Food Fur Life
  • Home
  • Store
  • DOGS
    • EZComplete fur Dogs Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Dogs - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Dogs >
      • How to Prepare EZComplete fur Dogs
      • How to Transition Your Dog to EZComplete
      • How to Add EZC fur Dogs premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
    • Feeding Guidelines fur Dogs
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Why Probiotics Are So Important For Our Pets >
      • Kefir for Pets
    • How to Shop for Meat >
      • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
  • Cats
    • EZComplete fur Cats Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Cats - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Cats >
      • How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Add EZC premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
      • How to Slowly and Properly Introduce EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition to EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition Your Cat to Timed Meals
      • How to Best Manage Hairballs >
        • Make Homemade Dried Egg Yolk Powder
      • How to Shop for Meat >
        • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
        • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Feline Nutrition Articles >
      • The Natural Diet of the Cat
      • Why Feed Your Cat A Raw Diet
      • Cat Food vs Cat Health
      • What is Digestibility and Why Does it Matter?
      • Raw Feeding and IBD in Cats
      • Turmeric & The Golden Paste - Unsafe for Cats?
      • Water - The Essential Nutrient
      • Water - 15 Tips to Increase Your Cat's Water Intake
    • Feline Health Articles >
      • Hairballs Are Not Normal
      • Why Probiotics Are So Important for Our Pets >
        • Kefir for Pets
      • My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat is Vomiting - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
      • What is IBD
      • Manage Nausea - the role of food
      • Manage Nausea - healthy supplements & meds
      • Medicating & Assist Feeding Your Cat
      • Feline Health Resource Links
    • What does it mean the cat is an obligate carnivore?
    • Why You SHOULD Feed Your Immune Compromised Cat Raw Food
    • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
  • FAQ / Contact
    • Shipping Rates & Policies
    • Samples
    • How Much Meat vs How Much Food
    • MFG & Best By date
    • Contact
    • Premix Information
    • Avian Flu & Safety
    • About Us
    • Return Policy
  • Blog & News

Immune Compromised Pets and Raw Food Part 1 - Why single out raw?

3/30/2016

 
by Laurie
 
 
Conventional wisdom cautions against feeding “immune compromised” pets raw food. Why? Is it fear? Or common sense?
 
My local vet has no personal experience with raw feeding – but she understands that dogs and cats are carnivores and need animal-tissue based protein – not “just” “high protein.” She also understands thatin cats “high protein” is actually a species-appropriate amount of protein, and should not be labeled “high.”
 
Given she isn't anti-raw and understands the nutritional needs of cats, when considering our transition to raw, I asked her about the risks to my immune compromised cats. We determined the primary concern with the caution regarding raw feeding and health status was potential infection due to contamination. I had questions:


  1. If a pet becomes ill, aren’t there symptoms that indicate treatment is necessary before such an illness becomes life-threatening?
  2. Isn’t salmonella – the primary infection concern – treatable?
  3. Can’t we take steps to help prevent infection by using probiotics?
  4. The primary reason for recalls of kibble is salmonella contamination. Why are there no cautions against feeding immune compromised pets kibble?
 
Yes, there are symptoms associated with infection.

Yes salmonella is treatable – though it is usually self-resolving (in both people and pets). In our immune-compromised pets, if there are symptoms, get to the vet and get treatment.

Yes, studies have shown that probiotics (including lactic acid bacteria like L acidophilus and Saccharomyces boulardii) help protect us (and our pets) from food poisoning.

Yes, the primary reason for recalls of non-raw pet food is salmonella.

No, we don’t know why vets who caution against raw feeding immune compromised pets do not caution against feeding kibble to those same animals. In fact, this makes no sense based on the recall analysis:

 

In this chart, bright yellow indicates salmonella. Mustard yellow indicates aflatoxins or mold.
Picture


At Food Fur Life, we suspect many people feeding kibble would be surprised to learn of precautions The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) suggest when feeding kibble. The CDC may caution against raw feeding our pets: but even when feeding kibble the CDC cautions:


  • Do not feed your pet ANY food or treats in the kitchen
  • Do not handle pet food directly (use a dedicated scoop and do not use the pet’s dish as a scoop)
  • Do not allow young children in areas where pets are fed
  • Do not allow young children to even touch kibble or pet treats
  • Do not wash pet food and water dishes in the kitchen sink (and if there is no choice, “clean and disinfect the sink after washing pet food items”).
 
