Raw food diet (bacteria transfer)?

I have my 14 week old duck toller retriever on a raw food diet and he loves it!
I've taken the "easy route" and am buying Mountain Dog prepared raw food (chicken with fruit and veg as well as beef when it is in stock) and supplementing with kelp and salmon oil. I also feed him the odd frozen raw chicken neck (also bought in a "prepared bag" from a local organic pet food store).

Question I have for the forum is concerns around bacteria transfer (salmonella?) from having the pup on a raw food diet. My wife and I are taking the usual precautions such as cleaning out his food dish right after he eats as well as wiping down/sterilizing the food prep area in our kitchen and his eating area (mats) as well. However, what about playing/having contact with the pup after he eats? He's still in his puppy stage where he likes to seek out and play with/lick anyone who approaches him (e.g. during a post meal walk) and I'm concerned he could transfer bacteria. I feel compelled to tell people who approach and pet him within 10-15 minutes of his meal that he just ate raw chicken so they should wash their hands. A little OC I know but I'd hate if someone got sick. Should I also wipe his muzzle/ears after a meal in case he gets traces of food in his whiskers and fur? Or am I just being overly paranoid here?!

Thanks,

Rob

I have thought about the same thing, but then I remembered that study they did about how much salmonela and e-coli are on shopping cart handles, computer keyboards, handrails, door knobs, etc... and how there was less solmonela and e-coli on public washroom toilet seats, (sorry, gross, I know). My theory is, unless you are buying your meat from a street vendor in a third world tropical country, you only have to take the same precautions you do after preparing Thanksgiving turkey. If your dog has visible meat on his face after eating, I might wipe it off with a wet cloth before playing with the kids, but thats about it.

:laughing: I thought the same thing myself and after pondering it, figured it is probably relatively safe. Since the food I prepare for my dog clean and fresh, I think my risk is pretty low. I do wipe my dogs after eating, but only because they are large sloberly beasts. Additionally, they are messy eaters.
Glad to know my paranoia is shared by others!
Cheers,
Joanne

I'm extremely UN-paranoid, to be honest :o

I keep their thawing meat in it's own bin in the fridge, which I wash at each refill, but meal time is pretty much "grab hunks of food in one hand, corral dogs outside, hand food to dogs, walk away and wash hands". My prep is lazy, my cleanup is lazier. :laughing: Oh and yeah I let them kiss me. Maybe not RIGHT after eating, but probably with like a 5-10 minute buffer. :laughing: I too am of the belief that if you're getting the food from a reputable source and it's human-grade, odds are extremely high that it's perfectly safe.

Never thought about it actually. I feed cats, not dogs raw and have never had an issue. Like Bendyfoot said, make sure the source of meat is from a rep butcher and keep your hands cleaned and you should be fine.