Few topics in dog nutrition generate as much passionate debate as raw feeding. Proponents claim dramatic health benefits; critics point to serious safety concerns. What does the scientific evidence actually tell us?
This article examines raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) through the lens of published research, not anecdote or ideology.
What Are Raw Meat-Based Diets?
Raw meat-based diets include:
- BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food): Typically includes raw meat, bones, organs, eggs, and sometimes vegetables
- Prey model raw: Attempts to mimic whole prey animals (meat, bone, organs in specific ratios)
- Commercial raw: Frozen or freeze-dried raw diets sold by pet food companies
- Home-prepared raw: Owner-prepared using various recipes
All share the common feature of uncooked animal proteins.
Claimed Benefits
Raw feeding advocates commonly claim:
- Shinier coats
- Healthier skin
- Cleaner teeth
- Better digestion
- Smaller, firmer stools
- More energy
- Improved immune function
- Reduced allergies
- Weight management
- "More natural" diet
Let's examine what research says about these claims.
What the Evidence Shows
Benefits: Limited But Plausible
A 2025 review in the journal Animals summarized current research:
"Limited current evidence in dogs and cats has suggested that feeding RMBDs may lead to a healthy body weight and condition, improved stool quality, compositional and functional changes in the gut microbiome, upregulated metabolism of protein and amino acids and/or fat, and may elicit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentials."
However, the same review noted:
"Aside from some plausible claims for better digestibility and stool quality, the various health claims made for raw feeding remain a mixture of anecdote and opinion, not backed by highly relevant data."
What We Actually Know
Better Stool Quality: Multiple studies confirm smaller, firmer stools with raw diets. This is plausible—higher digestibility means less waste.
Gut Microbiome Changes: Raw diets do change gut bacteria populations. Whether these changes are beneficial remains unclear.
Coat Quality: Anecdotally reported, but not rigorously studied. May relate to fat content and quality rather than "rawness."
Dental Health: Some evidence for cleaner teeth from chewing raw bones—but significant fracture risk exists.
What We Don't Know
- Long-term health outcomes
- Comparative health metrics vs. quality commercial diets
- Optimal formulations
- Which dogs benefit most (or are harmed)
The fundamental problem: very few high-quality, long-term studies exist. Most evidence is anecdotal, from surveys, or from short-term feeding trials.
Documented Risks
The risks of raw feeding have more robust documentation than the benefits.
Pathogen Contamination
This is the most serious and well-documented risk.
FDA Study Findings: A study by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine tested frozen raw pet foods purchased online and found:
- Approximately 1 in 3 products contained Salmonella, Listeria, or toxigenic E. coli
University of Pennsylvania Research: A more recent study found:
- 10% of raw products contained bacteria producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs)—enzymes that make bacteria resistant to penicillins and cephalosporins
Other Studies: Various international studies have found:
- Salmonella in 20-48% of raw diets tested
- Listeria monocytogenes in 16-32% of samples
- Pathogenic E. coli strains in multiple products
- Parasites in some raw products
Human Health Risk
This is often underappreciated. Dogs eating contaminated raw food:
- Shed bacteria in feces for days to weeks
- Contaminate the environment
- Pose risk to household members
High-Risk Populations in Many Homes: Research indicates nearly 1 in 4 households feeding RMBDs include someone at increased immunological risk:
- Young children
- Elderly adults
- Immunocompromised individuals (cancer treatment, HIV, organ transplant recipients)
- Pregnant women
Nutritional Imbalance
Studies consistently find nutritional problems in raw diets:
Home-Prepared Diets:
- Multiple studies find 85-95% of home-prepared raw recipes are nutritionally incomplete
- Common deficiencies: calcium, phosphorus, vitamins D and E, zinc, iodine
- Common excesses: vitamin A, vitamin D (from liver)
Commercial Raw Diets:
- Better than homemade but still variable
- Some products don't meet AAFCO nutrient profiles
- Quality control varies significantly by manufacturer
Bone-Related Risks
Raw bones are a feature of many raw diets, but carry risks:
- Fractured teeth (especially with weight-bearing bones)
- GI obstruction from bone fragments
- Constipation from excessive bone consumption
- Esophageal or intestinal perforation (rare but serious)
The "Dogs Are Wolves" Argument
A common argument for raw feeding is that dogs evolved eating raw prey like their wolf ancestors. However:
Dogs Have Evolved
Genetic research shows dogs have adapted to human diets over thousands of years:
- Dogs have more copies of the AMY2B gene than wolves, enabling better starch digestion
- Dogs produce more maltase and other enzymes for carbohydrate metabolism
- The canine gut has adapted to varied diets
Wolves Aren't the Best Model
Even if dogs were identical to wolves:
- Wild wolf life expectancy is 6-8 years (vs. 10-13+ for domestic dogs)
- Wolves experience frequent parasitic infections
- Wolf diets aren't necessarily optimal—they're what's available
- Survival ≠ thriving
Domestication Matters
After 15,000-40,000 years of coevolution with humans, domestic dogs are metabolically distinct from wolves. Their nutritional needs aren't identical.
