With so many conflicting voices, it’s important to cut through the noise. This post takes an honest, balanced look at raw feeding: what it is, why some people swear by it, and why most vets remain firmly opposed.
What Is Raw Feeding?
Raw feeding means giving your dog a diet of uncooked, unprocessed foods — usually raw meat, bones, and organs, sometimes with added fruits or vegetables.
Two main styles are common:
- BARF Diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food) – Includes meat, bones, organs, and plant matter.
- Prey Model Raw (PMR) – Mimics what a wild carnivore might eat, with a set ratio of muscle meat, bone, and organ, and no plant-based ingredients.
Some owners prepare raw meals themselves; others buy commercially prepared raw food.
Why Some Owners Choose Raw Feeding
Supporters often cite benefits they’ve noticed in their dogs:
- Coat & Skin Improvements – Many owners report shinier fur and healthier skin.
- Cleaner Teeth – Chewing on raw, meaty bones may help reduce tartar.
- Smaller Stools – Raw-fed dogs often produce smaller, less odorous waste.
- Increased Energy – Some dogs seem more active and alert.
It’s important to note that while these benefits are often reported anecdotally, scientific research on them is limited — and the same improvements can sometimes be achieved with balanced, high-quality cooked diets.
Why Most Veterinarians Advise Against Raw Feeding
While potential benefits exist, there are well-documented risks that cause most vets to say “no” to raw diets. These risks go beyond simple nutritional concerns — they include serious safety hazards for both dogs and people.
1. Dangerous Bacteria
Raw meat can contain harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter.
- Dogs may not always get sick themselves, but they can shed these bacteria in their saliva and feces, contaminating your home.
- People — especially children, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems — are at risk of serious illness from exposure.
- Multiple studies have found that raw-fed dogs are far more likely to carry and shed dangerous bacteria than kibble-fed dogs.
2. Risk of Broken Teeth and Internal Injuries
Raw feeding often includes bones, but these are not without danger.
- Tooth fractures are a common problem when dogs chew hard bones. A broken tooth often requires expensive veterinary treatment or extraction.
- Choking hazards and intestinal blockages can occur if dogs swallow large chunks of bone.
- Perforations (tears in the digestive tract) can happen if sharp bone fragments pass through the stomach or intestines.
Even raw bones — while less likely to splinter than cooked bones — still carry these risks.
3. Nutritional Imbalance
A dog’s diet needs the correct balance of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Without professional guidance, raw feeding can easily miss the mark.
- Too much bone can cause constipation and calcium overload.
- Too little bone can lead to weak teeth and brittle bones.
- Missing certain vitamins (like D or E) can cause long-term health issues.
Commercial raw diets aren’t always better — some have been found to be deficient or excessive in key nutrients.
4. Household Contamination
Even if your dog appears healthy, raw feeding increases the risk of spreading bacteria in your home. Food preparation areas, bowls, utensils, and even your dog’s mouth and coat can harbor pathogens. Without strict hygiene practices, these bacteria can spread to family members.
What the Research Says
Veterinary organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), British Veterinary Association (BVA), and Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), generally advise against raw feeding for these reasons:
- Increased bacterial risk to humans and dogs.
- Documented injuries from bones.
- Frequent nutritional imbalances in home-prepared raw diets.
While some studies suggest that well-balanced raw diets can meet nutritional needs, the margin for error is small — and the health risks remain.
If You Still Want to Raw Feed
Some owners choose to feed raw despite the risks. If you do, veterinarians recommend the following precautions:
- Work With a Veterinary Nutritionist – Don’t guess. Get a diet plan tailored to your dog.
- Choose Commercial Diets That Meet Standards – Look for diets tested to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles.
- Avoid Weight-Bearing Bones – These are more likely to break teeth.
- Practice Extreme Hygiene – Wash hands, surfaces, and bowls thoroughly after each meal.
- Don’t Feed Raw to Immunocompromised Dogs – Or in households with high-risk humans.
Alternatives to Raw Feeding
If your goal is a fresh, less-processed diet, you don’t have to feed raw to achieve it. Safer alternatives include:
- Lightly Cooked Fresh Diets – Retain nutrients but kill harmful bacteria.
- Freeze-Dried or Air-Dried Raw – Lower bacterial risk while preserving many raw qualities.
- High-Quality Kibble or Canned Diets – Formulated for complete nutrition without the hazards of raw meat.
The Bottom Line
Raw feeding isn’t automatically “bad” — but it is risky, and those risks are serious enough that most veterinarians do not recommend it. While some dogs may thrive on a carefully balanced raw diet, the dangers of bacterial contamination, bone injuries, and nutrient imbalance can’t be ignored.
If you’re considering raw feeding, weigh the potential benefits against these risks — and work closely with a vet or nutritionist to ensure your dog’s health and your household’s safety.
Your dog depends on you to make safe, informed choices. A healthy diet is about more than just what’s “natural” — it’s about what’s safe, balanced, and sustainable for their long-term well-being.
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