BrittneyTabor_23984509_Exam355106 Argument Essay

docx

School

Penn Foster College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

ENG100

Subject

Health Science

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by AmbassadorFlag12451

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com While there isn’t a broad range of scientific information available on the benefits and risks of a Bones and Raw Food diet in pets, or BARF Diet, the data that is currently available shows that the Bones and raw food diet is dangerous and carries many Risks that can lead to serious illnesses or even death for pets and pet parents. This diet choice is becoming increasingly popular among pet parents, but the risks of contamination, nutritional imbalance, and injuries are very clear and far outweigh the possible benefits associated with BARF diets and the safest options are high-quality commercial pet food. The risks of contamination linked to raw food are typically high. Bacteria and parasites are commonly found in raw uncooked meats as well as vegetables. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, states that a high percentage of meat and poultry contains at least one strain of bacteria and advises that you cook meat and poultry thoroughly. (1.) Ingested meat and poultry that are contaminated with bacteria pose the risk of passing the bacteria to their stool, which in turn, poses a risk to pet parents. The results of a study done by Daniel J. Joffe and Daniel P. Schlesinger show that “a BARF diet is significantly more likely than a commercial diet to contain Salmonella spp. ( P < 0.001), and BARF-fed dogs are more likely than commercially fed dogs to shed Salmonella spp. in their stools ( P = 0.105).” (2.) Salmonella infects the gastrointestinal tract. While not common, most adult dogs do not show symptoms, unless the dog is a puppy or has a weakened immune system. The symptoms can include severe watery diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, decreased appetite, and dehydration. (3) The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, or CVM, conducted a study on what pet foods contain bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Before this study was conducted, the CVM did not test for Listeria in pet food. “Dr. Reimschuessel further noted that “quite a large percentage of the raw foods for pets we tested were positive for the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes .” (4) It’s imperative that pet parents do extensive research on the potential risks of bacteria and parasite contamination and consider the potential consequences of contracting a disease or illness directly related to contamination. The studies that have been conducted on BARF diets show very clearly that the probability of raw food being contaminated with various bacteria is high and puts pets and pet parents at risk for serious illness. Bacteria like salmonella and listeria are zoonotic – meaning they can be transferred to humans. The symptoms of salmonella infection in humans can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, dehydration, bloody stools, vomiting, and chills, as well as the possibility of the infection traveling beyond the gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms can last from just a few days up to 10 days and can leave bowel movement habits irregular for several months. Listeria in humans can cause muscle aches, diarrhea, dehydration, chills, fever, and nausea and those symptoms can last thirty days or more. The listeria infection can also travel to the nervous system in humans and symptoms can include headache, confusion, convulsions, and loss of

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com balance. A Listeria infection in pregnant women can be fatal for the fetus. Another zoonotic bacteria, E. coli, is also a common bacteria found in poultry. In pets, it can cause low body temperature, lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea, as well as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and other illnesses. It can be transferred to humans through contact with the contaminated stool. Symptoms in humans can include diarrhea, bloody stools, severe abdominal cramping and pain, and nausea and vomiting. It can lead to kidney failure in young children and elderly adults, which can potentially be fatal. Nutritional imbalances are also common in BARF Diets. A paper written by Lisa M Freeman, DVM, AND Kathryn E Michel, DVM, was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association on their evaluation of raw food diets for dogs. “The findings of Freeman and Michel pointed out a number of problems with raw diets, including low phosphorus and potassium levels, calcium- to-phosphorus ratios of 0.15, and high concentrations of zinc – all of which are areas of concern with growing puppies.” (5.) In addition, “A European study calculated levels of 12 nutrients (e.g., calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A) for 95 homemade raw meat diets being fed to dogs and found that 60% of the diets had major nutritional imbalances.” (6.) Many commercial raw foods are marketed as being the healthiest diet but lack essential nutrients, meaning most raw food diets are improperly balanced for pets. Many Raw fed diets are a source of deficient and excessive nutritional levels which are cause for major concern. Nutritional imbalances can cause changes in the skin or coat, lethargy, Obesity, pancreatitis, and diabetes. Nutritional imbalances in puppies can aloso cause Rickets. A paper titled “Nutritional Osteodystrophy in Puppies Fed a BARF Diet” written in 2002 by Josepha DeLay, DVM, AND Jenny Laing, DVM, from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 2002, “describes two litters of 6-week-old dogs who showed hind limb collapse, weakness and failure to thrive” and” " All pups were weak, in pain and were either unable to stand or had abnormal gaits. DeLay and Laing concluded that lesions in the pups' bones resulted from the diet's abnormal calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and a likely absolute calcium deficiency.” (7.) It’s vital that pets get the proper nutrition to maintain nutrient levels within their body to prevent disease and illness. Specifically, calcium deficiency in dogs can lead to kidney failure, renal failure, pancreatitis, hypocalcemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Some of the symptoms can include, Bone and joint issues, seizures, tremors, lethargy, fever, behavioral changes, convulsions, and weakness. Injuries are common in the BARF diet due to the risks that bones pose. It’s typically well-known that bones can be a choking hazard for pets. Rib bones are high in fat. A dog's digestive system isn’t made to digest high levels of saturated fats, and it can cause pancreatitis. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and even death. You might think that cooked bones are safe, but they

