monosaccharide absorption. Sugars that are not digested provide nutrients for microbial fermentation in the colon, increasing colonic acid.
In cats which have developed diabetes, diets high in protein and very low in carbohydrates can be disease reversing or, at least, stabilizing.
This author could find no peer-reviewed articles that showed significant medical benefits from feeding RMBDs. There are many non-peer reviewed articles that suggest benefits to pets with food allergies, atopy, gastrointestinal disorders, idiopathic epilepsy, and cancer.
In my experience, some dogs just “do better” on RMBDs. They are more active, lose excessive weight, have nicer breath, shiny coats, and normal feces. There is no good objective evidence that these diets improve the quality of the lives of dogs, or reduce the incidence of problems, but many pet owners firmly believe this to be so. It is very convincing in an individual patient when a food change makes a significant difference to the pet’s health and well-being, in the absence of other changes or medications at the time.
Raw food is not appropriate for any dog or cat whose immune system is suppressed because of significant disease or immune suppressant medications. Pets with severe disease such as moderately advanced heart, kidney, or liver dysfunction, diabetes, or cancer should not be fed a raw diet that may contain pathogenic bacteria.
Key considerations
- Concerns over time. Most dogs and cats handle the bacteria in raw ground meat most of the time due to the consistent acidity of their stomach fluid.
- The additional cost and time that feeding a raw diet involves also need to be considered.
- Every pet diet should be complete and balanced.
Making the Decision
Any change of diet can be a shock to your dog’s system. If you’re thinking about switching to any new diet, including raw food, it’s always best to do it gradually, and in discussion with your vet. When a new pet is acquired, numerous factors become part of the owner's decision of which diet to select. A pet owner may consider feeding advice from family, friends, the pet's breeder, trainer, or their local veterinarian. The internet has also become a large available source of information for pet owners regarding feeding options and other health issues for pets.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to feed your dog a raw food diet is a personal one. It requires careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks, as well as your lifestyle, budget, and your dog's individual needs and health status. Always consult with your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to develop a feeding plan that is safe, balanced, and appropriate for your canine companion.