Raw Food Diets for Pets - Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and
Public Health Agency of Canada Joint Position Statement

Position:
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Public
Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) believe that there is evidence of
potential health risks for pets fed raw meat based diets, and for
humans in contact with such pets. Currently there is little scientific
evidence supporting the efficacy of these diets. However, the
documented scientific evidence of potential animal and public health
risks in feeding raw meats outweigh any perceived benefits of this
feeding practice. If veterinarians do recommend raw meat diets for
pets under their care they should be aware of potential liability
concerns should a pet or in-contact human become ill due to pathogens
originating in the diet. Veterinarians recommending raw food diets must
inform pet owners of potential risks, and should educate the owners on
how to mitigate risks of pathogen exposure in both handling the food
and in managing pets consuming raw meat diets. It is also important
for veterinarians to emphasize that there is a higher risk of human
infections if pets on these diets are being used to visit human
hospitals for therapeutic reasons, or if pets are fed in households
with people who have compromised immune function, or where there are
very young children that could come into direct contact with the food
or with the feces of pets consuming raw foods.

Background: Feeding pets raw meat based diets is a recent trend.
Multiple benefits of feeding these diets are touted, but all are
supported only by anecdotal reports. To date, no scientific evidence
to support the efficacy or safety of these diets have been published.
There are now multiple peer-reviewed studies documenting potential
risks from bacterial pathogens present in raw meats for both pets fed
these diets, and for in-contact humans. Studies have also proven that
pets fed raw meats can shed potential bacterial pathogens in their
stool thereby acting as a source of potentially significant zoonotic
infections to in-contact humans. The public health risks of feeding
raw food are magnified with evidence that bacterial pathogens in raw
foods, and in the stool of pets fed raw foods have enhanced patterns
of antimicrobial resistance.

References:
1. Lejeune TJ, Hancock DD. Public Health Concerns Associated with
Feeding Raw Meat Diets to Dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc
2001;219(9):1222-1225

2. Joffe DJ, Schlesinger DP. Preliminary Assessment of the Risk of
Salmonella Infection in Dogs Fed Raw Chicken Diets. Can Vet J
2002;43(6):441-2 CVJ Jun 2002)

3. Murphy C, et al, ACVIM abstr 2005)

4. Weese JS, Rousseau J, Arroyo L. Bacterial Evaluation of Commercial
Canine and Feline Raw Diets. Can Vet J 2005;46(6):513-516.

5. Finley R, Reid-Smith R, Weese JS. Human Health Implications of
Salmonella-Contaminated Natural Pet Treats and Raw Pet Food.
Clin Infect Dis 2006;42(5):686-91

6. Finley R, Ribble C, Aramini J, Vandermeer M, Popa M, Littman M,
Reid-Smith R. The risk of salmonellae shedding by dogs fed
Salmonella-contaminated commercial raw food diets.
Can Vet J. Accepted for publication.

7. Finley RL. Salmonella in commercially available pig ear treats
and raw food diets: prevalence survey and canine feeding trial.
[MSc. Thesis]. Guelph, Ontario. University of Guelph, 2004.

8. Strohmeyer RA, Morley SP, Hyatt DR, Dargatz DA, Scorza AV, Lappin
MR. Evaluation of Bacterial and Protozoal Contamination of Commercially
Available Raw Meat Diets for Dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2006; 228 (4)
537-542.

Adopted November 2006

[Posted in FML 7194]