nutrition
Should I feed my dog or cat raw food?
Why veterinary bodies are cautious
Raw meat, including frozen raw and home-prepared BARF, has a documented record of Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter contamination. The risk runs in two directions: the pet can become sick (especially puppies, kittens, seniors, and immunocompromised animals) and the household can be exposed through shed pathogens on bowls, surfaces, and the pet's mouth.
The FDA's testing of commercial raw pet foods found significantly higher rates of pathogen contamination than kibble or canned diets. Freeze-dried raw and HPP (high-pressure-processed) raw reduce, but don't eliminate, that load.
If you choose to feed raw anyway
- Work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN) to formulate a balanced diet, home-prepared raw is the most common source of nutritional deficiencies.
- Choose commercial products that disclose pathogen testing or HPP processing.
- Strict kitchen hygiene: dedicated cutting boards, disinfect bowls daily, wash hands after every meal prep.
- Do not feed raw to households with infants, elderly people, pregnant individuals, or anyone immunocompromised.