Figure 1: This image illustrates the chain like reaction between animals, the veterinary medicine given to them, and how it all leads back to our environments and food consumption. Photo from Boxall (2004) with permission from EMBO reports.
Almost completely unbeknownst to the public is that of FDA protocols and steps to be legally taken when mass producing the people's source of milk, cheese, meat, and other food consumption. Not many know case by case what exactly these regulations are, but the unspoken trust put into place keeps consumers and producers satisfied. Some of these protocols regard the maintenance on animals, the shampoos and coat treatments used on cows and even our house pets, the injections of hormones and antifungals put into these animal through needles that will later be disposed of in an inappropriate manner, and even chemicals put into their bowls that will, just like their bath days, be washed off and make way to streams and rivers. This environmental impact can be slow and subtle, but eventually could take a large toll on our surroundings as soil toxicity will rise, and even affect our marine life as fish and other aquatic mammals will be exposed to chemicals and microbes that can cause new pathogens to eventually find its way back to humans once they are consumed.
Boxall, A. B. A., Kolpin, D., Sorensen, B.H., and Tolls, J. (2003). Are Veterinary Medicines Causing Environmental Risks?. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es032519b
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