Raw Food Diet Policy for Boarding Pets
Companion Animal Hospital will not feed raw food diets to patients in the hospital or boarding facility.
Raw food diets are in fact raw foods and include meat, seafood or vegetables that are not cooked or processed to appropriately remove bacteria. Food borne illness from raw meats is of concern due to the zoonotic potential of bacteria such as Salmonella, E-coli, and Listeria. This is a safety concern for both our staff and patients.
In a recent study performed by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, it was found that
almost 30% of the 197 diets tested of commercially available raw food diets for dogs and cats were positive for Salmonella or Listeria. This puts both the pet consuming the food, and the owner handling the food, at risk.
Our veterinarians do not recommend raw food diets for these reasons, as well as other health risks such as tooth fractures, tooth loss and overall wear, and esophageal/intestinal blockage or rupture. There can also be long-term nutritional concerns with these types of diets.
Companion Animal Hospital feeds both Purina ProPlan Adult and the Purina EN Prescription Diet to animals in our boarding facility. We feed ProPlan puppy and kitten diets when appropriate.
We will also feed any other cooked, commercially available diet provided by the owner.
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us directly. We are happy to have a Veterinarian or Veterinary Technician discuss this policy with you and answer any questions you may have.