Bird Flu in the Kitchen

Despite the ongoing efforts of human and animal health professionals, feeding raw meat to pets has been a popular trend among American pet owners for 20-30 years. Although veterinary nutritionists do exist and are highly trained in the creation of safe and healthy animal diets, they are relatively scarce, so this small subset of knowledgeable specialists has been increasingly drowned out by other voices. Since many people want more expertise and detailed nutritional advice than their primary veterinarians can provide, they’ve have sought their information elsewhere. “Elsewhere” always seems to lead to throngs of keyboard warriors ready to serve up some homespun expertise.

Nutrition specialists have not identified any compelling reason to feed raw meat to pets, especially considering the inherent risks. But let’s not fight about it. The subject has come more to the forefront because of multiple, strictly indoor, pet cats suffering food poisoning in the form of H5N1, or bird flu. H5N1 is easily killed by cooking, but these pets contracted the virus from raw diets, and some of them have died.

If you are still interested in the raw meat concept, it would probably be wise to become familiar with the details of what, exactly, “raw food” is. It’s not especially simple! Raw meat that you bought from the store and fed directly to your pet would fit the bill. Is it safe for your pet if you freeze it solid first? For a week? Common misconception—this does not kill viruses (or bacteria, like Salmonella and E. coli); in fact, freezing is a perfect way to preserve viruses indefinitely.

Reading the label the pet food company has applied won’t clear things up a lot, because there isn’t a hard and fast definition of “raw” even in the pet food industry. Labels may indicate that these diets are actually freeze-dried, pasteurized, or “gently cooked” (whatever that means—again, there is no industry standard). Freeze-drying does not kill bacteria or viruses; it preserves them perfectly for later rejuvenation. There is, then, a very significant risk from meats that were raw at the point of freeze-drying. High-pressure pasteurization probably shouldn’t be called that, since it does not involve heat at all and would probably cause Louis Pasteur to turn over in his grave. Until it is validated for use against H5N1 and standardized, it doesn’t guarantee protection from this pathogen. Apparently there is also a label out there stating the presence of “natural preservatives”. Natural or not, preservatives do not clear the food of dangerous organisms, only slow their growth. Note that bird flu does not “grow” in food products anyway. Its mere presence is sufficient to cause infection.

Now, conventional kibble and canned food: they are cooked at high temperatures during the manufacturing process and are thus distasteful to raw food proponents. They are also incapable of transmitting bird flu and bacterial pathogens unless they have somehow touched a raw food after manufacture. Even if you like the idea of raw diets, now might be the time to take a break from them. At the very least, please take the time to study your labels carefully and understand what measures are being taken to keep your pet safe.

Dr M.S. Regan