Here's an article I came across and I though it may be helpful for you all when searching for commercial kibble. It deals with dangerous levels of fluoride present in many dog foods today which even the conservative dog owners may not pay any attention to. Yes fluoride has been proven to clean teeth but too much is dangerous;
Fluoride in Pet Food
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Pet food has a new level of danger hiding behind its labels.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released a new study
that showed high levels of fluoride in eight of ten pet foods
tested. Consuming fluoride can lead to many serious health concerns.
When selecting a pet food, fluoride levels is not something most
people would look for on the label, however when you consider
the latest study published by EWG, fluoride contamination
appears to be a risk with some pet foods. "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."
Dog Food Contaminated with Levels of Fluoride Above EPA's Legal Limit for Humans | Environmental Working Group The problem is with pet foods
and even people foods, is that the fluoride level is not
mentioned anywhere on the label.
Most of the fluoride contamination in dog food comes from an
unsavory mix of bone meal and various meat byproducts added
to dog food. The 8 high-fluoride brands list ingredients
that include chicken by-product meal, poultry by-product
meal, chicken meal, beef and bone meal.
Fluoride occurs naturally in the earth's crust, rocks, and
soil, and in some water supplies. But two-thirds of Americans
-- and their pets and livestock -- are exposed to the chemical
via tap water that is artificially fluoridated in an effort
to prevent tooth decay (CDC 2006). Alternatively, the food
that the chickens and livestock were fed may have been grown
with fluorinated water.
Once ingested with food or water, fluoride accumulates in bones.
Topical application of fluoride on teeth is a common and effective
means of preventing tooth decay. But ingested fluoride is well
known to damage teeth and the musculoskeletal system (NRC 2006).
Three studies show that boys who drink fluoridated tap water
between the ages of 6 and 8 face a heightened risk of osteosarcoma,
the rare but deadly form of bone cancer associated with fluoride
(Bassin 2006; Cohn 1992; DHHS 1991). Scientists suspect that
boys' rapid growth may make them more susceptible to bone cancer
(Bassin 2006)
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).
A dog drinking adequate water would be exposed to 0.05-0.1 mg
fluoride per kg of body weight daily, depending on the dog's
water consumption. A 10-pound puppy that eats about a cup of
dog food a day would ingest approximately 0.25 mg fluoride/kg
body weight/day based on average fluoride content in the 8
contaminated brands tested by EWG. At that rate, the puppy
would consume 2.5 times more fluoride than EPA's legal limit
in drinking water.
When fluoride in drinking water is taken into consideration,
a 10-pound puppy would be exposed to 3.5 times more fluoride
than EPA allows in drinking water. Large breed puppies may be
exposed to even more fluoride.
According to the size and the appetite of a dog, combined
fluoride exposure from food and water can easily range from
mild to severe over-exposure. And, unlike children, who enjoy
a variety of foods as they grow up, puppies and adult dogs eat
the same food from the same bag every day, constantly consuming
more fluoride than is healthy for normal growth. Routine exposure
to excessive fluoride can predispose dogs to health problems,
along with high veterinary bills, later in life.
Food and products for pets receive little government oversight.
They are subject to few standards or regulations. This situation
may put pets' health at risk. Americans have a right to expect
pet food to be held to health and safety standards similar to
those for human food, and to be free from contaminants that
endanger pets' health. Yet, when it comes to finding pet foods
free of dubious food additives, chemical pollutants or untested
ingredients, pet owners are largely on their own, since the
agency in charge of pet food oversight, the federal Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), has little authority and few
resources to ensure that products produced for pets are safe
(FDA CVM 2007).
What you can do as a pet food consumer? First, read the label
of your pet food.
If the word By-Product is seen stay away from that pet food,
the foods with the highest level of fluoride contained By-products
from beef, chicken, or turkey. Also stay away from Mechanically
separated chicken, as high levels were also found in this form
of protein. Chicken Meal was also said to contain high levels
of fluoride. The 2 foods that were tested that did not contain
fluoride at all were: Vegetarian or contained Fish or Venison
as a protein source. The article was however incorrect when
it stated that "Meal" was just "ground bones, cooked with
steam, dried, and mashed to make a cheap dog food filler."
Many dog foods use all meat and no bones when they make their
Chicken Meal or Beef Meal. A very good food would specify on
the label what the "Meal" contains. Look for labels that say
Chicken Meal made from dehydrated chicken breast. Or choose
an alternative protein source like venison, fish, or rabbit
which are less likely to have been fed with fluorinated water.
Fluoride In Pet Food
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