What About Raw Diets?

Raw diets are trending across social media, often accompanied by glowing success stories. But when pet owners bring these stories to their primary care veterinarians or veterinary specialists, they’re frequently met with hesitation or concern. So, what’s behind the hesitation?

Raw diets give us pause for these reasons:

Life-threatening infections

Raw meat and vegetables have been sources for very serious illnesses due to microbes that come from the animals that provide our meat. Even veggies grown in the vicinity of these animals can become contaminated.  These illnesses may start with diarrhea and vomiting, but can lead to severe dehydration and even death. And that’s not all – these illnesses can be spread to family members.  Any human (or animal) in the house that has experienced chronic illness, or is being treated long-term with certain types of prescription drugs, can be more susceptible to these infections, with a higher risk of dying.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Some of these diets can cause nutrient deficiencies.  Most homemade raw foods fall into this category.  There are commercially made raw pet foods, and some (but not all) of these can also lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Dangerous ingredients

Some raw diet formulas include bones, which can block, or sometimes even tear the gastrointestinal tract, leading to death.  Other formulas can contain organs that lead to serious hormone imbalances.

On the other hand, some dog and cat owners claim near-miracle cures after switching their pets from traditional pet foods to raw diets. These improvements are focused on relief from dull coats, skin itching and redness, loose stool and vomiting, and overall vitality.   Are they true? 

Traditional pet foods are nutritious, but indeed different from raw foods.  They usually start with different types of ingredients, but these are combined to provide all of an animal’s essential nutrient requirements. Food processing subsequently leads to thousands of chemical changes in the food.  So biochemically speaking, raw foods differ from traditional pet diets even though both can provide all of the nutrients an animal needs. And some studies show that raw foods can reduce inflammation when compared to traditional dry pet food, which might explain some of the improvements pet owners are reporting.

Avoid homemade raw diets

While preparing food at home can feel like a good choice, homemade raw diets often carry a higher risk of bacterial contamination, which can affect both pets and people. Despite some online claims, pets can get sick from these microbes—and cases have been documented.

Additionally, ensuring your pet receives all essential nutrients is crucial for their long-term health. Professionally developed diets are more likely to be complete and balanced, helping your pet thrive now and in the future.

Choose established brands

Larger pet food manufacturers are more likely to have the expertise, equipment, and facilities necessary to ensure their formulas are both nutritionally balanced and safely processed to reduce microbial risks.

Evaluate a number of commercial raw brands before choosing one

A good raw diet should feature at minimum:

• A full time credentialed nutritionist.   This means that the nutritionist has advanced, post-college education and holds a degree designated either as “DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition)” or a “PhD” in animal nutrition.
• The food is treated with high pressure pasteurization (HPP), which is the only proven method for reducing harmful microbes in raw pet food. Importantly, freeze-drying is sometimes thought to be a process that makes raw food safer – but it does not (the only purpose for freeze drying is to improve convenience).  Only HPP has been proven to make raw pet food safer. Ideally, the company should also process the food entirely in their own facilities.
• The company’s facilities have achieved SQF or a “Safe Quality Food” certification in safety and quality.
• There are other qualities that distinguish a good raw pet food manufacturer from those that are potentially dangerous, but these are the minimum standards you should require before you choose a raw diet.

Raw diets may be helpful, but safety must be a primary consideration.  Do your homework before embarking on this path and make sure to talk with a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist before changing your pet's diet.