Plus-Hex CLINICAL
Many owners feel more comfortable discussing diets with a veterinary nurse( VN), as they are perceived as being approachable [ 19 ]. Although VNs may have a basic understanding of the negative effects of raw diets, deeper knowledge is arguably lacking and therefore professional development is required.
Methodology
This review adopted a systematic approach, using the framework of Caldwell et al. [ 20 ]. An initial search was conducted through the broad databases of Middlesex library and RCVS Knowledge, followed by specific databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, The Veterinary Nurse and Wiley Online Library. Keywords included adverse, unfavourable, consequence, raw, natural and meat, with Boolean operators of or / and. The use of inclusion and exclusion criteria allowed a focused search, ensuring that inappropriate sources were removed without excessive limitation [ 21 ].
Ethics
This topic poses ethical implications if dogs were purposely fed an inappropriate raw diet, such as solely meat, as this could compromise the animals ' health. However, many of the critiqued studies used data gathered from the raw diet ingredients and the faecal matter of dogs fed a raw diet, rather than from the dogs themselves, which improved the ethical status of the studies.
Literature review
Bacteria
Due to the risks to human health, the presence of bacteria is a well-researched aspect of raw feeding. Five identified papers investigated bacterial prevalence, most frequently E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter [ 22 ]( Figure 1 [ 23 ]). Collectively, these studies show a consistent association between raw diets and increased faecal carriage of zoonotic and, in some cases, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Figure 1. Campylobacter under a microscope [ 23 ].
Mounsey et al. [ 24 ] aimed to identify lifestyle associations with E. coli detection in the faeces of 16-week-old puppies, focusing on participants that were fed a raw diet. The study found that raw diets present a significant risk in contributing to antibiotic-resistant E. coli excretion. The study included a balanced discussion and relevant conclusions, although a lack of recommendations for further research limits critique of the conclusions.
Martinez-Anton et al. [ 25 ] aimed to investigate contributory risk factors to acute polyradiculoneuritis( APN), referring to Campylobacter and raw chicken consumption, using a case – control design. They found raw chicken consumption to be a risk factor in the development of APN, with Campylobacter described as a contributing factor. Through comparison with previous studies, the study also presented new bacterial considerations and medical associations with raw feeding.
Runesvärd et al. [ 26 ] compared the prevalence of E. coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella in the faeces of dogs fed raw diets or dry kibble, using a cross-sectional study design. Zoonotic, antibiotic-resistant bacteria were significantly more common in faeces from dogs fed a raw diet, and results identified a clear association between bacterial faecal carriage and raw diets, in agreement with Mounsey et al. [ 24 ] and Martinez-Anton et al. [ 25 ].
Groat et al. [ 27 ] investigated the prevalence of E. coli and Salmonella in the faeces of UK pets that were fed a raw diet and those that were not, and explored the risk factors for the carriage of these bacteria. Although their findings further supported a higher prevalence of Salmonella and E. coli in animals fed a raw diet, unequal group sizes and under-representation of pets that were not fed a raw diet introduced potential bias and limited generalisability.
Parasites
Two identified papers described the risks of parasites associated with raw feeding. Most reported parasites in the UK are low risk, so their prevalence in raw diets is not extensively researched; however, several species of tapeworm and the parasites Toxocara canis and T. gondii pose a zoonotic risk and may compromise human and animal health [ 28 ].
van Bree et al. [ 29 ] tested for zoonotic bacteria and parasites in Dutch commercial raw diets. They highlighted a lack of national data, which supported the paper ' s significance. The findings confirmed the presence of zoonotic bacteria and parasites in the raw diets and concluded that pathogens can be sourced directly from the diets, emphasising clinical significance and the importance of hygiene and owner education.
Volume 41( 3) • June 2026
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