A new study on commercial pet nutrition is raising uncomfortable questions for millions of dog owners. The Colorado based nonprofit Clean Label Project says some popular dog foods contain hazardous levels of heavy metals, plastic contaminants and acrylamide.
Acrylamide is a chemical that forms when carbohydrate rich food is cooked at high temperatures.
As executive director of the group, Molly Hamilton stated that families need not fear that a meal fed to an animal per day will hurt an animal they view as a member of the family. The organisation argues that dogs can be subjected to much more of the contaminants than human beings on a calorie to calorie ratio.
The researchers bought 79 sellers of best products, such as kibble, air dried, freeze dried, fresh and frozen. Over eleven thousand tests seeking substances like lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, pesticide residues and chemicals often found in plastics were then performed by a federally certified laboratorium.
Dry food fared the worst in most of the categories. In comparison to fresh and frozen meals, kibble contained significantly higher levels of a number of metals. Lead and mercury had been reported at approximately twenty times the levels of the least contaminated alternatives. Arsenic and cadmium also were several times elevated.
The results are a reflection of previous scholarly research. Joseph Wakshlag of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, who was not involved in the most recent project, said his group estimated previously that dogs could consume many times the amount of heavy metals each day compared to humans.
Meanwhile, Wakshlag cautioned against interpreting the numbers. Fresh and frozen foods have much more water, which requires the pets to consume more water to achieve the same amount of calories. The bigger that amount can bridge the exposure gap.
Nonetheless, there is a cause of concern, as there are actually a large number of animals that consume the same product day after day, even through out the years.
It is scientifically documented that metals may accumulate in other body parts or organs, like liver and kidneys, and this may lead to chronic health conditions. Some of the toxic elements associated with increased risk include lead and cadmium and cancer is already one of the most common causes of death in dogs.
The other eye-catching finding was based on acryl amide. In some kibble samples, the levels of many times of those found in fresh or frozen foods were present.
The poison is created when ingredients are baked or fried and has been reported by regulators as having a high probability to induce cancer in individuals. It has also been found to interfere with the fertility of animals.
The same was true of plastic related compounds. Bisphenols and phthalate DEHP tests have recorded the highest values in dry products and the lowest in fresh meals. Despite the scarcity of research in dogs, these substances in humans have been implicated in heart disease, metabolic diseases, reproductive disorders and some cancers.
The report is under review by industry representatives. The Pet Food Institute reported that manufacturers would constantly observe safety and strive towards supporting the welfare of pets in the country.
The biggest disappointment among scientists is the unavailability of long term feeding trials. Limited research studies have tracked dogs over a long period to ascertain how exposure to very low levels at chronic levels may influence disease in adulthood.
What can owners do now? Hamilton does not recommend panic. Depending on the budgets and the agreement of a veterinarian, some fresh or frozen options might help decrease the risk. In households that use kibble, switching between brands may allow exposure to be diversified instead of being focused on a single recipe.
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The solution might turn out to be increased transparency. Frequent testing and disclosure to the public would provide buyers with a better picture, but experts admit that such programs would probably increase prices.
Until superior answers are found, the debate points out a plain fact: as pets are becoming more and more part of a family, expectations of the wholesomeness and responsibility of the food they consume is increasing at a very similar rate.
