The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) will vote in early 2024 on a “Revised policy on raw or undercooked animal-source protein in cat and dog diets.” But don’t get your hopes up…
Click Here to read the revised policy.
Click Here to read the AVMA’s policy on raw pet food.
We have sent the AVMA some additional information that we hope they will consider. Posted on 12/21/23:
We would like to draw attention to the data of the AVMA House of Delegates to consider before their upcoming policy discussion on Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets.
In 2023, there were 8 recalls (including the extended recall) for dry/kibble pet foods and 1 recall for raw pet food. Taken from FDA Enforcement Report data (links provided below), we encourage the AVMA House of Delegates to consider the total pounds of pet food recalled for Salmonella in 2023:
Dry pet food recalled for Salmonella in 2023.
Mid America, September 2023: 644 cases, 5 lb bags – estimate 4-5lb bags per case = 12,880 lbs.
TFP Nutrition, October 2023: 8,434 50 lb bags = 421,700 lbs.
Mid America, October and November 2023: 9,508,943 units, 5 lb – 15 lb – 40 lb – estimate 1/3 each = 190,178,820 lbs.
TFP Nutrition, November 2023: 22,831.30 tons = 45,662,600 lbs.
Raw pet food recalled for Salmonella in 2023.
Blue Ridge Beef, October 2023: 45 cs/15/2 lb tubes = 1,350 lbs.
Total pounds dry recalled in 2023 for contamination by pathogenic bacteria:
236,276,000 lbs.
Total recalled in 2023 for contamination by pathogenic bacteria:
1,350 lbs.
Unfortunately, the AVMA 2024 Resolution does not include any mention of the pathogenic bacteria risk of dry pet foods. We believe that the FDA’s Enforcement Report adequately confirms dry pet foods – which use processing methods believed to reduce or eliminate the risk of disease due to pathogenic contaminants – cause greater risk to the public than raw pet food. And we believe the AVMA is partly responsible for this danger to the public because you failed to issue a similar policy on dry pet foods.
The AVMA does not publicly encourage feeding raw diets to dogs and cats based on “their danger to human and animal health.” AVMA policy states that “The AVMA supports the production and feeding of diets that have been processed using methods that reduce or eliminate the risk of disease due to pathogenic contaminants.” However, as the FDA Enforcement Report notes evidence, processing methods believed to control pathogens are not always effective. To continue to ignore the fact that the processing does not guarantee that there is no pathogen can have an adverse effect on the public.
Posted on November 9, 2023 on the CDC website: “As of November 1, 2023, seven people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from seven states.” These human diseases are linked to dry pet foods of Mid America.
While the AVMA takes a strict position on raw foods, the AVMA has ignored the documented dangers of dry pet foods. AVMA’s avoidance of these documented risks puts the public at increased risk. Consumers are being educated on many fronts on the potential dangers of raw foods, BUT consumers and their veterinarians are not being equally educated on the potential dangers of dry-processed foods. The AVMA’s lack of a public position on the potential dangers of dry pet foods facilitates consumer satisfaction that can potentially lead to serious illness and/or death. Additionally, due to the high production volume of dry pet foods, handling pleasure puts a larger percentage of the public at risk (compared to smaller batches of raw pet food).
The risk of pathogenic bacteria is NOT limited to raw pet food, as in 2012 less than 3% of all pounds of pet food recalled for pathogenic bacteria was raw pet food. Over 96% is for dry-processed pet foods. We encourage the AVMA to increase the role of proper pet food risk education of your members and the public, in turn, to encourage proper handling of ALL styles of pet food (not limiting risk awareness to a style of pet food).
If the AVMA responds, it will be shared.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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