BARF Diets a veterinarian’s perspective

Responsibility of veterinarians

As veterinarians, we have a duty to ensure that our advice is for the benefit of those animals under our care. But what advice should we be giving? There is a lot of data for pet owners to read, a simple Google search for ‘BARF diet’ shows up almost 450,000 hits. It can get very confusing.

The two main areas to focus on for any diet (BARF or extruded) is (1) its nutritional adequacy for that species (e.g. complete and balanced, life stage appropriate) and (2) if there are any potential health risks for both the animal and its owner (e.g. bacteria, parasites). As veterinarians we are naturally ‘evidence-based’, meaning we want the most robust data to support any advice we give to our clients. The information given below has been taken from independent peer-reviewed veterinary literature and veterinary university websites.

Dietary imbalances

There are anecdotal reports of numerous benefits of feeding raw meat diets, but, at this time, there is a paucity of robust scientific studies that show clear health benefits from these diets. In fact, a 2011 European study evaluated 95 homemade raw meat diets being fed to dogs (as reported by the owners) and calculated levels of 12 nutrients (e.g., calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A). Results showed that 60% of the diets had major nutritional imbalances. And, meat contains very little calcium (and vitamin D), and calcium’s balance (ratio) with phosphorus is not ideal, especially for growth in puppies and particularly important in the large and giant breed puppies. Both under- and over-supply of dietary calcium can have damaging effects on growing bone.

In the European study of 2011 10% of dogs ate less than 25% of the recommended daily allowance for calcium and 10% ate more than 300 times this allowance, the excess calcium coming mainly from bones. Therefore, there are concerns that raw meat diets may have important nutrient deficiencies and excesses that could affect the development of young animals. It should also be noted that the feeding of bones could be an issue as splinters can cause mouth or intestinal trauma, and certain breeds (particularly terriers like the West Highland White) can swallow whole bones (e.g. vertebrae) that can get lodged in the oesophagus.

Bacteria contamination

Scientific studies have shown that there is a risk with raw meat diets (whether commercial or homemade) through contamination with bacteria. Some of these bacteria are unlikely to have negative effects on health, but others can be serious. Past studies have found that between 20-37% of commercial raw meat diets were contaminated with Salmonella. Animals eating raw meat diets can shed these bacteria in their faeces, even for 1 week.

Other bacteria that have been found in raw meat diets include E. coli 0157 and Clostridium. These bacteria are a risk, not only for the animals, but also for other pets and people in the household. This is particularly true for any people or animals that are young, old, pregnant or have a suppressed immune system. Therefore, pet owners need to evaluate all the facts when choosing such diets.

Recommendations

Owners who wish to feed BARF diets do have good choices from good companies, and as with any pet food manufacturer, owners should be able to ask open questions about the suitability of the food, its nutritional balance and content. If there is any suggestion of a nutritional imbalance then steps need to be taken to ensure that nutritional adequacy is attained. More recommendations:

• Feed a diet that is balanced and appropriate for the life-stage of the pet: especially important for puppies (large breeds) and kittens.
• Feed a diet from a company with strict quality control to help ensure nutritional consistency of the product.
• Ensure any home-cooked diets are complete and balanced, if unsure then contact an animal nutritionist. Meat in homemade diets should be cooked to guarantee killing of any bacteria.
• Any dietary change should be made slowly, over 5-7 days.
• Consult a veterinarian if there are any concerns regarding feeding of the pet.