Raw meat diets are a major risk factor for carriage of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant and multidrug-resistant E. coli by dogs in the UK

Raw-meat diets (RMD) for dogs, comprising unprocessed or non-heat-treated animal material, are increasingly popular. However, RMDs have been demonstrated to be contaminated with AMR bacteria, and there is concern that such diets may pose a zoonotic disease risk. Additionally, dogs fed RMD may shed more antimicrobial resistant (AMR)-faecal bacteria compared to those fed conventional cooked diets. Data from the UK remain limited; the present study investigated the presence of AMR-Escherichia coli in the faeces of RMD and non-RMD (NRMD)-fed dogs in the UK, the E. coli AMR gene complement, and the lifestyle risk factors associated with AMR- E. coli carriage.