WARNING: This is why you should NEVER feed your cat or dog raw meat

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Express Online

January 11, 2018 Thursday 11:30 PM GMT

814 words

WARNING: This is why you should NEVER feed your cat or dog raw meat

DOG and cat owners who feed them raw meat are putting their pet and themselves at risk of food bugs and parasites, warns new research.   GETTY STOCK   Dog and cat owners who feed them raw meat are putting their pet and themselves at risk   Experts say that feeding domesticated animals a raw meat-based diets instead of the more conventional dry or canned foods has become increasingly popular.   Also known as a 'Barf' diet - which stands for 'bones and raw food' or 'biologically appropriate raw food' - it first became popular in the US before spreading to Britain.   Some pet owners claim a natural diet of raw meat, bones, and organs is healthier than processed pet food, which often contain added salt, sugar, artificial colourings.   Now Dutch researchers suggest such a diet could lead to food poisoning bugs - such as salmonella, E coli and Listeria - or parasites, such as Toxoplasma, being passed on to their owners.   Related articles Good boy! Spaniel loses 40 PER CENT of his bodyweight in SIX MONTHS Pet Fit Club: Shock pictures of overweight cats and dogs   RMBDs containing raw animal products and by-products are either homemade from ingredients bought from butchers or pet shops or branded versions.   Half of dog owners in The Netherlands feed their dogs RMBDs and a third of households have either dogs or cats posing a health risk to millions.But the scientists added the health claims associated with the pet diet had not been proven and may even lack vital nutrients, especially for growing puppies or kittens.   Researcher Dr Paul Overgaauw, of the Division of Veterinary Public Health Utrecht at Utrecht University, said: "While pets are directly exposed to food-borne pathogens when they ingest food, there are several ways in which pet owners and other household members can also encounter such pathogens.   "This can be through direct contact with the food; through contact with a contaminated pet, such as sharing the same bed and allowing licking of the face and hands; through contact with household surfaces; or by ingesting cross-contaminated human food.   GETTY STOCK   Barf diet stands for 'bones and raw food' or 'biologically appropriate raw food'   "Cross-contamination may occur after preparing RMBDs or cleaning infected food bowls on the kitchen sink."   The study looked at the risk risk to the public or animal health because of possible contamination of RMBDs with-zoonotic-bacteria and parasites.   It analysed 35 commercial available frozen RMBD from eight different brands, widely available in The Netherlands.   E coli O157 was isolated from eight products , Listeria species were present in 15 products and Salmonella species in seven products .   Both E coli O157 and Salmonella infections in humans have been linked with serious illnesses.   Four products contained the parasite Sarcocystis cruzi and another four contained Sarcocystis tenella. In two products Toxoplasma gondii was found and Toxoplasmosis is a common infection. It can be caught from pet poo or infected meat.   GETTY STOCK   Scientists say the pet diet had not been proven nd may even lack vital nutrients   The Sarcocystes species are not zoonotic but pose a risk to humans who eat raw or under cooked meat.   Dr Overgaauw said: "Despite the relatively low sample size of frozen products in our study, it is clear that commercial RMBDs may be contaminated with a variety of zoonotic bacterial and parasitic pathogens that may be a possible source of bacterial infections in pet animals and if transmitted pose a risk for human beings.   "This is in contrast with dry, semimoist and canned pet food, which is rarely contaminated with pathogens.   "Cats and dogs that eat raw meat diets are also more likely to become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria than animals on conventional diets, which could pose a serious risk to both animal health and public health.   "Feeding of freshly prepared, non-frozen RMBDs to companion animals can not only result in infection and disease in the animals, but also poses a risk to public health and livestock farming through shedding of pathogens into the environment.   GETTY   Some owners claim a natural diet of raw meat, bones, and organs is healthier than processed pet food   "Moreover, infected companion animals can transmit pathogens to their owners by direct contact, while human infection may also occur by cross-contamination of foods in the kitchen.   "It is important to encourage awareness of the possible risks associated with feeding RMBDs to companion animals, and pet owners should be educated about personal hygiene and proper handling of RMBDs.   "In addition, warnings and handling instructions should be included on product labels and/or packages."   The study was published in the journal Vet Record.   Related articles Pampered Pets: Why fish can be bad for cats Can I feed my dog jelly babies? Is the gelatin good for him? Pampered Pets: How can you tell if your pet is putting on weight