Netherlands Study Shows the Danger of Raw Meat for Pets and Their Owners

After a new study on the dangers of raw meat, veterinarians are warning people about the potential risks of feeding dogs and cats raw meat-based diets. Not only are there potential risks for the animals, but for the humans as well.

Some pet owners choose to feed their animals raw meat, bones, and organs instead of traditional dry or canned food products because they believe they are healthier for their animals. Meat consumption is increasing among animals as well as humans. Among humans, it is predicted to reach 200 pounds each year per capita this year by Research and Advisory firm Rabobank.

However, Dutch scientists say raw meat brings an increased risk of infection from bacteria for both the pets and their owners.

Paul Overgaauw of the Division of Veterinary Public Health at Utrecht University explained that while animals can be directly exposed to foodborne pathogens when they eat the food, pet owners can be exposed too.

Already, about 1 out of 6 Americans, or 48 million people, gets sick from foodborne diseases. By choosing to feed their pets raw meat, these people are increasing their risk of getting sick from contaminants.

“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,” Overgaauw said.

The Netherlands-based study looked at 35 commercial raw meat pet foods. The purpose was to look for evidence of contaminants like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

The research results showed that 23% of the products contained a type of E. coli that has been known to cause renal failure in humans and 80% had antibiotic-resistant E. coli. Over half of the food had listeria present, 20% contained salmonella, and 23% had a parasite called Sarcocystis which causes anorexia, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Overgaauw said dry, semi-moist and canned pet food is the safer option because it’s rarely contaminated with pathogens.

Scientists are saying that claims that are often made in favor of this diet aren’t backed by scientific evidence. Common claims supporting raw meat-based diets include that it gets around the issue of additives found in processed foods as well as it can combat skin and allergy problems. However, scientific evidence shows that this type of diet can instead lead to dental and gut injuries and conditions.

Because of the risks for both pets and humans, researchers believe these raw meat foods should be labeled with their potential risks. Risks like cross contamination with human foods or pathogen shedding by pets can be harmful to humans, so they should be warned before they make a purchase.

The study also noted that there is no real difference in the possible risks of contaminants in packaged, frozen meats and raw food prepared by the owner themselves.