# Raw Food Diet...dogs at risk?



## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

Okay, so I just read this article, or at least most of it, and now I'm a little confused. I don't think this will make me stop feeding Tim a raw diet, but those of you with more experience, do you think this is overkill? I do take the normal precautions, just like I would when working with any raw protein, or poop :laugh: but can dog really spread ecoli or salmonella? Do you think that therapy dogs should be told what they can and can't eat? Personally I think this type of diet has been great for Tim, he's very regular and I'm amazed at the amount of his output (not to be too graphic ) Plus he loves eating, most of the time, which previously was not the case.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_7/features/Raw-Fed-Dogs_20025-1.html


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

jabojenny said:


> Okay, so I just read this article, or at least most of it, and now I'm a little confused. I don't think this will make me stop feeding Tim a raw diet, but those of you with more experience, do you think this is overkill? I do take the normal precautions, just like I would when working with any raw protein, or poop :laugh: but can dog really spread ecoli or salmonella? Do you think that therapy dogs should be told what they can and can't eat? Personally I think this type of diet has been great for Tim, he's very regular and I'm amazed at the amount of his output (not to be too graphic ) Plus he loves eating, most of the time, which previously was not the case.
> 
> http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_7/features/Raw-Fed-Dogs_20025-1.html


I don't do pet therapy, and I don't feed raw. But my gut feeling, after reading about this in the past is that it has more to do with a nervous insurance company than anything else.


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

I don't do Therapy work with mine, but not sure I would stop feeding raw. Maybe do a good face wash before taking them to the place.


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## rokipiki (Oct 15, 2010)

If you freeze raw and defrost, bacteria and all those nasty guys will die in the freezer and meat will be safe!


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

uke: I don't know about the other bacteria, but I do know that freezing food doesn't kill salmonella. 
http://www.salmonella.org/faq.html


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## HavGracie (Feb 27, 2012)

HavGracie said:


> uke: I don't know about the other bacteria, but I do know that freezing food doesn't kill salmonella.
> http://www.salmonella.org/faq.html


Forgot to mention -- check out question no. 26.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

HavGracie said:


> Forgot to mention -- check out question no. 26.


The trouble with that argument about raw being that there have been MANY recalls because of bacteria (most often salmonella) in even dry dog food. Some raw isn't the only food that can be contaminated. As far as I know, if you don't handle it carefully, ANYTHING you put in your mouth can make you sick, and even humans can be carriers, spreading the germs without any sign of being sick themselves.

That's why, to me, this seems like an insurance company over-reaction more than anything else. If they don't allow raw, they can say they've done everything possible to prevent contamination.

It's like doggy day cares insisting on kennel cough vaccine, even when it's been SCIENTIFICALLY established that the shots only work for a few weeks, and are only protective for a very few of the MANY strains of the virus. "But Fido COULDN'T have picked it up here.... all our dogs are vaccinated!"


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## jabojenny (Sep 18, 2011)

I kind of thought like you did Karen with it being an insurance thing, and you're right anything you put into your mouth can make you sick. Tim's food is frozen and occasionally freeze dried so I'm not sure what the bacteria situation would be if something went a wry. I cook chicken, ALOT, and I know salmonella can be rampant there. I'm very cautious about wiping down any surfaces I've used to prepare the chicken and also make sure it's cooked thoroughly, that's common sense. On that note I also wipe down the counter after preparing Tim's food and if he doesn't eat it within an hour it's tossed, although since switching over he rarely doesn't wolf his food down. I wasn't going to necessarily stop feeding him raw since we've had such a good experience, but you read stuff like that and it makes you think.


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## showelott (Oct 12, 2012)

I am a raw feeder and a former Pet Partner. Back when I had my PWD I fed her raw and we were also a certified pet partner thru Delta society and we visited nursing homes, schools, fairs, and worked other events.

Our new havanese puppy comes home at the end of the month. I'll be feeding her raw and also doing therapy work - but we'll be working with a different organization. I hope that in time Pet Partners will come around. It's a great organization and they do great work. 

Glad to find other raw feeders in the Havanese group!

Do any of you feed the whole prey model?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

they''re paranoid. Petitions are trying to get this changed. It's no more dangerous than people handling raw meats. Raw although not for every dog is still the healthiest food out there.


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