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Raw food for dogs gets a lot of attention. It sounds simple. Maybe even a little romantic, like feeding your dog the way their ancestors ate. But here’s the part that matters more than the narrative: What food helps support your dog’s health over time?
When you look at the research, raw diets for dogs come with real risks, not hypothetical ones. There are documented, recurring concerns around safety and nutrition that pet parents should be aware of before feeding a raw diet.
Let’s go through what that means for your dog and for you.
Most veterinarians recommend caution when feeding raw food to dogs. Major veterinary organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), advise against feeding raw animal-source protein due to safety concerns.1,2
That doesn’t mean every dog eating raw food gets sick. But it does mean the risks are well established and require extra care and attention. So the better question is: What are you trading for the perceived benefit of feeding your dog raw food?
A raw food diet for dogs typically includes uncooked meat, organs and bones. Some versions also include fruits, vegetables and supplements. Currently, there isn’t one standard definition for raw diets. Some are homemade. Others are commercially prepared and labeled as raw or minimally processed. Most are built around a central idea: feeding dogs in a way that feels closer to their “natural” dietary habits.
There is some truth buried in that idea. Dogs share ancestry with wolves, but modern domestic dogs have adapted alongside humans over thousands of years, including changes that support a more varied diet, including carbohydrates. That matters because modern dogs aren’t strictly carnivores. They are omnivores who require more nutrients than meat alone can provide. They need complete and balanced nutrition, in specific ratios, every single day.
This is where things get less philosophical and more practical.
Raw diets carry three primary risks:
Bacterial contamination
Bone-related injuries
Nutritional imbalances
Raw meat can carry pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli. These aren’t rare findings. Studies continue to show higher contamination rates in raw pet food compared to other types of pet food.3
Dogs don’t always show signs when exposed. Some do develop vomiting or diarrhea, but others become carriers, shedding bacteria in their saliva or stool. That creates a second layer of risk. People in the household can be exposed through handling food, cleaning bowls or contact with the dog.
Young children, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system are more vulnerable to serious illness. If you’ve ever wiped paws, cleaned up an accident or had your dog enthusiastically lick your face, you can see how exposure happens. It’s not complicated. It’s daily life.
Many raw diets include bones, and bones can cause serious physical harm, including:
Broken teeth
Cuts in the mouth or gums
Choking
Esophageal obstruction
Intestinal blockage
Bowel perforation, which can become life-threatening very quickly
These are not rare accidents. These risks of raw diets have been documented in clinical practice.4
This is the slower, quieter risk of raw diets as it typically takes a while to show up. Dogs need precise levels of essential nutrients. Too little creates deficiencies, and too much creates excess that can stress organs over time. A 2022 study that tested raw diets showed the food provided deficient amounts of essential nutrients, was nutritionally unbalanced and was rich in fat.5 That imbalance may not show up right away. It often appears later as vague or chronic health problems that are easy to misattribute.
Raw feeding dogs introduces bacteria into the environment. Dogs interact with people constantly. That means exposure happens through:
Food prep surfaces
Bowls and utensils
Hands after feeding
Saliva, especially face licking
Fecal contamination during cleanup
This is why public health agencies continue to caution against raw food for dogs, particularly in homes with higher-risk individuals. Studies consistently show raw pet food has a higher risk of carrying bacteria, including those that cause foodborne illnesses, than other types of pet food.3,5
If you’re considering a raw diet for dogs because you want to feed them the healthiest food you can, that instinct is a good one. You care. That’s the starting point, and you can channel that into something safer:
Choose a complete and balanced dry, wet or fresh food formulated for your dog’s life stage.
Ask your vet about nutritional recommendations that best fit your dog’s needs.
Nutrition that supports your dog over the years is based on research and precision rather than trends or intuition. It’s built on balance, on the right ingredients working together to provide the right nutrients in the right amounts to support your dog’s long, healthy life.
Most vets are cautious about promoting raw feeding. A more longstanding recommendation is a complete and balanced dog food, particularly one that targets your pup's size and life stage.
Yes, nutritional imbalance is one of the primary risks of feeding raw. Raw food diets for dogs are often heavily meat-based, which can leave gaps in the overall nutritional value. People who choose to feed raw should have their dog’s diet formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to ensure it is complete and balanced.
Dogs can get sick from raw food and may experience diarrhea or even vomiting. Worse, raw food often contains harmful bacteria that can infect the people in the home.
You may need to take baby steps to reintroduce other types of dog food. Try cooking the food you've been feeding, then gradually mix in dog food. Experiment with wet food, fresh food or dry food. Slowly increase the ratio of dog food over time until it’s completely switched over.
In most cases, no. Long-term risks include nutritional imbalance and exposure to harmful bacteria.
1 American Veterinary Medical Association. “Raw or Undercooked Animal-Source Protein in Cat and Dog Diets.” Accessed April 28, 2026. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/raw-or-undercooked-animal-source-protein-cat-and-dog-diets.
2 American Animal Hospital Association. “Raw Protein Diet.” Published June 22, 2021. https://www.aaha.org/resources/2021-aaha-nutrition-and-weight-management-guidelines/raw-protein-diet/.
3 Cailin R. Heinze. "Raw Pet Food Risks: A Research Update." Petfoodology Blog. Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Published October 27, 2025. https://sites.tufts.edu/petfoodology/2025/10/27/raw-pet-food-research-update/.
4 Nanelle R. Barash et al. “Outcomes of Esophageal and Gastric Bone Foreign Bodies in Dogs.” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 36(2): 500-507. February 14, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8965252/.
5 Carla Giuditta Vecchiato et al. “Nutritional Adequacy and Hygienic Quality: A Detailed Assessment of Commercial Raw Pet Food for Dogs and Cats” Animals 12(18): 2395. September 13, 2022. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/18/2395.
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