Study finds raw diets for pets place animals, owners at riskJanuary 18, 2018A new study by Utrecht University scientists, published in British veterinary journal Vet Record, found that raw meat-based diets (RMBD) for pets places owners at risk of serious disease. The study, which analyzed 35 RMBDs from eight brands, revealed that E. coli 0157 was isolated from eight products (23 percent), Salmonella species in seven products (20 percent), and Listeria species were present in 15 products (43 percent). Four products (11 percent) found the parasite Sarcocystis cruzi; another four contained Sarcocystis tenella. Two products (6 percent) revealed Toxoplasma gondii. Researchers also found evidence the raw meat harbored antibiotic-resistant bacteria. "Despite the relatively low sample size of frozen products in our study, it is clear that commercial RMBDs may be contaminated with a variety of zoonotic bacterial and parasitic pathogens that may be a possible source of bacterial infections in pet animals and if transmitted pose a risk for human beings," they added. Pets fed RMBDs can pass pathogens to humans through direct contact, such as licking or brushing up against them, according to scientists. Researchers wrote that pathogens also can be transferred through direct contact with the food, through contact with household surfaces, or by ingesting cross-contaminated human food. RMBDs …
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