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com aren’t. Cooked bones can become brittle allowing pieces to break off easily and can cause your pet to choke, break teeth, cause lacerations in the mouth and throat, perforate the intestines, or blockages in the GI tract. Bones can also irritate the GI tract causing irritable bowel syndrome as well as carrying bacteria. (8.) Pets, especially dogs, are known to chew, it’s natural for them. Pet parents commonly buy their pets bones to chew to keep them from chewing up other items. But some bones can be too hard, causing broken teeth, which if left untreated, can lead to infections or abscesses. If you are going to give your pet a bone, it's best to give a large bone to reduce the risk of pieces breaking off and causing injury to your pet. The best option for your pet is commercially made chew toys. More and more pet parents are choosing to feed their pets bone and raw food diets due to the love they have for their pets. It is a common belief that the more popular or “trendy” something is, the healthier or better it is, but that is far from the truth. Bone and raw food Diet feeding pet parents tend to believe that feeding the BARF diet is the healthiest option for their pets because their pets are carnivores and this diet mimics nature. While early ancestors of domesticated dogs regularly consumed raw meat, dogs' digestive systems have evolved and left them susceptible to bacteria and parasites. It’s also common for pet parents to avoid discussing a raw-fed diet for their pets with a veterinarian. There isn’t any available scientific data that supports the believed benefits of a bone and raw food diet. The best option when looking for a healthy food option for your pet is to find high-quality commercially produced pet food with natural ingredients. Some of the top-quality pet food brands are The Honest Kitchen, Open Farm Homestead Dry Dog Food, Ollie Dog Food, and The Farmers Dog. The Honest Kitchen pet food is made with human-grade ingredients that match human food safety standards as well as being made in a human food facility. They also test every batch of food to confirm they are clear of bacteria and aren’t released until testing is complete and results are in. (9.) Open Farm Homestead Dry Dog Food offers ingredient tracing through their website. Some of their ingredients include wild-caught fish, non-GMO gluten-free oats, Pumpkin, and a wide variety of vitamins. It is also antibiotic, hormone, and steroid-free. (10) Ollie Dog Food Provides a quiz specifically catered to your pet, that calculates the calories needed per day, as well as three different meal plans. Their food contains no by-products or fillers. Ollie also uses human- grade ingredients cooked and hand-packed by humans. (11.) The Farmers Dog uses human-grade meat and vegetables, as well as no by-products, preservatives, kibble, or misleading labels. It is also highly recommended by veterinarians. (12.) The possibility of losing your pet to a circumstance that could have been prevented is something no one wants to go through. It is in your pet's best interest to research the dangers of Bone and raw food diets for pets before feeding. It is highly encouraged to research high-quality commercial pet foods to find a diet that best

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com suits the needs of your pet. Every pet parent loves and cherishes their pet as a part of their family. It is imperative to put their health and safety above the trending diets. Avoid giving your bets bones to eliminate the risk of injury associated with them. There are many commercially made chew toys for pets that are safe. The research that has been conducted, as well as the experiments that have been completed show a clear trend that a bone and raw food diet is dangerous and can lead to the demise of your pet. The best pet food option is high-quality pet food because the dangers and risks that are linked to bone and raw food diets are not worth the possibility of losing your pet or possibly becoming deathly ill yourself. Reference Page

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com 1.) Martin, A. N. (2005, June). How safe is a raw diet? Not very--and the facts are chilling: Ann Martin has spent her career taking on the pet-health establishment. Better Nutrition , 67 (6), 41+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A132557373/EAIM? u=edirect_gvrl&sid=bookmark-EAIM&xid=2c376966 2.) Joffe, D. J., & Schlesinger, D. P. (2002). Preliminary assessment of the risk of Salmonella infection in dogs fed raw chicken diets. The Canadian Veterinary Journal , 43 (6), 441-442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC339295/ 3.) Lovejoy, J. (2023, June 9). Salmonella in Dogs . PetMD. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/salmonella- dogs 4.) Food and Drug Administration (n.d.). Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet . Fda.gov. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/get-facts- raw-pet-food-diets-can-be-dangerous-you-and-your-pet 5.) Martin, Ann N. "How safe is a raw diet? Not very--and the facts are chilling: Ann Martin has spent her career taking on the pet-health establishment." Better Nutrition , vol. 67, no. 6, June 2005, pp. 41+. Gale Academic OneFile Select , https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A132557373/EAIM? u=edirect_gvrl&sid=bookmark-EAIM&xid=2c376966 . Accessed 22 Nov. 2023. 6.) Freeman, L. M., DVM, PhD, DACVN, Linder, D. E., DVM, MS, DACVN, & Heinze, C. R., VMD, MS, DACVN (2016, January 12). Raw Diets: A Healthy Choice or a Raw Deal? Vetnutrition.Tufts.edu. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/01/raw-diets-a-healthy-choice-or-a- raw-deal/ 7.) Martin, Ann N. "How safe is a raw diet? Not very--and the facts are chilling: Ann Martin has spent her career taking on the pet-health establishment." Better Nutrition , vol. 67, no. 6, June 2005, pp. 41+. Gale Academic OneFile Select , https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A132557373/EAIM? u=edirect_gvrl&sid=bookmark-EAIM&xid=2c376966 . Accessed 22 Nov. 2023.

Brittney Tabor 23984509 Exam: 355106 b.tabor021@gmail.com 8.) AKC Staff (2023, September 28). Can Dogs Eat Bones? American Kennel Club. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.akc.org/expert- advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-bones/ 9.) (n.d.). A Higher Standard of Quality Assurance . The Honest Kitchen. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/pages/quality-assurance 10.) (n.d.). Better ingredients from better sources deliver better nutrition. Openfarmpet.com. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://openfarmpet.com/en-us/premium-nutrition/ 11.) (n.d.). Learn More About Ollie . Myollie.com. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.myollie.com/how-it-works/ 12.) (n.d.). You Shouldn't Be The Only One Eating Healthy . The Farmers Dog. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://www.thefarmersdog.com/

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

BrittneyTabor_23984509_Exam355106 Argument Essay

Related Documents