Raw Chicken, it is dangerous?
A scientific link has been identified between feeding dogs raw chicken and the debilitating disease Acute Canine Polyradiculoneuritis (also know as Idiopathic Canine Polyradiculoneuritis or Coonhound Paralysis).
A bacteria called Campylobacter jejuni is a very common contaminant of raw poultry meat. If a dog eats contaminated chicken and is infected with the bacteria, the dog’s immune system can react abnormally and the antigens it creates against the bacteria attack part of the neurological system (the nerve roots).
This results in the clinical signs of lower motor neurone disease. Initially the dog looses it’s voice, followed by hind leg weakness which progresses over 5 to 10 days to paralysis in the back and then the front legs.
The disease is difficult to diagnose as there is not specific test and the clinical symptoms look a lot like tick paralysis.
With very good nursing care, most dogs can fully recover from Acute Canine Polyradiculoneuritis. It can take from 1 week to 8 months for recovery, usually the recovery is slower for larger dogs. Nursing large dogs can be very difficult due to the heavy lifting involved.
Dogs love eating chicken and up until recently it has been a recommended healthy part of a canine diet. In light of this recent scientific discovery it is recommend by vets and the Australian Veterinary Association that you do not feed raw poultry meat to your dog. (This includes chicken, turkey, and any other raw poultry meat).
