Bacteria

Salmonella:

Salmonella stereotype Typhimurium is usually acquired by eating contaminated foods,however,direct contact with infected people or animals can also result in exposure and infection. Salmonella can be found in the intestine of all creatures.We are all exposed on a regular basis. Raw diets for dogs and cats may contain Salmonella but it certainly is not the only possible source and should not be targeted in this way. Raw meats are not the sole source of Salmonella. Salmonella can be found on packaging in your supermarket, on carpets in our homes, on door knobs ,veterinary clinics and dry processed dog and cat foods to name only a few. Most raw diets for dogs and cats are made from human grade ingredients and are handled with more care than is required for human beings. Safe food handling practices are strictly followed by most raw food manufacturers. When handling raw meat for your family or for your cat or dog we must wash all surfaces, bowls, utensils and our hands with hot soapy water. Bleach is also a very effective disinfectant. Pick up dog feces and clean the cat box regularly and compost the waste. Prevent oral /fecal contact by using disposable gloves or the plastic bag technique. Keep the raw food frozen and thaw just before serving. Pick up what is not eaten in twenty minutes and refrigerate. Use stainless steel bowls and utensils and impermeable cutting boards and avoid cross contamination.
A dog’s digestive system is very short and very acid and therefore many bacteria are killed, never cause disease, and are not shed in feces.

Campylobacter:

Again Campylobacter can be acquired by eating contaminated foods. Chickens and the family dog have campylobacteria in their intestines and therefore it may be safe to assume that we are already exposed to this organism and with no ill effects. If we follow the same guidelines as stated above we can avoid contamination with this organism as well.

E-coli 0157-H7:

There are many strains of e-coli. E-coli 0157-H7 is the disease causing strain. It is not found in poultry but is found in the intestinal tract of cattle. Very few cattle actually carry this strain and it is found only in the intestine. Muscle meat may be contaminated accidentally with feces from the intestine in processing. This is a relatively rare occurrence with safe food handling practices. Contact with these bacteria is serious but rare.

Cleaning Up!

Remember after you have purchased a product or carefully made your own raw diet for your dog or cat please clean up! Wash your hands, utensils, bowls and surfaces with hot soapy water. Strong disinfectants are not necessary as they kill healthy bacteria. Use a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water.
Relax and know you are doing what is best for your pet and your family. Feeding raw whole food nutrition to your pets can be both safe and beneficial.

Balance:

Diet must be balanced! Feeding raw diets made from whole foods approaches balance in a different way. Most processed pet foods are made from parts of foods left over from the human food processing industry and they include rendered fats and proteins, parts of grains and various other by products too numerous to mention here. Because these products are made from processed parts of foods, which are depleted of nutrients, they must be re balanced and fortified. Processing also alters the structure and availability of nutrients as well. Raw whole foods on the other hand provide nutrients as nature intended. Balance is achieved by variety. Feed different proteins such as ground chicken with bone, ground turkey with bone, beef, venison, bison and lamb .Add a liberal amount of pureed vegetables and fruits to the meal and also a vitamin /mineral supplement(vary these as well)and always add essential fatty acids at mealtime. Grains are not necessary but are not harmful to dogs in small quantities. Oats, brown rice, millet are all fine but must be cooked and added to the raw meat and vegetable meal. The fact that pet food companies push the “BALANCED” word is they want you hooked on their products. It is a marketing tool. A variety of raw whole foods is the key to good health .Make it yourself and on those occasions when you can not make it, purchase one of the fine products made today.

The balance of calcium and phosphorus is very important. This is easily achieved by feeding raw ground bone. Chicken and turkey are easily ground in a domestic meat grinder and will supply a good source of the proper ratio of calcium to phosphorous. This ratio should be 1.2/1.Prolonged imbalance in these two nutrients will result in the body stealing these elements from teeth and bones. The results of this process will be musculoskeletal problems and more. Never feed and all meat and no ground bone diet as this diet is far too high in phosphorous and too low in calcium. Never feed cooked bones! Cooked bones have no nutritional value as the bony matrix is altered by cooking and they can become lodged in the intestine and result in a very expensive trip to the veterinarian. Raw bones on the other hand provide nutrition, recreation and are natures tooth brush.

Balancing a raw diet for cats is more involved. Cats are true carnivores. They do not need vegetables or grain. They do need an amino acid Taurine which is available in muscle meat but more of it is found in heart muscle meat. Cats also need Omega3 fatty acids. This can be supplied by giving them Salmon oil. They also need ground bone for a balanced calcium /phosphorous.

Bones:

Raw ground bone should be a component of your dog or cats meal as this will provide the necessary calcium/phosphorous and in the proper ratio. Ground bone also supplies other nutrients such as magnesium as well.
Ground raw bone is the safest form. Recreational meaty bones are also very good for your dog or cat .However, many veterinarians will recommend caution here as there are some dogs and cats who do not handle bones well. Dogs which live with other dogs can eat bones too quickly and they can become lodged in the mouth, throat or intestine. Bracheacephalic dogs and cats (pushed in faces) have a soft palette and therefore can choke more easily on bones .Feed bones but do so with some caution in some cases.Beef or Bison knuckle bones are safe. Marrow bones can be fractured by some dogs and therefore they can ingest a dangerous piece of bone. Your animal’s dental health is not only a result of nutrition but also genetics. Poor bights, weak enamel may predispose the animal to fractures. Feed bones but do so with some caution. Again, ground bone is safest. Too much ground bone to meat ratio can cause constipation however so watch your cat and dog’s stool for this! If this occurs feed more fibre and less bone for a couple of days .Remember variety is good!

Kathleen Dawson
Bsc Agriculture Animal Science Physiology and Nutrition
Island Fresh K-9
www.islandfreshk-9.com