Freeze-Drying: Not the Same as Cooking
Some believe freeze-dried raw foods are safer. This is incorrect.
Freeze-drying:
- Removes moisture
- Does NOT kill most bacteria, viruses, or parasites
- Pathogens can reactivate when rehydrated
- FDA has recalled freeze-dried raw products for contamination
Similarly, high-pressure processing (HPP) reduces but doesn't eliminate pathogens.
Only cooking to appropriate temperatures reliably eliminates foodborne pathogens.
Safe Raw Feeding Practices
If you choose to feed raw despite the risks, follow these guidelines:
Food Handling
- Treat raw pet food like raw meat for humans
- Wash hands thoroughly after handling
- Clean and sanitize all surfaces and utensils
- Store separately from human food
- Thaw in refrigerator, not on counter
Household Considerations
- Keep raw-fed dogs away from immunocompromised individuals
- Don't allow licking of faces or open wounds
- Clean up feces promptly
- Consider the risks to children who may not practice good hygiene
Formulation
- Work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist
- Don't rely on internet recipes (most are imbalanced)
- If using commercial raw, choose AAFCO-compliant products
- Monitor your dog's health with regular veterinary check-ups
Not Recommended For
- Households with immunocompromised members
- Homes with young children
- Dogs with compromised immune systems
- Dogs in households with elderly family members
What Veterinary Organizations Say
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
Discourages feeding raw animal proteins to pets due to the risk of illness to pets and humans.
American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA)
Recommends against feeding pets any raw animal-source protein.
World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA)
Notes the risks of bacterial contamination and nutritional imbalance.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Recommends against raw pet diets due to public health concerns.
These recommendations are based on documented risks, not bias against raw feeding.
The Balanced Perspective
Raw Feeding Might Make Sense If:
- You're committed to rigorous food safety practices
- You work with a veterinary nutritionist for formulation
- Your household has no high-risk individuals
- You understand and accept the documented risks
- Your dog has specific conditions that haven't responded to other diets
Raw Feeding Probably Doesn't Make Sense If:
- You believe it's risk-free (it's not)
- You rely on online recipes without professional guidance
- Your household includes children, elderly, or immunocompromised members
- You aren't prepared for the handling requirements
- You're doing it because it's "natural" (appeal to nature fallacy)
The Bottom Line
The scientific evidence on raw diets can be summarized as:
Benefits: Plausible but largely unproven. Better stool quality is the most documented benefit. Other claims await rigorous study.
Risks: Well-documented and significant. Pathogen contamination is common. Public health concerns are legitimate. Nutritional imbalance is frequent in home-prepared diets.
Research Gap: We lack high-quality, long-term studies comparing raw to well-formulated commercial diets. Most "evidence" is anecdotal.
The Choice: If you choose raw feeding, do it with eyes open to the real risks, proper formulation guidance, and rigorous food safety practices. Don't assume "natural" means "safe" or "better."
What we know for certain: many dogs thrive on well-formulated commercial diets with none of the documented risks of raw feeding. The burden of proof for claiming raw is superior remains unmet by current evidence.