By Dr. I Elizabeth Borgmann.
Many of you may have heard the arguments both for and against a raw food or home cooked diet. Food is a very emotional subject because it reflects how we nurture those who are important to us. Well, what is fact and what is fiction? And if you want to go the route of a home cooked diet, can you do it safely? We are going to answer some of those questions here.

Why do people want to go the route of home cooked diets or raw foods? For many, the activity of cooking for their pets increases the bond they feel for their pets. For others, there is a distrust of the pet food industry, especially after the melamine incident and pet food recalls.

On the internet there are numerous sites extolling the virtues of home cooked diets and raw foods. These sites are filled with passionate intense statements praising the virtues of raw food and home cooked diets. After reading these sites you feel as if you must be an inadequate and irresponsible owner if you feed kibble to your dog and cat.

Use meat “deemed fit for human consumption”.

Let’s start by taking a look at some of these diets. There are basically three types of raw and home cooked diets available for pet owners.

There is the BARF diet (bones and raw food diet). Here the owners purchase meat and bones cut up by the butcher and add various additional ingredients based on diets found on the internet and in books. There are the fruit and veggie blends which can be purchased to which owners add meat. And then there are commercially prepared frozen diets with fruits, veggies and meat all mixed together.

Any diet you purchase should follow what is known as “Good Manufacturing Practices” to ensure it is properly handled with quality ingredients.

Let’s look at some of the concerns surrounding the raw and home cooked diets and take a look at some of the claims. In each case, we’ll try and give you some pointers on how to make the diets work for you.

Most health and welfare centres will warn owners about the risk of parasites, protozoa, bacteria, virus and prions in meat. How real is that risk?

Parasitic and Protozoal Risks

Parasitic and protozoal risks are fairly easy to address. The most common organisms that contaminate meat are Toxocara, Sarcocystis and Trichinella. These organisms do not withstand freezing and grinding. So make sure the meat is ground and then frozen for at least 18 days at temperatures below 10C.

Viruses and prions are a moderately low risk as long as human grade meat is used (meat “deemed fit for human consumption”). Make sure your butcher is not using discarded, rejected meat in the pet food diets. If it is not okay for you, it is not okay for your pet.
Bacteria that are a concern include not only E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter but also Clostridia, Staphylococcus, Yersinia, Listeria, Tularemia (rabbits), Mycobacterium, Anthrax (sheep) and Pseudomonas.

Again, use meat “deemed fit for human consumption”. Make sure the meat has been appropriately handled throughout all stages. Never let it warm up on the counter. Make sure you use appropriate hygiene. Clean up dog and cat feces immediately. Sterilize all bowls with bleach on a daily basis. Wash your hand well.

Be aware that most assistance and therapy dogs will not be permitted to be on a raw diet because they are entering facilities with elderly or immune-compromised patients. Remember, that children under the age of 5 are also considered immune-compromised.

You will read statements that domesticated animals can handle the bacteria in these diets without ill effect. Unfortunately, there have been many reports of deaths in pets from bacterial infections arising from raw food diets and canned diets where the products have been inappropriately handled. Due diligence is extremely important always!

One reason many individuals gravitate towards home cooked and raw diets is that it is then possible to avoid certain ingredients and in some cases, to prepare foods based on personal philosophy (eg vegan, or vegetarian). There are many publications that exploit this concern on the part of the reader. Are home cooked or raw diets nutritionally sound?

Unfortunately, the majority of home based diets are nutritionally unsound. Incidences of hyperparathyroidism, rickets, skin disease, hypercalcemia and anemia abound.

If it says ‘multivitamin’, run!

Many home based diets are deficient in calcium and contain an excess of phosphorus. The calcium in bone is not always bio-available. And don’t use large or irregular pieces of bone. Dental and intestinal trauma is very common with diets that use bone chunks. Many home based diets are deficient in iron, manganese and zinc and have an excess of Vitamin D.

How can you tell if the diet you are using is complete and balanced?
If you are using a commercially prepared diet looked for a large company (avoid small regional companies) and look for AAFCO statements that say the foods are “Complete and Balanced”. They should also state the life stage for which the diet is designed.

If you are using a recipe, look for very precise instructions. Many recipes have a dubious background. For example, if it says cooked chicken and does not say exactly which cut and how it should be prepared, run! Look for specific nutrient additives.

If it says ‘multivitamin’, run! There are many different vitamins and you end up with excesses and deficiencies. Periodically, send a sample of the diet to a laboratory for nutritional analysis (every 2-3 months).
One of the risks associated with home cooked diets is “drift”. It is the gradual minor substitution of ingredients that results in dietary deficiency.

And if you are using a generic diet, many of the potential nutritional benefits that could be had from home based diets are lost.
To ensure your diet is complete visit a veterinary nutritionist 2-3 times per year for a physical exam, weigh in, blood work, urinalysis and nutritional review to ensure you are not running into nutritional deficiencies. (A veterinary nutritionist is a veterinarian who has pursued further studies specifically in the area of nutrition from an accredited university. Careful. Look into those credentials!)

Is raw better than cooked?

Many sites promote the use of raw foods saying that these are easier to digest. Unfortunately, there is no research that supports that statement. The denaturation of protein upon cooking makes it more digestible. Nutrients cannot be absorbed from raw fruits and vegetables until the cellulose is broken down. That is why human nutritionists will tell you to lightly cook your vegetables. Most enzymes do not survive the stomach acids, so whatever potential benefit they might have is lost.

Now go back and take a close look at the sites promoting raw food and home cooked diets. They are filled with anecdotal success stories. Are there any scientific studies? (By scientific, I mean published studies with appropriate controls in refereed peer reviewed journals.) No. These diets are formulated mostly on feelings. Feelings are not good science. Now, let’s acknowledge that you may want to make these types of diets. Hopefully, this article has given you the tools to do this safely.

It is possible to effectively feed a home based diet. To successfully feed a home based diet you must practice excellent hygiene, investigate the sources of your meat, frequently send diet samples for analysis and work with a veterinary nutritionist at least every 6 months (preferably more). I’m not prepared to do this and that is why I don’t feed a home based diet. (As a veterinarian with an interest in nutrition, I do not feel I have adequate knowledge to formulate a home based diet for my pet. My pets are part of my family and I will not risk endangering their health with an unbalanced diet.)

Dr. Borgmann has been practicing in the Fraser Valley for over 8 years and can be reached at the Whatcom Road Veterinary Clinic