Raw Food Diets May Be Dangerous for Pets

Thursday, October 18, 2012 - 11:45am
Milk And Eggs

Just like fad diets for humans, popular diets for your pets come and go. However, there’s one particular pet diet trend that gives us pause: ASPCA experts say raw food diets for pets that include raw meat, eggs and milk may be dangerous for your furry friends. We typically recommend that pet parents opt for well-balanced, high-quality commercial and cooked foods instead.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) agrees. In studies published in AVMA’s journal, homemade and commercial raw food diets for dogs and cats were found to contain dangerous bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella, just to name a few. Other tests showed that unprocessed food diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies or excess that can cause serious illnesses in pets. Also, pets chewing on raw bones can lead to obstruction or perforation of their gastrointestinal tracts, and fractured teeth.

If you don’t want to feed your dog or cat a commercial diet, consider a homemade diet that will diminish the risks of foodborne illnesses. These meals should be thoroughly cooked and need to be formulated by a veterinary nutritionist or by your veterinarian to make sure they’re nutritionally sound.

If you are passionate about feeding your pet raw foods, please consider the following tips.

  • Work with your veterinarian to ensure that your pet’s diet is nutritionally balanced.
  • Avoid feeding raw foods in homes with babies and toddlers (who put lots of things in their mouths), the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
  • Practice regular hand washing before and after feeding pets.
  • Practice appropriate disposal methods when cleaning up pet feces.

For more information about pet-safe diets, consult your veterinarian and check out our complete list of people foods that are dangerous to pets.

Tell us in the comments below: Do you feed your pet raw foods or a homemade diet?

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Pet Care

Comments

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:51 — ruth housman (Visitor)
Animals in the wild eat raw food. We see this constantly as part of Nature. And when I take my dog for a walk, he will stand by water I wouldn't drink, and he drinks his fill. And he manages, provided, of course there is no oil in the water or something that is of major toxicity. I buy it that we should be careful certainly of RAW but I also think we're losing something here, which is a deep understanding of where we're all coming from: as in Wilderness. No, don't feed your dog, chicken bones. They get stuck. And no to chocolate. And yes, approach the issue of RAW with the same cautions we could apply to OVERCOOKED food, which takes the nutrients right out, and we give our children often, foods that are really not as nutritious as they could be. Yes, to nutritional balance for us all. There is right now, a major issue, and that has to do with the over sanitizing of the environment, an issue of, allergies in children, to common nuts for example, as peanuts. Now our peanuts, our children cannot eat nuts. How nuts is this? But there is also now, a growing concern for what we call Nature Deprivation Disorder. We are losing touch, with our roots, and maybe the middle ground in all things, is the place to go. Compromised immune systems are also a result of severe limitations on our being outside, playing, in the dirt. The literature on polio makes it very clear, that children exposed to dirt, got milder if not insignificant cases, and those very protected, often got the biggest wallop. We need to be aware of immunity and how it is created. And exposure is not always a bad thing. Non exposure can also be fatal.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:12 — Tary (Visitor)
While I accept that there is an influence of the massive corporations that make dog food in articles like this, all the decriers who say that Raw is best because of wolves and the wild forget a crucial fact: Most of the animals we have in our homes today never existed in the wild literally. They are the result of scientific cross-breeding. Do not forget as well that life expectancy of animals in the wild is often 1/4 - 1/3 of that of domesticated animals, and that most dog and cat breeds have never been wild, nor part of that chain of romantic wilderness so many of you in this comment thread are attempting to invoke to support raw arguments. Stick to facts about nutritional ability and the possible influence of the pet food industry. The "wilderness" argument weakens your stance.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 13:26 — macgruber (Visitor)
This is the only sensible comment on here. PEOPLE, DOGS IN THE WILD LIVE FAR SHORTER LIVES THAN DOMESTIC DOGS!! Think about why...there is a dietary aspect, it isnt all due to preditation or competition.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 10:44 — Laura (Visitor)
Of the fact they live protected lives in captivity and veterinary care. You CANNOT say the domestic pets live longer only because of the diet we feed them. I seriously doubt that a wolf dies in the wild because of E. Coli poisoning. I have fed a balanced raw diet for about 6 years now and my animals thrive. Yes, there's a wrong way to do it so make sure you know what you're doing before just hand your dog a chicken leg. Which, by the way, won't hurt them a bit. I can't believe someone says they'll choke or perforate on chicken bone. That would be "cooked" chicken bone so while you push the cooked diet e very careful to advise against feeding cooked bone.

