Do you remember seeing your dog sneaking in an extra poop snack? Or your cat assuming that impossibly flexible yoga pose to lick their genitals? Dogs and cats did not evolve to eat sterile food and are naturally resistant towards bacteria:
- Their saliva has antibacterial properties;
- Their stomach is highly acidic and kills bacteria that have escaped the antibacterial agents in the saliva;
- The short digestive tract is designed to push through food and bacteria quickly without giving bacteria time to colonise.
All foods contain some degree of risk. Raw meat can be contaminated with bacteria, but dry kibble is often made of meat products not fit for human consumption and is contaminated with bacteria or other disease-causing mould. Bacteria is everywhere. Feeding a complete and balanced raw diet to our pets (read: species-appropriate, bioavailable and highly digestible) builds a strong immune system and promotes the growth of healthy intestinal flora, allowing the animal to fight infections by external pathogens and prevent the overgrowth of potentially pathogenic organisms.
To ensure your own safety when feeding raw, exercise basic hygiene and practise some common sense: do not eat your cat or dog’s poop, wash your hands and keep surfaces clean.