Raw Meat-Based Diets in Dogs and Cats

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Microbiology
• Food Safety
• Zoonotic Diseases

Background:

• Raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) are increasingly popular for companion animals.
• RMBDs may pose health risks due to potential contamination with zoonotic enteric pathogens.
• Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Yersinia are common zoonotic bacteria causing human enteritis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Yersinia in commercial RMBDs.
• To determine the significance of RMBD feeding on the shedding of these pathogens in pet feces.
• To assess the risk of pathogen transmission between pets and owners.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of commercial RMBDs from retail stores.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for pathogen detection in RMBDs and pet feces.
• Bacterial culturing for pathogen confirmation and quantification.

Main Results:

• Campylobacter, Salmonella, and enteropathogenic Yersinia were sporadically detected by PCR in RMBDs.
• Bacterial culturing did not detect these pathogens in RMBDs, suggesting low contamination levels in frozen products.
• Pathogens were detected in the feces of dogs and cats, but a direct association with RMBD feeding was not established.

Conclusions:

• Commercial RMBDs show low contamination levels with key zoonotic enteric pathogens.
• The presence of these pathogens in pet feces warrants further investigation into the role of RMBDs.
• Further research is needed to clarify the association between RMBD feeding and pathogen shedding in pets.