Secret #25- in the raw

My comments on Reader's Digest article "50 Secrets Your Vet Won't Tell You"

"Some people are really into a raw-food diet for pets, but it's a huge public health hazard. Think about it: You have raw meat, you're touching it, your dog touches it, and then the dog goes and licks the baby. I've had two patients die and two patients get really sick from it."

Raw food is hard to do right, for many reasons. Balancing the diet is tricky and time-consuming, and needs to be watched constantly, to avoid what some nutritionists call "drift."

Messing with raw meat puts us all at risk. Have you heard of Salmonella? E. coli? Toxoplasmosis? Trichonella? There is a reason we don't eat raw (sushi and tar tar aside). Our pets are not wild animals. They have been carefully bred over thousands of years to be our companions. Their systems are no longer equipped to process raw meats. When was the last time you saw a miniature poodle taking down a caribou? And what is the average life expectancy of wild dogs? Ever thing diet might contribute to early death for them?

Seriously, commercial foods- good quality ones- have all your pet needs, in a palatable form, with little waste. I think of it like the food squares on the original Star Trek- all your needs in a small package. Companies have spent years and dollars researching and perfecting these diets. Heck, I wouldn't mind being on one myself some days! It certainly would help my physique.

One thing about raw diets you might not realize- no only does the risk of food borne disease increase for the pet fed the diet, it increases the risk in the household. And not just directly from the dog locking the baby. Dishwashers can spread the nasty bacteria onto all of the dishes and utensils in the washer- the water might not get hot enough to kill everything adequately.

So, if you really want to go raw- be sure you do your research. Even cooked home made diets need research. Find a vet nutritionist to consult if you can, or a reliable website like balanceit.com

Enjoy your pets!