While the wild relatives of our domesticated dogs rely on raw meat as their primary diet, the same may not be applicable to our beloved pets. In fact, a recent study shows that letting them have this raw diet can lead to risks such as parasite and bacterial infections. This applies to not just our pets, but possibly for humans too.
According to a recent study conducted in the Netherlands, different parasites such as tapeworms and toxoplasma have been discovered to be included in particular raw pet foods. These types of pet food are also found to contain bacteria such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Brucella suis, and Listeria monocytogenes to name a few. If introduced to our houses, these pathogens can possibly contaminate our homes and could lead to people being sick.
Dog owners that tried to feed their pets with raw meat-based diet or RMBD may think it is healthier for them. But recent studies reveal that these diets, in fact, do not give any form of health benefits, earlier research has recorded that it may do harm than good. Researchers have discovered that feeding RMBD is connected to diarrhea and gastroenteritis in dogs, as well as Salmonella infection in cats.
It was recently found that RMBDs appear to lack important nutrients that can cause a wide array of health problems, especially to baby pets. Scientists reported that these particular type of diets are believed to have contributed to many dogs to have hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid gland, and have been the cause for injuries like gut perforations and fractured teeth.
It has been about 10,000 years since dogs have evolved from their wolf ancestors, a number of genetic differences developed by dogs have made them better able to handle a diet of starches and meats. In 2013, researchers have reported that dogs apparently have additional copies of a type of gene that produces amylase – an important enzyme that breaks down starches – than wolves do.
A group of researchers recorded in a study that around 1 million Dutch households feed their pets with a diet that contains a substantial amount of raw meat or raw by-products. They run a test on 35 different products that contain raw meat and meat by-products like beef, lamb, chicken, rabbit, turkey, and horse to observe what types of microorganisms are in the food.
Scientists discovered that around 86 percent of the products were found to contain E. coli, while L. monocytogenes were found in about 54 percent, and almost 20 percent of the samples contained Salmonella. Also, different parasite DNAs were discovered in 29 percent of the samples.
Although the evidence discovered by the researchers were within the acceptable limits set by the Netherlands for commercially produced pet products, the amount of E. coli found in 40 percent of the RMBDs surpassed the allowable amount for safe human consumption. It is highly possible for a person to be infected with the bacteria via physical contact with the pet food, with already contaminated surfaces, or even with infected pets, the researchers reported.
We should educate ourselves more on what type of diet is best suitable for our pet.