Dr. Fox: Should I feed my dog raw food? – Winston-Salem Journal

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Dear Dr. Fox: What is your opinion about feeding raw food to dogs? My brother suggests I do this for my dog, a 6-year-old collie mix. J.G., West Palm Beach, Florida
Dear J.G.: I am all for feeding some raw fruits and vegetables to dogs, such as crushed blueberries and grated carrots. But because most beef and poultry comes from factory farms and feedlots, where bacterial contamination is common, I advise lightly cooking all animal products before feeding them to your dog.
Antibiotic-resistant E. coli was found more frequently in the feces of dogs that were fed raw meat, regardless of how long they consumed a raw diet, than in that of dogs that did not eat raw meat, according to studies in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and One Health. People and pets can and do spread bacteria to one another, and avoiding raw diets should be considered a good hygiene practice, says veterinary epidemiology professor Kristen Reyher, co-author of the One Health study. (Full story: HealthDay News, July 21)
While some may think of dogs as carnivores, they’re actually closer to being omnivores. They thrive on a diet that includes both animal and plant sources. And though dogs are descendants of wolves, the domesticated dog’s diet has evolved over time, with vegetable sources becoming commonplace.
Worried about potential allergies your dog could encounter with eating grains? Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary says these types of food allergies are extremely rare in pets. In fact, they’ve found the digestibility of most plants found in human diets is not vastly different in canines.
Before feeding your dog fruits or vegetables, though, check with your veterinarian. Also, study this list of foods the American Kennel Club says may be harmful to pets, and this list from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Advances in gene therapy restore dogs’ visionA gene therapy restored some vision to dogs with congenital stationary night blindness, and the treatment might be able to help people with a similar genetic condition, researchers reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A single dose restored dogs’ ability to express healthy LRIT3 protein in the retina, and the effects lasted at least a year, the researchers reported. (Full story: University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Today, March 22)
Health study: Weed killer ingredient tied to cancerMore than 80% of urine samples drawn from children and adults in a U.S. health study contained a weed killing chemical linked to cancer, a finding scientists have called “disturbing” and “concerning.” The report, by a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found that out of 2,310 urine samples taken from a group of Americans intended to be representative of the U.S. population, 1,885 were laced with detectable traces of glyphosate.
Commonly known as Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide (owned by Bayer), this toxic chemical is widely used on various nonorganic food crops and by homeowners on their properties. Glyphosate residue in many pet foods, and around homes and gardens where pets and children may play, certainly puts our animal companions at risk.
Email questions to [email protected] or write to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.
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While some may think of dogs as carnivores, they’re actually closer to being omnivores. They thrive on a diet that includes both animal and plant sources. And though dogs are descendants of wolves, the domesticated dog’s diet has evolved over time, with vegetable sources becoming commonplace.
Worried about potential allergies your dog could encounter with eating grains? Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary says these types of food allergies are extremely rare in pets. In fact, they’ve found the digestibility of most plants found in human diets is not vastly different in canines.
Before feeding your dog fruits or vegetables, though, check with your veterinarian. Also, study this list of foods the American Kennel Club says may be harmful to pets, and this list from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
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