Thu, 10/25/2012 - 00:09 — Jessica (Visitor)
I am a strong believer in the benefits of a well balanced RAW diet. My five year old cat suffered SEVERE liver and kidney issues. Doc gave me some meds, said feed science diet and she would be fine. Her health continued to deteorate and he advised i put her to sleep. I refused, took her home and fed her a high quality raw diet... needless to say, i still have her with me today. Yes, our dogs and cats are domesticated and are much different from their ancestors... but thats not to say their digestive systems have changed. Studies have shown that most dogs who test positive for salmonella actually show no signs or symptoms of having it. It soon passes through their bodies. The only cases that have been recorded were those of elderly or sick dogs were actually showing symptoms... most which only went to the extent of giving them mild diarreah. Now, for instance... take the people who feed their pets a cooked kibble... especially those of poor quality... those dogs develop FAR more cases of far worse life threatening diseases such as diabetes and cancer. I'd rather take the almost nonexisitant chance of my dog catching Salmonella from eating a RAW diet then get cancer from a poor quality, unbalanced cooked diet.

Sat, 10/27/2012 - 17:28 — EE (Visitor)
My 5 rescue cats had FIPS and after 3 of them died, their vet said the other 2 would also die. That was 2 years ago and Tabby and Misty Blanca are doing fine. They did not like the raw food purchased at my natural pet store. So, I fed them organic canned and dry cat food made WITHOUT grains or by-products. A variety of brands gave them blueberries, pumpkin, fish (line caught), squash and other fruits and vegetables. The bottom line is to feed your pets a healthy, organic diet whether raw or packaged.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 14:06 — Skip (Visitor)
Domestic dogs and cats digestive systems and food requirements are the results of thousands of years of evolutionary change, not a couple of centuries of "vanity" breeding. The dietary requirements are essentially identical to those of their wild relatives. How much diffence do you believe there is between your German Shepard and a grey wolf, or, your house cat and the bob cat who may be living in the woods behind your house - virtually none!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:19 — Ann (Visitor)
As it turns out there is a LOT of difference between my German Shepherd and a grey wolf. Years of overbreeding, inbreeding and careless breeding have left us with many domestic dogs and cats that are just not as robust as their wild ancestors. My German Shepherd, for example, had the weak digestive system that is not uncommon in the breed. Over time, by experimenting with various feeds and probiotic supplements, I was able to maintain her health adequately. Every time she managed to scavenge something that was not on her regular diet she would be ill for several days. In addition to her organic kibble, I could feed her some cooked foods, such as vegetables, poultry and eggs (raw always made her ill). My other dog, a rescue, was a trained hunter who had been lost or abandoned. Part greyhound, he is easily able to run down rabbits and rodents, and I've seen him snatch a bird right out of the air. He was found as a stray and brought into the shelter--malnourished and with several different kinds of worms. This was not a healthy animal. Bear in mind that dogs are not just hunters, they are scavengers and will eat/drink whatever they find. Wild dogs live shorter lives and deal with more illness and injury than domestic dogs. The comparison just isn't relevant. I'm all for feeding natural, organic foods. But for our domesticated pets food needs to be cooked to kill parasites and pathogens, and the diet needs to be designed by a trained animal nutrition professional (not your average veterinarian).

