A new analysis shows that most US dog owners don't follow the FDA guidelines for safe pet food and dish handling. Dr. Emily Luisana of North Carolina State University and her colleagues presented their findings in the journal on April 6, 2022.
Pets and people with compromised immune systems are at risk of health risks from handling pet food. There have been many cases of illness among dogs and humans due to contaminated dog food. The FDA has issued guidelines for safe pet food and dish handling, but the information is limited and the effects of the recommendations have been unclear.
The 417 dog owners were surveyed by Dr. Luisana and colleagues. Less than 5 percent of owners were aware of the guidelines, and many did not follow the recommendations. Only one third of people said they washed their hands after feeding, and only two thirds said they prepared dog food on separate surfaces. There is a potential public health importance, but it is not addressed in the FDA recommendations.
The researchers tested dog food dishes for coliform in order to better understand the effects of the FDA recommendations. After initial testing, they divided the owners into three groups with different instructions for implementing food handling guidelines, then tested the dishes again. They found that dishes from owners who instituted the FDA's pet food handling guidelines were less likely to be contaminated than dishes from owners who did not.
The study was small and future research could clarify optimal hygiene strategies.
On the basis of their findings, the researchers outline suggestions to reduce pet food dishes being contaminated. Ensuring household members who feed pets adhere to FDA guidelines and including written information on guidelines with pet food sales are included.
Most pet owners don't know that pet food bowls can be a source of disease in the home. Proper pet food storage and hygiene can make for a happier, healthier household.
More information: Survey evaluation of dog owners' feeding practices and dog bowls' hygiene assessment in domestic settings, PLoS ONE (2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259478 Journal information: PLoS ONE Citation: Most US dog owners don't follow FDA pet food handling guidelines: study (2022, April 6) retrieved 6 April 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-04-dog-owners-dont-fda-pet.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
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