Dogs should not be fed dried penises of bulls. Here's why.

Dried penises of bulls are called pizzles or steer sticks, beef pizzles, or beef sticks! Ultimately they are the penises of bulls which have been dried out. It sounds completely disgusting to me but perhaps I'm being unduly squeamish or silly. But I'm not sure we are going down the right route feeding bulls' penises dried or not.

And the advice comes from an American veterinarian living in Virginia Beach whose name is Tiffany. She's been a vet for seven years and she wants to bust some myths about what is good and bad for dogs and their owners.

Will Demand for Species Appropriate Raw Diets Influence Traditional Pet Food Manufacturers?

Dr Tiffany. Image from her Instagram pages.

She is making the point about owners as well because she is claiming that some of these foods are also dangerous for their owners. She is criticising the idea of feeding dogs raw foods as well. That's because they contain bacteria often and the bacteria can be spread to the caregivers when they prepare the food or in faeces. And of course they can infect the the dog.

Tiffany has an Instagram account where she spreads her advice. She also advises not feeding canine companions raw eggs or raw meat. Those are the three things she would never feed her dog and just to recap they are: raw eggs, bully sticks or pizzles and uncooked meat.

She adds that "Even if a dog does not show signs of infection, they can be carriers and transmit the bacteria to humans through contact with an infected dog. Long-term feeding of raw egg whites can also lead to biotin deficiency, resulting in skin and coat problems, lethargy and other health issues."

The reason why she's against pizzles is because they are very high in calories containing about 90 cal per 6 inches. More importantly perhaps is that "it has been found that about a third of them are contaminated with bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella."

And thirdly, she says that, "If a dog swallows a large piece, it can cause an intestine blockage, which may require emergency surgery."

As to the calories, it doesn't sound like a lot but she says that "treats should only make up 10% of a dog's daily calories".

As to uncooked meat she says that there are no clear benefits but there are risks. She also adds that "Raw meat-based diet are also high in fat. While they could potentially lead to coat improvements, higher fat diets can cause gastrointestinal issues and increase the risk of obesity. It's easy to overfeed due to increased palatability."

She admits that many dogs can tolerate pathogens but not all dogs can. And because it's raw meat they are inherently prone to bacterial contamination. She advises buying raw meats from commercial suppliers. And, "Although freezing and freeze-drying may reduce the number of bacteria, it does not destroy all pathogens. These pathogens will continue to be shed in the faeces even if the dog consuming the raw meat-based diet does not show signs of illness."

This can put owners at risk as well as their dogs she advises and she added that "This can affect people who are young, pregnant, old or immunosuppressed, as well as increased exposure to resistant bacteria which can cause antibiotic resistance."

Tiffany recommends people feed their dogs a commercial fresh food diet and that fresh food is the ideal choice.

Her advice is seen as controversial by some because there is a following for raw meats for dogs and indeed cats. There are risks with bacteria she says but many people believe that there are distinct health advantages for some dogs and cats to a raw diet. Often these people are suspicious about commercially prepared foods and prefer to give the dog or cat something which is purer and less tainted by commercial processing.

One commenter on her Instagram page said that:

'Wow. I've been raw feeding for over 10 years, and the only food that ever made my dogs sick was kibble. Yes, I'm not sure why people advocate for raw meat when you can just gently cook the meat at home and make it safer!' 

The comment comes from one of those people who supports raw diets but you will find that veterinarians in general both in respect of cats and dogs object to a raw diet but you will find that veterinarians in general both in respect of cats and dogs object to a raw diet because, as mentioned, of the risk of bacterial cross contamination and the difficulties of storage of raw foods safely. It does require skills and finally there's the issue of a balanced diet.

Raw food by itself is not enough to provide a balanced diet and for cats. If you provide a raw diet it should be commercially prepared or you should know how to supplement it with the required supplements and additives to ensure that it is fully balanced and therefore beneficial you should know how to supplement it with the required supplements and additives to ensure that it is fully balanced and therefore beneficial.

-----------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.