Fluoride in Pet Food - Another reason to avoid by-products

Posted on July 19, 2009 by holisticpetfood

Have you been following the recent news about excessive fluoride levels in pet food?

“Eight of 10 dog food brands tested by an independent laboratory commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) contain fluoride in amounts up to 2.5 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) national drinking water standard.”  http://www.ewg.org/node/28070

How is it getting into pet food?  Through the inclusion of the bones of animals that have been fed fluoridated water.  Consequently, you may wish to look at your pet food label to see if you are feeding anything with by-products or with “meat and bone meal”. 

I looked at a comparison of some popular foods at http://bit.ly/17LsHM but because it only shows the top five ingredients, it showed lots with by-products but none with bone meal.  A google search on “pet food” or “dog food” and “bone meal” was not productive.  So, you are going to have to do this simply by looking at your own pet food label.

Why do you care whether or not fluoridated by-products or bone meal are in your pet food?  Three studies link osteosarcoma in young boys with “fluoridated tap water”.  Guess what is the primary bone tumor found in dogs?  Osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor in dogs; it is estimated to occur in over 8,000 dogs each year in the U.S., primarily in larger breeds (Chun 2003; Dernell 2001; Priester 1980; Withrow 1991). According to a recent expert review, the actual incidence is probably higher, since not all cases are confirmed and registered (Mueller 2007). Large dogs with fast growing bones are especially at risk. Only 5% of all osteosarcomas develop in dogs weighing less than 30 pounds and giant dogs generally develop osteosarcoma at a younger age compared to smaller-sized dogs and (Cooley 1997; Misdorp 1979). 
http://www.examiner.com/x-10491-Houston-Pet-Care-Examiner~y2009m7d10-Fluoride–dangerously-high-levels-found-in-pet-food

Play it safe.  Learn to read your pet food label and avoid anything at all of questionable value.  We’re truly moving to an era where we feed our pets the same high quality that we seek for ourselves.

Filed under: Holistic Pet Food Tagged: | Cats, Dogs, fluoride, Pet Food