🥩 Raw Food Risks
Raw feeding, often called BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) or PMR (Prey Model Raw), has grown in popularity based on the idea that dogs should eat like their wolf ancestors. The major veterinary organizations have serious concerns about this approach.
🏥 What the Experts Say
AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)
Does NOT recommend raw diets due to risks of bacterial contamination that can harm both pets and humans in the household.
Source →CDC (Centers for Disease Control)
Does NOT recommend raw pet food diets, citing risks of Salmonella and Listeria contamination.
Source →WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association)
Does not recommend raw diets and advises that the risks outweigh any potential benefits, particularly for immunocompromised humans or animals.
Source →Bacterial Contamination
Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli are regularly found in commercially produced raw pet foods. Multiple FDA investigations have confirmed this. These bacteria can infect your dog AND spread to humans through contact with the dog, food surfaces, or bowls.
Risk to Your Household
People at highest risk from raw-feeding households: children under 5, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals (cancer patients, those on immunosuppressants, HIV+). These groups should not live in households with raw-fed pets.
Nutritional Imbalance
Home-prepared raw diets are almost universally nutritionally incomplete. Studies have found that the vast majority of home-made raw diets are deficient in calcium, phosphorus, zinc, or essential vitamins. An imbalanced diet causes harm silently over months or years before it becomes apparent.
Parasite Risk
Raw meat (especially pork, wild game, and fish) can contain parasites like Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, Trichinella, and tapeworms. Freezing reduces but does not eliminate all parasite risks. Cooking kills parasites reliably.
🤔 Common Raw Feeding Claims, Evaluated
💬 Claim
"My dog's coat is shinier since switching to raw"
🔬 Evidence
Coat improvements are often due to a higher fat content in raw diets, not the rawness. The same improvement can be achieved with a high-quality cooked food without the contamination risk.
💬 Claim
"Raw is more digestible than cooked food"
🔬 Evidence
False. Studies show cooked, processed pet food is actually more digestible than raw for most nutrients. Cooking breaks down cell walls and starches, making nutrients more bioavailable.
💬 Claim
"Dogs evolved to eat raw"
🔬 Evidence
Dogs evolved alongside humans eating cooked scraps and processed food for 15,000+ years. Wild wolves have a lifespan of 6–8 years in the wild and face significant mortality from food-related illness. Domesticated dogs live 10–15+ years on balanced diets.
💬 Claim
"Commercial raw foods are tested and safe"
🔬 Evidence
Multiple FDA surveys of commercial raw pet foods have found contamination rates of 15–25% for Salmonella and Listeria. Even expensive brands have been involved in recalls. No raw food is guaranteed safe.
📚 Sources & Further Reading
- FDA - Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets Can Be Dangerous
- Freeman et al. (2013) - Current Knowledge about the Risks and Benefits of Raw Meat-Based Diets, JAVMA
- van Bree et al. (2018) - Zoonotic Bacteria and Parasites Found in Raw Meat-Based Diets for Cats and Dogs, Vet Record
- Schlesinger & Joffe (2011) - Raw Food Diets in Companion Animals: A Critical Review, Can Vet J
- AVMA Policy - Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets
Find a safe, science-backed food for your dog.
Start the Quiz →Last reviewed: March 2025