A top vet has revealed the foods she would never give her dog as she warned that certain pet diets are putting owners at risk.
Tiffany Ruiz-Dasilva, who is based in Virginia Beach, has been an animal doctor for seven years and has now set out to bust some myths about what is good and bad for four-legged friends as well as their owners.
The 35-year-old explained how ditching raw ingredients, being mindful of bacteria, and calorie-counting are some of her handy tips.
She urged pet owners that these are even more important to be aware of if there are children or vulnerable people at home.
‘A lot of factors play a role in what people feed their pets, whether that be finances, religious beliefs, or personal beliefs,’ Tiffany said.
‘It is my job to make sure that the dogs are healthy and that their owners are well informed.’
In a video posted to her Instagram, the expert shared how she would not feed her canine companion raw eggs, raw meat and bully sticks.
It sparked a lively debate between owners in the comments before Tiffany shared a follow-up clip to address the widespread furor.
She has since said: ‘If someone wants to feed their pet a raw diet for whatever reason, I recommend that it be a diet that is commercially made.
‘By that, I mean formulated by a veterinary nutritionist or PhD, ensuring it is complete and balanced, and has undergone high-pressure pasteurization.\
‘Studies show that raw eggs are less digestible than cooked eggs, so there is no benefit to them.
‘There is a big risk, however, as raw eggs often contain harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause serious health issues in dogs.
‘Even if a dog does not show signs of infection, they can be carriers and transmit the bacteria to humans through contact with the infected dog.
‘Long-term feeding of raw egg whites can also lead to a biotin deficiency, resulting in skin and coat problems, lethargy, and other health issues.’
Tiffany also warned owners against feeding their dogs bully sticks, which are a long-lasting, high-protein dog treat made from the dried penises of bulls or steers, also known as pizzles.
They are also known as steer sticks, beef pizzle, or beef sticks.
She said: ‘I primarily do not recommend feeding dogs bully sticks because it has been found that about a third of them are contaminated with bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.
‘If a dog swallows a large piece, it can cause an intestinal blockage, which may require emergency surgery.
‘They’re also pretty high in calories, containing about 90 calories per six inches.
‘While this doesn’t sound like a lot, treats should only make up 10 per cent of a dog’s daily calories.’
And the final no-no on Tiffany’s list is uncooked meat.
She said: ‘I don’t recommend feeding dogs uncooked meat because based on the current evidence to date there is no clear benefit and there are many risks.
‘Raw meat-based diets are also high in fat. While they can potentially lead to coat improvements, higher fat diets can cause gastrointestinal issues and increase the risk of obesity.
‘It’s easy to overfeed due to increased palatability.’
Tiffany also says that while many dogs can tolerate pathogens, not all can.
She said: ‘Due to the nature of raw diets, they are inherently prone to bacterial contamination.
‘Although freezing and freeze-drying may reduce the number of bacteria, it does not destroy all pathogens.
‘These pathogens will continue to be shed in the feces even if the dog consuming the raw meat-based diet does not show signs of illness.’
The expert then explained that this can put owners at risk as well as their dogs.
She said: ‘This can affect people who are young, pregnant, old or immunosuppressed, as well as increase exposure to resistant bacteria which can cause antibiotic resistance.’
Instead, Tiffany recommends that people feed their dogs a commercial fresh food diet as she is a ‘firm believer that fresh food is the ideal choice.’
But viewers were left bitterly divided over the advice as one person wrote: ‘Hmmmm ok. Raw meat works great for our dogs, but yes, bacteria risks must be taken seriously.’
‘My dog ate a rotten possum the other day. I think he’ll be fine with his raw diet,’ added another person.
Another surprised user said: ‘Wow. I’ve been raw feeding for over 10 years, and the only food that ever made my dogs sick was kibble. Yes, I’m not sure why people advocate for raw meat when you can just gently cook the meat at home and make it safer!’
‘Dogs constantly being compared to wild wolves when they live completely different lives as a justification for raw food diet,’ commented one pet owner.
Another person added: ‘Thank goodness for this post. I love it. So many people are being fed (Excuse the pun) BS about what dog nutrition should look like.
‘I call it dog abuse. Raw is highly acidic and it’s lazy among other things. Awesome post.’
Rachel Carter is a health and wellness expert dedicated to helping readers lead healthier lives. With a background in nutrition, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being.
