Revisiting the world of canine raw dietsMarch 1, 2022Proponents of raw diets offer varied theoretical arguments for why they should be healthier than commercial cooked foods.
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Talking the talk—What to say when clients prefer raw dietsMarch 21, 2019One only needs to pay attention to the news or trending items on Facebook to see the spate of pet food recalls happening in our country. And with an uptick of pet parents feeding their dogs raw or freeze-dried raw food, it is important veterinarians have honest and open conversations with their clients about concerns surrounding these diets. The following is American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA's) position statement on raw diets: "AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs, as well as humans." Katy Nelson, DVM, medical director of Pet Health for Stop Aging Now, agrees. "Cooking or pasteurization through the application of heat until the protein reaches an internal temperature adequate to destroy pathogenic organisms has been the traditional method used to eliminate pathogens in animal-source protein, although the AVMA recognizes that newer technologies and other methods, such as irradiation, are constantly being developed and implemented," Dr. Nelson says. "Most veterinarians are going to listen to the governing body of our profession, as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and …
Raw feeding trends continue to rack up risks for dogsFebruary 8, 2018In a new study, researchers at the University of Melbourne's U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital found that consuming raw chicken meat increases a dog's risk of developing acute polyradiculoneuritis (APN) by more than 70 times. The cause of APN in dogs has baffled the veterinary community for a long time, said Matthias le Chevoir, DVM, DECVN, chief investigator on the project. "It is a rare but very debilitating condition where the dog's hind legs first become weak," he said. "It can then progress to affect the front legs, neck, head and face. Some dogs may die from the disease if their chest becomes paralyzed. Most dogs eventually recover without treatment but it may take up to six months or more in some cases. "In our clinic alone we see around 30 cases per year and around three in ten cases would not recover," Dr. le Chevoir continued. "Watching your pet suffer is obviously very distressing and it can be difficult for owners to nurse their pet if the condition can gradually improve." Paralysis results from the dog's immune system becoming unregulated and attacking its own nerve roots, progressively worsening over several days. APN is the canine version …
