[VBNC Intolerant]

My vet is skeptical in regards to raw diet due to VBNC (viable-but-not-culturable) cells.

("Some species of bacteria, when they are under stressful conditions will produce spores. Spore production is like cell division, but the cell that is produced is completely free of water and it has special coating which makes it impenetrable to to radiation and dry heat.")

So he says that these pathogens are a heavy risk to take for your pet.
They can be killed by cooking, but not freezing.

But in my research of raw diet I haven't found those problems....

SSSSSSOOOOOOOOO

opinions?

 

[DaneMama]

Who's to say that these VBNC spores are not in dog foods? Its not like commercial grade dog foods are sterile or anything

Bacteria that produce spores, ie endospores, do so under stressful environmental situations...which in most cases where their environment is ideal is rare. I would say on moist raw meats, their environment is ideal with adequate nutrition available for normal reproduction. They are impermeable even under heat and pressure. So cooking actually does nothing to "kill" them.

This is not something that I worry about. Endospores are found throughout the environment and are a threat to anyone, anywhere. Ever hear of tetanus?

 

[RawFedDogs]

Your vet is trying to scare you out of something he doesn't understand. These things just aren't a problem. Never have been and never will be. There are literally hundreds of thousands of raw fed dogs in this country with none having this problem that I have ever heard of and I am on several raw feeding lists and have been for over 7 years.

 

[ruckusluvr]

do what YOU feel comfortable with, not what your vet says, or what people on a forum say.

I personally have never heard of it.