Can dogs eat raw meat? Scientists warn about the risk of infection with Escherichia coli
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Feeding raw meat to dogs can be dangerous due to the possibility of Escherichia coli infection.
This was found out by scientists from the University of Bristol in Britain during a study of 600 healthy domestic dogs, writes Science Alert.
The research team asked dog owners to complete a survey that provided detailed information about their dog, diet, environment and whether the animal had been treated with antibiotics.
“Our study found an association between faecal shedding of ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli and feeding raw meat to dogs“, says genetic epidemiologist Jordan Seeley from the University of Bristol.
| Photo: Phil Stev/Depositphotos |
In addition, the strains of E. coli most commonly found in country dogs matched those also found in cattle.
In cities, dogs more often had strains that were also found in humans, which indicates a more complex combination of infection routes.
Professor of Molecular Bacteriology Matthew Avison, who led the study, explained:
“Raw meat, whether intended for human consumption after cooking or sold as raw dog food, is likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant E. coli.
Cooking kills bacteria, and good hand hygiene reduces the direct risk of bacteria entering the human gut“.
He adds that choosing to feed a dog raw meat means that owners will also be interacting with a pet that sheds resistant E. coli.
Therefore, scientists urged pet owners to consider switching their pets to a diet without raw meat‘meat, and livestock owners to take steps to reduce the use of antibiotics on farms where dog food comes from, as this leads to antibiotic resistance in the future.
Note that E. coli is part of the healthy gut microbiome in humans and animals. Although most strains are harmless, some can cause problems, especially in people with weakened immune systems. The infection can be life-threatening.
Read also: Scientists used Escherichia coli to generate electricity from sewage: what will it do
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