Raw Diets for Dogs and Cats: Benefits, Risks, and What Vets Say

What Raw Diets Actually Are

Raw pet diets — sometimes called BARF diets (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food) — typically consist of uncooked muscle meat, raw meaty bones, organ meat, and varying amounts of fruits, vegetables, and eggs. Commercial versions are available as frozen or freeze-dried products, while many owners prepare their own at home.

The core idea is that dogs and cats evolved eating whole, unprocessed prey animals, and that modern cooking and processing degrades nutritional quality. Proponents argue that returning to raw ingredients produces a more 'natural' diet. However, domesticated dogs have been shaped by thousands of years of co-evolution with humans — including documented genetic adaptations for starch digestion — making simple comparisons to wild ancestors biologically imprecise.

For a broader view of how raw diets compare to other formats, see our breakdown of wet food, dry kibble, and raw diets.

Claimed Benefits: What Owners Report vs. What Evidence Shows

Owners who feed raw frequently report improvements in coat quality, energy levels, stool volume, and dental health. Some of these observations may reflect real changes — for example, raw diets tend to be lower in fermentable carbohydrates, which can reduce stool bulk. However, most reported benefits are anecdotal. Controlled clinical studies specifically examining raw diets in companion animals are limited in number and often small in scale.

One area of genuine interest is digestibility. Some research has found higher apparent digestibility coefficients for protein in raw diets compared to certain extruded kibbles, though results vary depending on ingredient quality and individual animals. Dental benefits from raw meaty bones are also plausible mechanically, but carry the countervailing risk of tooth fracture and intestinal injury from bone fragments.

Documented Risks: What the Evidence Is Clearer On

The risks associated with raw feeding are better documented than the benefits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have both raised concerns based on published microbiological testing of commercial raw pet foods.

Beyond pathogen exposure, nutritional imbalance is a significant and underappreciated concern. Studies analyzing homemade raw diets have consistently found that the majority fail to meet established nutritional guidelines — often deficient in calcium, phosphorus, zinc, or vitamin D, and sometimes dangerously excessive in vitamin A from organ-heavy recipes. Even commercial raw products have shown inconsistent nutrient profiles in independent testing.

Owners should also be aware of household transmission risks. Pets fed raw diets shed pathogens in their feces and saliva at higher rates, which is a meaningful consideration in homes with young children, elderly individuals, or immunocompromised family members. The companion article on toxic foods for pets covers related safety concerns around what pets ingest.

What Veterinary Organizations Currently Recommend

The AVMA's official policy discourages feeding raw or undercooked animal-source proteins to pets due to risks to animal and human health. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) maintains a similar position. These recommendations are not based on commercial food industry preferences — they reflect the same food-safety principles applied to human raw meat handling.

It is worth noting that veterinary consensus is not unanimous. Some integrative and holistic veterinary practitioners advocate for raw feeding with appropriate sourcing and supplementation. The gap between mainstream and integrative veterinary opinion on this topic is real, and owners are likely to encounter conflicting guidance. The key distinction is that advocates of raw feeding bear the burden of demonstrating safety and nutritional adequacy — that evidence base is currently thin compared to the risk evidence.

If you are considering any unconventional diet, including home-cooked meals for your pet, veterinary nutritionist oversight is strongly advisable.

Practical Guidance for Owners Considering Raw Feeding

If you decide to explore a raw diet despite the risks, several practices can reduce — though not eliminate — the hazards involved. The most important step is consulting a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN) who can formulate or evaluate a recipe against established standards such as those from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) or the National Research Council (NRC).

• Source meat carefully: Use human-grade meat from reputable suppliers and handle it with the same food-safety discipline you would apply to raw meat prepared for yourself.
• Freeze appropriately: Freezing at –4°F (–20°C) for at least three days can reduce — but not eliminate — some parasites.
• Avoid whole bones for dogs prone to gulping or with dental disease: Bone fragments are a documented cause of gastrointestinal perforation and tooth fractures.
• Schedule more frequent veterinary check-ins: Bloodwork and weight monitoring help catch nutritional deficiencies before they become clinical problems.

Owners managing pets with weight issues should also be aware that caloric density varies widely in raw diets. The relationship between diet and pet obesity is worth understanding before making significant feeding changes.

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary or medical advice. Always consult a licensed veterinarian before making significant changes to your pet's diet, especially if your pet has existing health conditions.