what does the current evidence say about raw meat diets for dogs regarding efficacy and safety risks?

Question

Accepted Answer

No raw meat-based diet (RMBD) has demonstrated proven health benefits over commercial or balanced homemade cooked diets in dogs. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) states there is no evidence that RMBDs provide health benefits over commercial or balanced homemade cooked diets, and the majority of owner-cited benefits — including cleaner teeth, shinier coat, improved immunity, and reduced inflammation — are largely unproven and not based on scientific evidence.710 The microbiological risks of RMBDs are well-documented and clinically significant. Salmonella species are consistently detected across surveys of commercial frozen RMBDs in Europe and North America, and raw pet food commonly exceeds hygiene thresholds for Enterobacteriaceae counts.5 Dogs fed RMBDs carry a greater prevalence of fecal Salmonella and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR), multidrug-resistant (MDR), and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant/extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli than dogs fed non-raw diets.2 These bacteria can colonize household members via oro-fecal contamination, and fecal shedding of contaminated organisms persists for up to 7 days after consumption of a contaminated RMBD.62 Additional pathogens of concern include Listeria, shiga toxigenic E. coli, Toxoplasma gondii (zoonotic, with particular risk to pregnant individuals due to fetal effects), and — identified in South Korean commercial RMBDs — live low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 virus.5711 Nutritional imbalance is the second major risk category. Deficiencies of vitamins A, D, and E, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc, and copper have been specifically reported in RMBDs.10 Feeding nutritionally incomplete homemade RMBDs has been linked to nutritional deficiencies, secondary hyperparathyroidism, osteopenia, and myelopathy in young dogs.8 Commercial RMBDs formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient guidelines for a specific life stage carry minimal risk of nutritional inadequacy, but few RMB