BARF, standing for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food, refers to a raw diet primarily composed of meat, meaty bones, and offal.

BARF generates a lot (a lot) of debate. Some owners swear by it, while others consider it a practice to avoid. Between these two positions, scientific literature provides more nuanced answers.

For some owners, BARF represents a more natural, understandable diet, closer to a dog's needs. For many veterinarians and health authorities, it is primarily a high-risk feeding method, particularly from a microbiological standpoint.

To date, no study has shown that BARF is globally superior to other feeding methods. Conversely, the available data does not allow us to say that it is systematically dangerous either.

However, they clearly show one thing: it is not a diet to be improvised.

What BARF is

A BARF ration generally consists of:

• raw meat;
• meaty bones;
• offal;
• sometimes vegetables, fruits, eggs, or supplements.

It can be prepared at home or purchased commercially, frozen or freeze-dried.

One of the most frequent arguments is that dogs are descended from wolves and would therefore be naturally suited to a raw diet.

This argument needs to be qualified.

Domestic dogs do share a common ancestor with wolves, but they have also evolved through contact with humans. They notably possess metabolic adaptations that allow them to digest starch better than wolves. Therefore, dogs are not simply "house wolves."

Bacteriological risk: the best-documented point

This is the most solid risk in the literature.

Several studies conducted in Europe and North America have found potentially dangerous bacteria in raw foods intended for dogs and cats.

The most frequently cited contaminants are:

• Salmonella;
• Listeria monocytogenes;
• Campylobacter;
• certain strains of E. coli;
• antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

One study found pathogens in more than a third of the raw foods analyzed, with possible contamination of the feces of raw-fed dogs as well. In the same cohort, no pathogens had been detected in the extruded foods tested.

Other work has shown that raw-fed dogs can excrete more zoonotic and resistant bacteria, meaning those transmissible to humans or problematic for public health.

This point is important: the risk does not only concern the dog. It also concerns household members, through food handling, bowls, kitchen surfaces, feces, or licking.

The people most at risk are:

• children;
• the elderly;
• pregnant women;
• immunocompromised individuals;
• fragile or sick animals.

This does not mean that every raw-fed dog will get sick, nor that every household will be contaminated.

But the microbiological risk exists, it is measurable, and it must be taken seriously.

It can be reduced by strict hygiene: respecting the cold chain, controlled thawing, hand washing, cleaning surfaces, separating utensils, washing bowls promptly, and increased caution in households with vulnerable individuals.

Nutritional imbalances: the other major problem

The second major risk is nutritional.

Several studies have shown that many BARF rations, especially when prepared at home, present imbalances.

The most frequent problems concern:

• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• the calcium/phosphorus ratio;
• zinc;
• copper;
• iodine;
• certain vitamins, especially A and D;
• the overall balance of the ration.

The risk is particularly significant in puppies, as growth imposes very precise needs. An error in calcium, phosphorus, or energy can have significant consequences on bone development.

Clinical cases have described BARF-fed puppies with insufficient intake of energy, calcium, phosphorus, and micronutrients.

Again, it is not raw food itself that makes balance impossible. It is the absence of serious formulation.

A balanced BARF diet requires calculations, reliable data, and often the help of a veterinarian trained in nutrition. "Gut feeling" balances or recipes copied from the Internet are the most high-risk situations.

Claimed benefits: still limited evidence

The benefits often attributed to BARF are numerous: better coat, smaller stools, improved digestion, cleaner teeth, better vitality.

Some owners do observe real improvements in their dogs.

The problem is that these individual observations are not enough to demonstrate a general superiority of BARF.

Available studies primarily show changes in the gut microbiome of raw-fed dogs. But a change in the microbiome does not automatically mean an improvement in health.

Large literature reviews now conclude that the claimed benefits of BARF remain less solidly demonstrated than its risks.

This does not exclude individual benefits in certain cases, particularly in dogs with intolerances or palatability issues. But these situations cannot be generalized to all dogs.

Commercial BARF and homemade BARF: two different risks

Commercial BARF is often perceived as safer because it is sold ready-to-use.

It can indeed be better formulated than a homemade, improvised ration.

However, studies show that commercial raw products can also be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. The fact that a product is sold commercially therefore does not eliminate the microbiological risk.

Homemade BARF, on the other hand, primarily exposes to a greater nutritional risk if the ration is not properly formulated.

In summary:

In other words, commercial BARF is not necessarily free of pathogenic bacteria, while homemade BARF requires genuine nutritional formulation. The risks are simply not the same.

Dogs for whom maximum caution is needed

Certain situations make BARF more delicate.

This is the case for:

• growing puppies;
• pregnant or lactating bitches;
• immunocompromised dogs;
• dogs with chronic diseases;
• therapy dogs or those in contact with vulnerable populations;
• households with young children, elderly individuals, or immunocompromised individuals.

In these contexts, both nutritional and zoonotic risks must be assessed with even greater caution.

What to remember

BARF is neither an aberration nor a miracle solution.

Studies show three main things:

• the microbiological risk is real and well-documented;
• nutritional imbalances are frequent when rations are poorly formulated;
• the claimed benefits still have little solid evidence.

This does not mean that a raw diet is necessarily doomed to fail.

A well-constructed BARF, seriously formulated, consistently maintained, and handled with strict hygiene, can be managed correctly.

But it's not a diet to tinker with.

The real problem highlighted by the literature is not just raw food itself. It's improvisation: approximate recipes, forgotten supplements, insufficient hygiene, lack of monitoring, and the belief that a "natural" diet is automatically balanced.

BARF can be suitable for some dogs when properly formulated and handled under good hygienic conditions. However, studies show that it requires more knowledge and rigor than is often imagined. This is probably the main message from current scientific literature.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources

1. Schlesinger DP, Joffe DJ. Raw food diets in companion animals: a critical review. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 2011.
2. Dillitzer N, Becker N, Kienzle E. Intake of minerals, trace elements and vitamins in bone and raw food rations in adult dogs. British Journal of Nutrition, 2011.
3. Köhler B et al. Dietary hyperthyroidism in dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2012.
4. Freeman LM et al. Current knowledge about the risks and benefits of raw meat-based diets for dogs and cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013.
5. van Bree FPJ et al. Zoonotic bacteria and parasites found in raw meat-based diets for cats and dogs. Veterinary Record, 2018.
6. Weese JS et al. Raw meat-based diets for dogs and cats: microbiological and public health risks. 2019.
7. Hellgren J et al. Raw meat-based diets and shedding of zoonotic and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in dogs. 2021.
8. Solís A et al. Raw meat-based diets in dogs: nutritional, microbiological and public health considerations. 2022.
9. Główny D et al. Raw diets for dogs and cats: potential health benefits and risks. 2024.
10. Koszta K et al. Reconciling the definitions of raw meat-based diets and BARF diets in companion animals. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025.