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 20:01 — B Dawson (Visitor)
If you believe our pets need a trained nutritional professional to formulate their meals I'm left to assume that you have such a professional on hand to formulate YOUR family's meals or are such a trained person yourself. Otherwise, how can you be sure your human nutritional requirements are being met, based on your argument. This is one of the most commonly used arguments against home prepared pet diets and is nonsensical. If common sense is exercised in offering a variety of foods that are tolerated by your pet (they are as individual as any human) then the result will be healthy pets. If a pediatrician were to tell a parent to only feed their child a single brand of bagged food every meal for the rest of their life, any parent with a brain would run screaming from the doctor's office. Yet this is exactly what many vets and most commercial pet food manufacturers want you to believe. As to feeding organic, in general that is great, but most organic kibbles are rather low on protein. Just an FYI on that.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:25 — macgruber (Visitor)
Wow, you have no clue what you're talking about. Domestication and selective breeding have been going on for thousands of years, not a couple centuries. And guess what their "wild relatives" also do in the wild, they die much earlier...not really a good argument.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 00:44 — Kimberly Maahs (Visitor)
"Wilderness" is the strongest part of our argument. The fact that the dogs and cats of today never existed in the wild doesn't negate the fact that their systems are biologically hard-wired to exist on a raw diet. It's ancestory/heredity/evolution/biology, however you care to refer to it. Just because I've never been to Ireland doesn't mean I'm not Irish. Commercial and processed pet foods are the "fad" of our day. They've only been in existence for about 100 yrs. And they only came to be, out of convenience for us, not because they offered some fantastic nutritional alternative to real food. Evolution takes 100's sometimes 1000's of years to create change. Our domestic animals have not evolved in the last 100 yrs (no matter how much “scientific” breeding has been done) to be able to thrive on a completely processed diet. For that matter, we as humans have not evolved over the thousands of years we've been in existence to be able to thrive on a completely processed diet. If processed food was the way to go than why don't we all just eat Total cereal all day, everyday. Afterall, it has 100% of all of the daily vitamins and minerals we need. What more could you want. When you think of it that way, I think the ridiculousness of the argument presented above becomes more apparent. As far as life expectancy goes, I think you need to look at our domestic pet’s lives compared to those of animals in the wild. Our animals may be living longer but they are not necessarily healthier. I don’t know when the last time was that I heard of a wild animal having cancer, diabetes, IBD, chronic allergies or chronic ear infections (just to name a few). Most of these illnesses are induced by the over vaccination of our pets and the fact that we feed them are totally dead, dry and processed diet all of their lives. If you took the antibiotics, steroids and countless other medications out of the equation along with the number of surgical procedures performed on our pets, and the fact that they always have food ,shelter and water, I would put my money on the animals living in the wild. Wild animals are living under totally different circumstances and in a totally different environment. They have a little thing called “survival of the fittest” working with and against them. Really, your comparing apples to oranges. I think you may want to rethink your argument.

Mon, 10/22/2012 - 10:57 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
You said, "I don’t know when the last time was that I heard of a wild animal having cancer, diabetes, IBD, chronic allergies or chronic ear infections (just to name a few)." Are you joking?? I mean really. Think about what you just said there. Whether or not they have these problems isnt the question, it's that if they did how the hell would you know? Is someone out there taking them all to the vet regularly to get checked? And if they did they wouldnt survive because again no one is taking care of them so they wouldnt be around with these problems for you to know about. Also most of those problems you listed are from inbreeding which has nothing to do with diet whatsoever.

