Just like us, pets that eat raw meats can get food poisoning and, just like us, most that are infected do not show any signs of sickness. However, these pets are often shedding harmful organisms in their motions which spread to their coat, mouths and their environment (e.g gardens, parks). Infectious agents, such as Salmonella will be shed within just one day and for up 11 days, avian flu can survive 4 weeks and others much longer (e,g, Toxoplasma oocysts).
Food-borne pathogens transmissible from pets to humans include Salmonella, Campylobacter, STEC E.coli, Listeria, Toxoplasma, Tuberculosis (TB) and Avian flu.
Whilst serious disease and fatalities are rare, they do occur and the most vulnerable people areyoung children, the elderly, anyone with a poor immune system due to disease or medications (e.g. steroids or chemotherapeutic agents) and pregnant women.
To reduce the risks to people and animals, responsible raw-feeding owners, could:
For further information, including references, see our detailed press pack.
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