AVMA to Amend Policy on Raw Pet Food

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 AVMA policy on raw pet food.

We sent the AVMA some additional information we hope they consider. Sent 12/21/23:

We wish to bring to the attention of the AVMA House of Delegates data to consider prior to their upcoming discussion on policy Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets.

In 2023, there were 8 recalls (including expanded recalls) 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 pathogenic bacteria contamination:
236,276,000 lbs.
Total raw recalled in 2023 for pathogenic bacteria contamination:
1,350 lbs.

Unfortunately, the AVMA 2024 Resolution includes no mention of the pathogenic bacteria risk of dry pet foods. We believe the FDA Enforcement Report sufficiently evidences dry pet foods – which use processing methods believed to reduce or eliminate the risk of illness due to pathogenic contaminants – pose a significantly greater risk to the public than raw pet food. And we believe the AVMA is in part responsible for this risk to the public because you have failed to issue similar policy on dry pet foods.

The AVMA has publicly discouraged the feeding of raw diets to dogs and cats based on “their risk to human and animal health.” The AVMA policy states “The AVMA supports the production and feeding of diets that have been processed using methods that reduce or eliminate the risk of illness due to pathogenic contaminants.” However, as FDA Enforcement Report records evidence, processing methods believed to control pathogens are not always effective. To continue to ignore the fact that processing does not guarantee pathogen free can have detrimental effects on the public.

Posted 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 illnesses are linked to Mid America dry pet foods.

While the AVMA takes a strict position on raw foods, the AVMA has ignored the documented risks of dry pet foods. This AVMA avoidance of documented risks puts the public at increased risk. Consumers are educated on numerous fronts to the potential risks of raw foods, BUT consumers and their veterinarians are not provided with equal education to the potential risks of dry-processed foods. The AVMA’s lack of public position on the potential risks of dry pet foods facilitates a complacency in consumers potentially leading to serious illness and/or death. Further, due to the high manufacturing volume of dry pet foods, complacency in handling puts a larger percentage of the public at risk (as compared to smaller batches of raw pet food).

Pathogenic bacteria risk is NOT limited to raw pet food, since 2012 less than 3% of all pounds of pet food recalled for pathogenic bacteria was raw pet food. More than 96% was for dry-processed pet foods. We encourage the AVMA to step up to the role of proper pet food risk education of your members and in turn the public, to encourage properly handling of ALL styles of pet foods (not limiting risk awareness to one style of pet food).

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Should the AVMA respond, it will be shared.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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