Mon, 10/22/2012 - 11:01 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
Another thing, modern medicine (including things such as antibiotics and vaccines which have saved millions) has only been around for about a 100 years also, so it must be a fad too.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:12 — SG (Visitor)
True, animals eat raw food in the wild, but that food is freshly killed, not sitting in a fridge after being shipped, or sitting out on a counter first. Yes, some animals eat carrion, but their bodies were meant and conditioned for it. Additionally, wild animals probably DO get sick from things they eat--we just don't see it because they're, well...out in the wild. Having our pets in our homes (and not subsisting on fresh kill or carrion to feed) is to (hopefully) their advantage. If we can protect them from illness, why not do it? If one chooses to feed a more natural diet, fine. Just make sure proper sanitary and nutrional precautions are taken. However, arguing that this is "how it's done in the wild" is erroneous.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 09:59 — Erinn (Visitor)
Feeding a raw diet does not have to equate to introducing poor sanitation to the home. Our knowledge of food safety MUST come into play when handling pet foods, whether raw, dry kibble, or canned, because let's face it: no healthful food source is sterile. This is evidence in the vast history of pet food recalls because of salmonella contamination - which, by the way, only were ever discovered because humans got sick, not pets. Carnivore digestive tracts are physiologically different than our own, and can handle bacteria loads much greater than ours can. And no amount of domestication has changed this in any of our pets - dogs, cats, and ferrets physiologically have the same inside parts as their wild counterparts. They are built to handle large bacteria loads and this is because their stomachs are highly acidic and food remains in the stomach for much longer than in humans, which helps kill off much of the bacteria from the get-go. As food moves into the rest of the digestive tract, there are other differences too: carnivores lack the parts of the digestive tract responsible for fermentation (such as a cecum) and thusly have very little room for a bacteria load to form a colony. Carnivores move their food from stomach to colon in a relatively short period of time, which also discourages colony-forming bacteria. Finally, their diets should be low in sugars and carbohydrates, which would be what salmonella and similar pathogens would feed off of and grow on. As it stands, a well-balanced raw diet poses no pathological risk to the pet. That said, the risks to us as humans are still there, which is why it is important to follow proper food safety procedures. Wash up well, wash hands, wash bowls, etc. As for the nutrients contained therein, when modeled after whole prey, raw diets are nutritionally sound. As it has been mentioned, knowledge of nutrient needs for ourselves let alone for pets are mostly based on studies and trials of being fed on high levels of something and determining where the overdose level is. Determining deficiency is much more complicated and is not clear-cut. It is not as if a veterinarian can run a blood test that shows exactly all the nutrients present in the body and at what levels - that just isn't feasible. So nutrition knowledge is 1.) based on blood work testing for internal organ functionality, overall blood cell volume, shape, etc, and trying to determine what nutrients play a role in each aspect of that. Beyond that, all known pet nutrition studies out there have been executed on kibble-fed pets, not on raw-fed pets, and so the medical "standard" is biased simply because that is the baseline. Not to mention that any nutrition study out there will have financial ties to some Big Pet Food or Big Pet Pharma company. I have been a raw feeder for 7 years and I have never gotten sick from my pets, and my pets have never gotten sick from their diet. In all honesty, when confronted with teh horror of raw food diets and the possibility of illness, I laugh. Are there precautions one must take to keep safe? Certainly - but that should be true for ANY diet plan. Is there research involved? Most definitely. But again, it isn't rocket science, and there are certainly plenty of healthful commercially available "complete and balanced" raw diets out there for those who cannot commit to creating a balanced prey-model diet.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:26 — pat (Visitor)
I agree 100 percent with Ruth. My physcian also told me that "kids do not eat enough dirt". I have gotten rid of all that anti microbial and sanitizing hand stuff. How can your body build up it's immune system if we don't let it do its job. That's how we are getting so many new diseases that are resistant to antibiotics. No one wants to let the immune system do what it's supposed to do. My dogs are on cooked diets and thriving. And I include eggs,venison and other stuff on this list.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:05 — Ellen (Visitor)
Raw chicken bones, like other raw bones, are necessary in a raw diet and many times overlooked as an integral part of the diet because they provide calcium and phosphorous. They do not splinter like cooked bones and are quite pliable. Chicken backs are the best parts, as well as bone-in breasts, to get your guys started on eating raw bones. Cats love to chew on raw chicken wing bones. Just be vigilant and supervise until you are confident - my puppy learned at five months and is a pro at duck necks. If you're uncomfortable with giving your dogs smaller bones, most raw food retailers have ground bone in the mixes, but it's better for their teeth to get some real bone time in with marrows and knuckles.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:41 — Michele (Visitor)
Some bones yes. Chicken bones NEVER. They are too thin and splinter. many a dog has been rushed to the vet due to the perforation of it's digestive system due to chicken bones.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 10:03 — Erinn (Visitor)
Chicken bones are a perfect size for small breed dogs (toys and small terriers) and for smaller pets like cats and ferrets, but it is important to stress that when feeding raw bones, to feed an appropriately-sized bone. Larger breed dogs will likely swallow most chicken-sized bones whole, thus causing an issue. Larger beef, lamb, pig, venison, elk, etc bones are more appropriate for the larger canines, while small-boned items like chicken, quail, pheasant, etc are more appropriate for smaller carnivores.

