A study conducted by biologists and veterinarians from the University of Bristol Medical School, covering 600 healthy pet dogs, showed that feeding them raw meat led to the emergence of Escherichia coli resistant to the widely used antibiotic ciprofloxacin. This poses a threat not only to the health of animals but also to their owners. The results of the study were published in the journal One Health.
Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic from the fluoroquinolone group that is used to treat various bacterial infections in humans and animals. The World Health Organization has classified it as one of the most priority and critically important antibiotics. The development of bacterial resistance to this drug can pose a serious threat to millions of lives. Escherichia coli can cause urinary tract infections, as well as lead to bloodstream infections and dangerous sepsis. If the bacteria are resistant to key antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, treating infections becomes significantly more difficult, and the risk of mortality in patients with resistant strains increases.
In the study, scientists examined 600 dogs for antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and collected data from pet owners about the dogs' diets, living conditions, and walks, as well as antibiotic use.
Statistical analysis revealed that the only significant factor for infection and shedding of resistant Escherichia coli in the feces of dogs was feeding them raw meat.
“Choosing to feed a dog raw meat implies that a person will almost certainly have to deal with raw meat. Our study clearly demonstrates that such feeding also means that pet owners may interact with a pet shedding resistant Escherichia coli,” noted Matthew Avison, a professor of molecular bacteriology at the University of Bristol and the study leader.
The scientists explained that raw meat, which is currently offered for consumption by humans or pets, is highly likely to be contaminated with antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli. However, cooking kills the bacteria, and if precautions are taken, such as thoroughly washing hands after handling raw products, the risk of infection can be reduced. Nevertheless, meat for dogs often does not undergo thermal processing.
Recommendations from Scientists for Pet Owners
The researchers emphasize that individual measures can be taken to reduce the risk of such bacteria entering the body.
Switch to a different diet, excluding raw meat, and choose high-quality meat that can be cooked.
When choosing raw food, prefer meat from animals raised on farms with minimal use of critically important antibiotics.
There is also a need for stricter regulations in this industry:
encourage raw meat producers for dogs to source raw materials from farms with appropriate antibiotic use policies;
test meat for antibiotic-resistant bacteria before sale.
The scientists believe that the acceptable levels of bacteria in fresh meat should become stricter for companies if humanity wants to avoid a return to times when we had no medicines against the simplest bacteria that became deadly.