Yes, that is the list of recommendations the CDC provides for feeding kibble.
 
Why the disconnect between concerns with feeding raw food versus feeding kibble to our pets if the risk of salmonella contamination is present in both?
 
I don’t know. Do you?






Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2025
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2020
    June 2019
    March 2018
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Cats And Humans
    Commercial Pet Food
    EZcomplete
    EZ Egg Yolk
    Feline Nutrition Studies
    Feline Obesity
    Fresh Food
    Hairballs
    Health Issues
    How To
    How To Introduce EZcomplete
    How To Transition
    Pet Food Industry
    Pet Food Trends
    Pet Food Vs Pet Health
    Prescription Diets
    Promotions
    Raw-food
    Safety
    The Conscious Cat
    Veterinary Diets
    Water Needs

    Picture
      

Disclaimer
The information provided through our www.foodfurlife.com website is informational and educational. We are here to help make feeding a properly balanced homemade diet to your pet simple and to provide guidance for some of the problems that can crop up when transitioning your pets to a new food. But please be advised, we are not veterinarians. Food Fur Life LLC will not be held responsible for any adverse reactions your pet might experience based on the information on our website, nor can Food Fur Life LLC be held responsible for any problems due to using our product in any manner other than as directed. The health of your pet is 100% in your hands. We expect you to use your knowledge of your pet and your circumstances to determine, with the knowledge and input of your trusted veterinarian, whether any advice provided on this site is appropriate for your pet.


Food Fur Life, LLC
PO Box B
Blairstown, NJ 07825
All customer service is managed by email at                                                                                                                                                                    Copyright 2015 -2025 Food Fur Life, LLC
[email protected]                                                                                                                         Food Fur Life and EZComplete are Registered Trademarks of Food Fur Life, LLC

Terms of Use


FAQ


Return Policy

Contact Us
  • Home
  • Store
  • DOGS
    • EZComplete fur Dogs Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Dogs - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Dogs >
      • How to Prepare EZComplete fur Dogs
      • How to Transition Your Dog to EZComplete
      • How to Add EZC fur Dogs premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
    • Feeding Guidelines fur Dogs
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Why Probiotics Are So Important For Our Pets >
      • Kefir for Pets
    • How to Shop for Meat >
      • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
  • Cats
    • EZComplete fur Cats Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Cats - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Cats >
      • How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Add EZC premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
      • How to Slowly and Properly Introduce EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition to EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition Your Cat to Timed Meals
      • How to Best Manage Hairballs >
        • Make Homemade Dried Egg Yolk Powder
      • How to Shop for Meat >
        • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
        • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Feline Nutrition Articles >
      • The Natural Diet of the Cat
      • Why Feed Your Cat A Raw Diet
      • Cat Food vs Cat Health
      • What is Digestibility and Why Does it Matter?
      • Raw Feeding and IBD in Cats
      • Turmeric & The Golden Paste - Unsafe for Cats?
      • Water - The Essential Nutrient
      • Water - 15 Tips to Increase Your Cat's Water Intake
    • Feline Health Articles >
      • Hairballs Are Not Normal
      • Why Probiotics Are So Important for Our Pets >
        • Kefir for Pets
      • My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat is Vomiting - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
      • What is IBD
      • Manage Nausea - the role of food
      • Manage Nausea - healthy supplements & meds
      • Medicating & Assist Feeding Your Cat
      • Feline Health Resource Links
    • What does it mean the cat is an obligate carnivore?
    • Why You SHOULD Feed Your Immune Compromised Cat Raw Food
    • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
  • FAQ / Contact
    • Shipping Rates & Policies
    • Samples
    • How Much Meat vs How Much Food
    • MFG & Best By date
    • Contact
    • Premix Information
    • Avian Flu & Safety
    • About Us
    • Return Policy
  • Blog & News