Abstract
Feeding pets raw meat-based diets (RMBDs) has become increasingly popular but may constitute a risk due to the contamination with pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate commercially available RMBDs with regard to microbiological quality and occurrence of AMR Enterobacteriaceae. Of 51 RMBD samples, 72.5% did not meet the microbiological standards for Enterobacteriaceae set out by EU regulations for animal by-products intended for pet food. Furthermore, Salmonella was detected in 3.9% of the samples. AMR bacteria were found in 62.7% of the samples, the majority thereof were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins due to the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) including CTX-M-1, which is widespread in livestock, and CTX-M-15, which is the most common ESBL variant worldwide. Colistin- and aminoglycoside-resistant isolates, producing MCR-1 and RMTB, were identified in 3.9 and 2% of the samples, respectively. The majority of the AMR Escherichia coli belonged to commensal groups A or B1 and were associated with clonal complexes CC155 and CC10. Two belonged to the emerging extraintestinal pathogenic CC648, and one to the globally disseminated uropathogenic E. coli sequence type ST69, suggesting zoonotic potential. The microbiological quality and the high prevalence of AMR producing Enterobacteriaceae in RMBDs raise concerns for animal and public health.
Highlights
Raw pet food has become increasingly popular among dog owners seeking to feed their pets on what is perceived as a natural and healthy diet
An overview of the distribution of the aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) counts and Enterobacteriaceae counts for the different types of meat is given in table 1
Among the 51 raw pet food samples analysed in this study, the AMB count ranged from 8.2 × 104 to 7.4 × 108 cfu g−1
Summary
Raw pet food has become increasingly popular among dog owners seeking to feed their pets on what is perceived as a natural and healthy diet. Most RMBDs are based on the by-products of animals slaughtered for human consumption; they do not contain additives and supplements such as preservatives, stabilizers, gelling agents, sweeteners, flavours or vitamins and minerals, potentially posing the risk of nutritional imbalances and deficiencies such as skin and thyroid problems [1,2]. RMBDs have been shown to be a significant source of Salmonella in healthy dogs and cats that shed the organism at higher rates than animals fed conventional diets [10,12], with implications concerning public health. There is growing evidence that pathogens occurring in RMBDs pose a risk of infectious disease to humans during handling of the feed and the feeding equipment, and through the contamination of household surfaces and through close contact to the dogs and their faeces [3,4,15]
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