Avoid using raw meat as pet food

Although some well-intentioned pet owners may believe their pet’s DNA connections to other wild animals justifies it, serving domesticated animals raw meat can actually cause some pretty harmful, and even fatal consequences.

Both the FDA and ASPCA strongly urge pet owners to not feed their pets uncooked meat. That’s because raw meat has a pretty significant chance of containing disease-causing bacteria, like Salmonella or Listeria.

Plus, the risks involved don’t solely apply to the animal. Cross-contamination can easily occur if the pet moves the uncooked meat from the designated eating area, thus resulting in germs spreading everywhere.

“You put your whole family, including the pet at risk of infection with nasty, potentially lethal bacteria,” said Dr. Heinze.