Abstract
BackgroundFeeding raw meat-based diets (RMBD) to companion animals raises public health concerns for both animals and humans. While considerable attention has been paid to bacterial contamination of commercial pet food, few literature studies have investigated foodborne disease in companion animals. Salmonellosis is reported to be infrequent in cats but no known data or studies estimating feline salmonellosis are available or large-scale epidemiological studies assessing Salmonella risk factors.Case presentationTwo highly suspected cases of salmonellosis in two cats fed with a commercial frozen poultry RMBD are presented, for the first time from the same household. The clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment and follow-up are reported and the zoonotic implications are discussed.ConclusionsThis case highlights the health risks posed to both animals and owners by feeding RMBD to pets, and suggests that these risks should be considered by veterinary practitioners.
Highlights
Feeding raw meat-based diets (RMBD) to companion animals raises public health concerns for both animals and humans
Large-scale epidemiological studies assessing Salmonella spp. and their risk factors are lacking with only one report to date describing two cases of feline salmonellosis in a multicat household fed with a home-made contaminated beef RMBD [9]
Based on the information acquired during anamnesis of the second case and the fact that both cats had received the same raw food diet, fresh faeces of case number 2 were collected and sent to IDEXX Laboratories for a real-time PCR assay evaluating a panel of 8 enteropathogens (Feline Diarrhoea RealPCRTM Panel) including feline panleukopenia virus, feline coronavirus, Tritrichomonas foetus, Giardia sp., Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium sp., Salmonella sp. and the detection of Clostridium perfringens toxin A gene and Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin gene
Summary
Feeding raw meat-based diets (RMBD) to companion animals raises public health concerns for both animals and humans. Conclusions: This case highlights the health risks posed to both animals and owners by feeding RMBD to pets, and suggests that these risks should be considered by veterinary practitioners.
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