An interesting study has been released on raw chicken and its relation to dogs developing the paralysing condition acute polyradiculoneuritis (APN). We often tell people to feed raw chicken wings to smaller dogs to help keep their pet's teeth clean and a lot of clients feed raw chicken necks as treats.
After reading through this study we will no longer be suggesting any diet or bones containing raw chicken. Cooking bones is not an option as they become brittle and dangerous for your pet to eat.
The authors Dr Martnez-Anton and Dr le Chevoir say there appears to be a growing trend for feeding dogs raw meat diets, which is concerning given the risks. At The Ark we often see gastrointestinal disease in pets fed raw diets, especially those in patties, and we recommend cooking the meat to kill off all bacteria if the owner prefers a fresh diet.
Fresh beef bones at this stage, are still considered okay but it is best to call us for advice on which type of beef bone is best for your dog.
The study led by University of Melbourne's U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital, recommend owners choose regular dog food over raw chicken until further information is gathered in respect to this new finding.
Link to the study below: