Why are (some) vets against BARF/raw feeding?

Two situations:

• A puppy owner goes to the vet, because the puppy has a urinary infection. The vet is very pleased with how the puppy looks and is developing. During the examination, the topic of nutrition comes up: The owner reports about feeding the puppy raw... and suddenly, the puppy appears way too slim to the vet...

• A dog owner visits the vet because her dog has a cataract (a clouding of the lens in the eye). As soon as the vet hears about the owner feeding raw, he immediately assumes the diet is the cause...

These are not made-up scenes - they actually happened. It seems that when it comes to raw feeding/BARF, two worlds often collide in the vet's office:

Owners who have consciously chosen this form of feeding as a healthy alternative to processed food and (some) vets or veterinary nurses who react with at least skepticism when they hear the about raw food or “BARF”. Warnings, criticism and massive confusion for the owner often follow - without any further questioning. What a pity, really! Because there is a big difference between informed advice and unfounded criticism.

In this blog post, I want to address the topic without blame or sweeping generalizations. It is not about bashing vets. On the contrary: I am convinced that most of them chose their profession out of love for animals. If money were their primary motivation, they would probably be better off in a different career...

Where does the resistance come from?

• “Dogs don’t get all the necessary nutrients with raw feeding!”

• “Raw meat is a danger for humans and dogs, especially children, because of worms and salmonella!”

• “Raw food contains too much protein, that’s bad for the kidneys!”

These kinds of statements from vets deeply unsettle many BARF beginners. They’re not made up - they often come from real-life cases that end up in vet clinics where something did indeed go wrong with raw feeding. So it’s understandable that vets get frustrated when they regularly treat dogs suffering from malnutrition or infections caused by poorly executed raw feeding.

However, what is often missing is a differentiation: There is a huge difference between a dog being randomly fed raw minced meat and rice grains and a well-formulated, balanced (BARF) diet. Many studies used as “evidence” against BARF don’t even examine actual BARF or properly designed raw food diets, but instead look at incomplete, unbalanced feeding. So the results of those studies are simply not valid.

The education of vets and veterinary nurses

An important fact: In veterinary education, nutrition plays only a minor role. And when it is addressed, it usually isn’t about raw feeding, but often about commercial food products. Many vets report that they do not feel adequately trained to give nutritional advice. A survey among veterinarians found that

• 50% don’t feel sufficiently competent in nutritional counseling,

• 82% have never attended a topic related training,

• 28% turn to pet food manufacturers for guidance.

On the other hand, 90% of respondents observed an increase in client questions about nutrition… [1]

In veterinary schools, nutrition is not a core subject. It is taught in general terms and typically doesn’t focus on raw feeding. Quite the opposite: At many universities, raw feeding is not a required topic at all. There might be one or two courses to choose from…or none. Of course, animal nutrition is taught and tested, but dogs are only briefly covered, as nutrition is addressed across all species, which includes cats, hamsters, cows, goldfish, reptiles...

For comparison: My training as a certified BARF consultant for dogs and cats included 64 hours, plus additional courses I did later on. A study found that vet school curricula include an average of 37 hours on nutrition overall, and only 19 hours specific to small animals. [2]

This is not meant as criticism, but a reflection of how broad and complex the field is. No one can be an expert in everything. And often, too much is expected of vets: They are expected to treat everything from goldfish to cattle. In the human world it means: They are expected to be dermatologists, cardiologists, surgeons…and also nutritionists. And they obviously need to be up to date all the time...right?

Human doctors refer patients to specialists all the time. Why should it be any different in veterinary medicine? Sure, there are some vets who believe their degree alone makes them nutrition experts... but that’s another story.

Continued education for vets and veterinary nurses

Another important point: Continued education courses on pet nutrition are almost always organized by the pet food industry. This is not the vets’ fault, obviously! These seminars are usually very inexpensive because they’re sponsored. And let’s be honest: Pet food companies have little (or no) interest in promoting raw feeding. How likely, you think, is it that these seminars will present raw feeding/BARF in a neutral or even positive light...? How much money do pet food companies make by highlighting the benefits of raw feeding? Exactly...

What happens when a raw feeding newbie gets criticized by the vet?

Critical comments, prejudice and the threat of perceived harm of their own beloved dog due to raw feeding/BARF often leave dog owners confused and discouraged. But let’s not forget: For that person, choosing BARF/raw food was a conscious decision to feed their dog in a healthier way than with processed food. It’s unlikely that this conviction will just disappear. Maybe the owner has made and will make mistakes creating the diet before and after the vet visit. The vet-talk could have been such a great opportunity to educate, give advise or refer to a specialized nutritionist to guide the owner toward proper feeding. Instead, the owner goes home and continues doing what they “know” (and still won’t switch to kibble).

By the way: if you recognize yourself as that owner who had those kinds of vet visits, check out my blog post “How to tackle a skeptical vet?”

You don’t need to justify or argue. You are absolutely allowed to look for a vet who respects your choices and ideally, that should be true regardless of their personal opinion. You don’t have to be convinced and remember, you don’t have to convince anyone else either. The most important thing is: You want what’s best for your dog and that’s something you share with every vet.

A possible solution:

Keep working with your regular vet for everything else and – if you feel the need - turn to someone specialized when it comes to nutrition. It´s just like with taxes: you wouldn’t go to a mechanic, but to a tax advisor.

Conclusion

BARF or raw feeding should not be demonized—it’s a feeding method that requires knowledge, care and responsibility. That’s exactly why specialized nutrition consultants exist - to support dog owners and vets.

I am happy for the specialized knowledge of each vet that helps me and my dog where I am clueless. I hope that vets feel the same about pet nutritionists.

Sources:

[1] R. Bergler; S. Wechsung; E. Kienzle, T. Hoff; B. Dobenecker (2016): Nutritional Counseling in Small Animal Practice – A Field for Specialized Veterinarians

[2] I. Becvarova, D. Prochazka, M. L. Chandler, H. Meyer (2016): Nutrition Education in European Veterinary Schools: Are European Veterinary Graduates Competent in Nutrition?