Tue, 10/23/2012 - 13:44 — Ellen (Visitor)
All the people I know that feed a raw diet feed raw chicken bones as part of the raw diet, to whatever size dog they have, not just small breed dogs. As I said, chicken backs are the most popular, but most feed the necks and some the leg quarters. Raw bones do not splinter like cooked bones and are very pliable, especially the ones that do not have marrow. Do you think wolves and coyotes do not eat fowl, bones and all, unless it's a size-appropriate bird?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:27 — Penny Smith (Visitor)
I have 5 cats, and four of them eat a raw diet. The fifth, FYI, has megacolon and needs a special canned diet and meds, on which he's doing great. We got our recipe from catnutrition.org and all four cats are thriving on it, coming up on 4 years now. Way better weight and blood work than they had on Sci Diet or IAMS, and small, no-odor poops. We also give raw chicken necks as treats. I cut them into thirds to avoid choking (some cats are too eager and like to swallow whole). It took some convincing to get my vet on board with raw, as she admitted her cat nutrition education at vet school was discouraging of raw, but their blood, urine, stool and dental tests don't lie! Plus, their coats look fantastic, and they love it. E-coli and Salmonella are real issues and we should be concerned, but it is not difficult to practice safe food preparation techniques that avoid them, including purchasing the raw food from reputable vendors. We use Hare-Today.com in Pennsylvania that ships to our door in Virginia. My cats are totally worth what I consider to be minimal extra work and cost for them to look and be so healthy.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:30 — Penny Smith (Visitor)
Just to add, too--raw chicken bones are as safe as other bones, as long as they're RAW. Cooked bones of any kind will splinter when chewed, whereas raw bones are quite soft, and can be swallowed easily without perforating the intestinal lining. I think folks are mixing up the idea of cooked vs. raw bone safety. Cooked bones of any kind is ALWAYS bad to feed to animals, unless it's ground up.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 16:26 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
Well, there's your problem, Science Diet and Iams are crap foods. There are good high quality commerically processed foods out there, you just have to do your research.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:50 — A dog trainer (Visitor)
You should not allow your dog to drink from water that is outside. It's not an issue of whether or not you find the water appealing. That is one of the leading ways that animals contract giardia, which is a very nasty infection.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 18:55 — Christine (Visitor)
Amen to that. Can I type DIARRHEA in capital letters. And when you start mixing blood into the diarrhea mix, off to the [emergency] vet you might need to go. Our dog finally seems to understand now... when he gets ready to approach those creek puddles on our property (no longer fresh and flowing), all we have to yell is "diarrhea!!" and he comes running back. We really think he associates that word with the horrible feeling of what he had to go through... They remember.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 19:13 — Kim (Visitor)
My 4yr old has a severely compromised immune system. He is outside playing in the woods for hrs every day. They are in no way connected to each other. My dog does eat raw eggs to help with her dry skin and coat. My son is not allowed to handle to the dogs food bowl until I wash it so that I can minimize his exposure to salmonella and e-coli. My seven yr old is outside even more then his brother playing with dog and is allergic to peanuts. I am unclear on why you brought this up when this is about a raw diet in dogs? My dog gets a seasonally dry coat and everything the vet said to do didn't help. I give her one raw egg over her food three times a week and her coat has never looked better! My boys are outside running and playing with her every day.

Mon, 10/22/2012 - 09:29 — Informed (Visitor)
Use it people. How often does your dog run outside & hunt? Your dog is domestic, not a wild animal. If you have a wolf-hybrid whose father killed cats to survive, that may be different. But if you have a 4th generation Cockapoo, on what planet do you think that it needs a raw diet?? Most dogs now are so overbred that such a rich diet could cause internal complications. Don't be ridiculous. There are high-quality commercial kibbles that would be much more beneficial to your dog's health. Immunize your pets instead of subjecting them to raw and bloody meat (when they'd much rather have Beggin' Strips.)Please educate yourselves from a variety of different sources other than google prior to changing your pup's diet.. ideally: educate yourself before getting any animal.

Thu, 10/25/2012 - 01:15 — Rachel (Visitor)
so a treat loaded with sodium, artificial colors, fillers, chemicals, and who knows what else is part of a healthy diet for a dog? Doubtful.

