Plates were incubated at 35☌ and read after 24 h and 48 h.
After 24 h incubation at 35☌, 5 to 10 μL of broth were inoculated onto MRSA chromogenic agar (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, USA). difficile by Gram stain appearance, colony morphology, characteristic odor, and production of L-proline aminopeptidase.Īnother sample of approximately 10 g was inoculated into 30 mL of enrichment broth consisting of 10 g tryptone/L, 75 g sodium chloride/L, 10 g mannitol/L, and 2.5 g of yeast extract/L. Suspicious colonies were subcultured onto blood agar and confirmed as C. The supernatant was discarded and the pellet was streaked onto a CDMN agar plate and incubated anaerobically at 37☌ for 48 h. This mixture was then centrifuged for 10 min at 3980 × g. An aliquot of the broth was alcohol shocked with an equal volume of anhydrous ethanol for 1 h. difficile moxalactam norfloxacin (CDMN) broth (Oxoid, Nepean, Ontario) with 0.1% sodium taurocholate and incubated anaerobically at 37☌ for 7 d. coli isolates was also performed.Ī sample of approximately 10 g was inoculated into approximately 30 mL of C. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of E. ), but also for Clostridium difficile, MRSA, and generic Escherichia coli. Treats were tested for the primary organism of interest (Salmonella spp. Microbiological testing was performed on all 26 treats. Using kcal/g, weight, and length, the kcal/treat and kcal/inch (kcal/cm) were calculated. Non-fiber carbohydrate was calculated (100-moisture-crude protein-crude fat-crude fiber-ash), and the kilocalories (kcal) per gram were calculated using modified Atwater factors on an as-fed basis ( 13). Total length, diameter, and weight of each stick were recorded, and crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, moisture, and ash were analyzed. A sample of each available bully stick product was purchased for each retail outlet visited to avoid selection bias.įive 5- to 7-inch (13- to 18-cm) bully sticks purchased in the United States were randomly selected and submitted for proximate analysis at a commercial laboratory (Eurofins Scientific, Des Moines, Iowa, USA). Although some of the treats were produced by the same manufacturers, all were different products (i.e., 26 different brands). In addition, a survey was performed to assess owner opinions about pet treats, including bully sticks.Ī convenience sample of 26 bully stick treats was purchased from retail outlets in the United States ( n = 16) and Canada ( n = 10). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure the caloric density of bully sticks and to analyze these products for bacterial contamination. Understanding potential risks and owner perceptions about treats may enhance communication with dog owners. Furthermore, recent identification of emerging issues of community-associated Clostridium difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in humans ( 5– 7) and identification of these pathogens in retail food products ( 8– 12) raise the question of whether pet treats might be sources of exposure.įinally, in the authors’ clinical experience, many pet owners and even veterinarians appear to be unaware of what pet treats are made of, particularly in the case of bully sticks. Similar studies on bacterial contamination and resistance patterns have not been published for bully sticks. A more recent study showed that the prevalence of Salmonella contamination had decreased substantially to 4% but resistance remained a problem with isolates having resistance to 7 antimicrobials ( 4). Outbreaks of human salmonellosis have been associated with contact with contaminated pig ears (contamination rates between 41% to 51%) ( 1– 3). Therefore, owners may be unknowingly providing additional calories to their dogs by feeding bully sticks.Īnother possible concern for bully sticks and other similar treats is bacterial contamination. Obesity is a common problem in dogs and, in the authors’ clinical experience, most owners do not consider treats to contain a significant number of calories.
One is as an additional source of calories. There are a number of potential concerns with bully sticks and other treats. One treat for dogs is the bull or steer penis, commonly known as “bully” or “pizzle” sticks.
#Bully sticks for dogs skin#
These include familiar products that have been on the market for many years, such as cattle hooves or skin (i.e., rawhide chews) and pig ears, but now range from lungs to tracheas to hearts. There is a wide variety of treats derived from parts of animals other than skeletal muscle. There are many types of pet treats, including hard biscuits, soft treats, and edible manufactured bones. Pet treats are a fast-growing segment of the pet food industry.