Warning: This is why you should never feed your cat or dog raw meat

Dog and cat owners who feed them raw meat are putting their pet and themselves at risk of food bugs and parasites, warns new research.

Dog and cat owners who feed them raw meat are putting their pet and themselves at risk. Experts say that feeding domesticated animals a raw meat-based diets instead of the more conventional dry or canned foods has become increasingly popular.

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Researcher Dr Paul Overgaauw, of the Division of Veterinary Public Health Utrecht at Utrecht University, said: "While pets are directly exposed to food-borne pathogens when they ingest food, there are several ways in which pet owners and other household members can also encounter such pathogens.

"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."

Barf diet stands for 'bones and raw food' or 'biologically appropriate raw food'

"Cross-contamination may occur after preparing RMBDs or cleaning infected food bowls on the kitchen sink."

The study looked at the risk risk to the public or animal health because of possible contamination of RMBDs with-zoonotic-bacteria and parasites. It analysed 35 commercial available frozen RMBD from eight different brands, widely available in The Netherlands. E coli O157 was isolated from eight products, Listeria species were present in 15 products and Salmonella species in seven products . Both E coli O157 and Salmonella infections in humans have been linked with serious illnesses. Four products contained the parasite Sarcocystis cruzi and another four contained Sarcocystis tenella. In two products Toxoplasma gondii was found and Toxoplasmosis is a common infection. It can be caught from pet poo or infected meat.

Het volledige artikel is verschenen in Express Online, 11 januari 2018