Mon, 01/28/2013 - 08:58 — Bank Lån (Visitor)
Hi, after reading this amazing piece of writing i am as well cheerful to share my experience here with friends.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:54 — Gavin Dillard (Visitor)
The bias against raw milk is false and contrived by evil large dairy operations and their minions in Washington. Our family consumes organic raw goat milk, people and seven cats all. It does us wonders, especially those who are immune compromised. Homogenized dairy is toxic to both humans and pets, it is unnatural and unsafe.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:43 — Kathleen (Visitor)
Thank you Gavin. I grew up on a farm and drank milk right from the cow. I miss that.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 09:58 — Brittany (Visitor)
I feed 4 dogs and 2 cats raw food consisting of raw bone meats and organs. It so ridiculous to say raw food is dangerous for dogs and cats. I think feeding commercial dog food is dangerous. It's the reason so many pets have health issues today! This article needs more facts.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:59 — Debi (Visitor)
I agree with you and to say a Vet should recomend this when they know NOTHING about nutrition as that isn't included in their study's other than an elective course sponsored by Science Diet, is ridiuloous.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 16:35 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
Oh and your comment is full of facts. "Commercial food is dangerous" - no more than raw food. "Its the reason so many pets have health issues" - no, that would primarily be because of inbreeding and puppy mills.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Bess (Visitor)
Since to date to the best of my knowledge, no one has experienced any issues with diseases picked up from this raw food, and at least 119 people have been hospitalized from salmonella from kibble. How do you and the vets answer this question. Most of the information vets receive today on nutrition in vet schools comes from the big dog food companies. Do you think those companies are going to say that raw food is better?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Ronna Kabler, DVM (Visitor)
Is millions of years of wolves eating prey(ie) raw meat and bones a FAD?? Or thousands of years of dogs eating prey (raw meat and bones) a FAD? How about we look at all the contamination of Kibble that has led to countless illnesses and yes, even deaths of pets and people.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:53 — Doug (Visitor)
I started off with raw food diet but my dog has an issue with protien in is urine and the levels were too high leading to kidney issues. I agree animals in the wild have been surviving on a raw diet. The life expectancy of an domesticated animal most likely longer than one in the wild. I really dont see a pomerianian bringing down prey for dinner.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:24 — Laura Share (Visitor)
A Pomeranian may not have brought down an antelope, but I'll bet its ancestors were bringing down rodents.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 16:38 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
Well, if I were a vet my answer would be "why are people eating kibble??".

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 17:36 — Kate (Visitor)
My dog was literally DYING on the prescription foods that my old vets put him on. I had to do my research to find a vet who supports a raw and/or homecooked diet, and now he is now thriving on a raw diet. I have tried cooking the meat as well, but his skin became irritated (no, I did not add any oils or anything else to cause a reaction) and his poops were not as good. Because of this dietary change, he has survived years longer than most all dogs with his condition (GME). However, I will NOT say that a raw diet is for EVERY dog. I agree that in-breeding and over-breeding has caused problems in SO many of our dogs. What is "balanced" so far as protein, fat, and even vitamin and mineral levels may be different for different dogs. That said, ALL dogs would be much better off on a FRESH, BALANCED diet versus a processed kibble. Saying that kibble is the best diet for dogs is like saying that people should stop eating food and start drinking SlimFast and Ensure type drinks instead. What is "balanced" so far as protein, fat, and even vitamin and mineral levels may be different for different dogs.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Bess (Visitor)
Since to date to the best of my knowledge, no one has experienced any issues with diseases picked up from this raw food, and at least 119 people have been hospitalized from salmonella from kibble. How do you and the vets answer this question. Most of the information vets receive today on nutrition in vet schools comes from the big dog food companies. Do you think those companies are going to say that raw food is better?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 11:51 — Michelle (Visitor)
I agree. While I don't feed my dog raw neither do I feed her commercial pet food. These vets probably get paid by the pet food companies to push their products. Yout should hear about the disgusting things in commercial pet foods iincluding diseased cow parts, sawdust and even euthanized cats & dogs.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 12:17 — Feralkitty (Visitor)
Re: euthanized animal parts in commercial foods. If anyone thinks this is a myth, look back as far as 2003 when Purina was charged with adding them to food products (video tape provided by undercover PETA rep). This was well known in Eastern States but may not have been as well known in Midwest. However, there must be some news articles available ic googled?

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 15:33 — bartthegenius (Visitor)
Well, if I were a vet my answer would be "why are people eating kibble??".

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:01 — Ronna Kabler, DVM (Visitor)
Is millions of years of wolves eating prey(ie) raw meat and bones a FAD?? Or thousands of years of dogs eating prey (raw meat and bones) a FAD? How about we look at all the contamination of Kibble that has led to countless illnesses and yes, even deaths of pets and people.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:03 — Martha (Visitor)
I am getting awfully tired of the fact that blogs and articles like the above one do seem to recognize the fact that many pet parents are well read and well educated about this topic and well aware of, for example, the danger of salmonella. I feed dumbed down! It is not discussed here why people (and some vets) still feed their animals raw. Apparently with good results. I really wish someone would cite some objective studies that examined this topic from a scientific standpoint instead of giving "advice" as to why it is or is not to feed raw. Then I will really learn something I didn't already know. I don't feed raw only because I am confused about the data, the facts. Again, it is the objective data that we need here, not someone's advice or opinion.

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:35 — Laurie Raymond (Visitor)
If you are confused because of the plethora of conflicting "information" available, you have a point. You have to trust someone with knowledge and accountability to evaluate the warring claims and make a meaningful recommendation. I recommend Dr Karen Becker, DVM - who has her own website and also has a regular column, has been named best veterinarian in Chicago, among other honors, and is a member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. She has written many books and articles on the benefits of raw, species-appropriate diets, including easy to follow recipes, for dogs and cats. Also, Dr Lisa Pierson, DVM, whose website contains up to the minute information about cat nutrition. She also advocates a raw diet. If you look (you don't have to go too deep) at the evolution of the pet food industry and its ties to the veterinary profession, these concerns expressed by the mainstream vet associations make another kind of sense (as in, dollars and...) I have a pet supply store and kibble is my biggest profit center. Nevertheless, I have fed my own and foster dogs and cats raw diets for over 10 years, with excellent results. I also teach classes for pet owners and sell excellent raw meat products to be used in home-prepared raw (or cooked) foods. It is simply a far better way to nourish our animmal companions.

Wed, 10/24/2012 - 11:36 — Sharon O'Connell (Visitor)
I have been researching the raw food the past few months, and agree it will eventually be my cats and dogs diet. I have switched my felines to 100% higher quality canned for now, and the dogs too. But to mention the "wild" diet. Yes-I have witnessed both my cats and dogs eating birds/rabbits/squirrels/bugs/fish they have captured outside, and they are fine!!! Just last week my male kitty ate 1/2 a bird, and it gave him a sense of fulfillment beyond filling his belly. My dogs eat raw chicken thighs, which gives them "busy" time, and energy. I have finally started-after 11 years of her life-giving my female Brittney dog probiotics too, and her ever-present ear infection has finally gone away!! I also give them fish oils. Laurie, I live near the Tallahassee, FL area-do you know of anyone that can help me with raw diet instruction in this area? No vet is willing to help me. I do read Dr. Pierson and Becker's websites too, but I'd like a lesson. thank you

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 00:59 — Kimberly Maahs (Visitor)
If you would like some clear and consise information on raw diet back up by many scientific study references, check out these two books: See Spot Live Longer by Steve Brown and Beth Taylor and Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet by Steve Brown. The latter of the two is particularly "sciencey". And if you want a good book with recipes and the how to's of feeding raw check out Dr. Beckers Real Food for Healthy Cats and Dogs by Dr. Karen Becker DVM and Beth Taylor. I have been using her recipes and rotation schedule for over 2 1/2 yrs and my dogs and cats have never been better! Hope this helps!

Fri, 10/19/2012 - 10:12 — Deborah (Visitor)
I have a 15-year-old husky that is in prime shape. The reason is because of diet. He was born with epilepsy and his seizures are triggered by carb consumption. We figured this out when he was still quite young. As soon as we stopped feeding grain-based kibble, the seizures stopped. Rice is also off the menu. He has eaten a combination raw/cooked home diet all his life now and is the healthiest 15-year-old husky my vet has ever seen. I credit this solely to his diet. He is the same weight he was at 5 years of age. His teeth are in beautiful condition due to the raw bones he eats. He loves his cooked and raw beef, chicken, and pork, including organ meat. He also eats a small amount of vegetables, cooked or raw. I will never again feed my pets anything that contains corn, wheat or rice. I supplement with kibble now and then but it's always Blue Buffalo Wilderness Diet -- grain-/rice-free.

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