| Some of the ingredients that end up in | | | | contain mycotoxins, fungi that can cause chronic |
| commercial pet foods are truly shocking. What's | | | | conditions and even death in both humans and |
| more, many of these will not appear on the label | | | | animals. As the grains used in pet food are low |
| and others are hidden under umbrella terms such | | | | grade, they are dealt with last in the handling |
| as ‘meat meal' and ‘meat by-products'. | | | | process and because of this are often left in |
| How can this happen? The pet food industry is | | | | storage where insects, mites and mycotoxic |
| highly unregulated. As Ann Martin, author of Foods | | | | molds can grow. |
| Pets Die For, writes in her article The Pet Food | | | | The consumption of dead mites can cause skin |
| Industry and its Questionable Practices, | | | | allergies. If your pet has skin allergies, change their |
| ‘Governments in the USA and Canada | | | | diet first before turning to steroids which can be |
| regulate the labeling of the food, the name and | | | | seriously detrimental to your pets health. |
| address of the company, the weight of the | | | | Alfatoxin poisoning, a common mycotoxin that |
| product, and whether it is made for a dog or cat | | | | grows on corn as well as other foods, has been |
| - nothing more.' | | | | reported for over 50 years. Vomotoxin is another |
| The meats used in pet food can be extremely | | | | mycotoxin found in wheat products. Where large |
| low grade and unfit for human consumption. | | | | doses of mycotoxins can cause cancer and even |
| Summarized as the ‘4 D's' (dead, diseased, | | | | rapid death, small continuous amounts may |
| disabled and dying), these can include roadkill, zoo | | | | suppress the immune system and damage organs |
| animals and infected and cancerous meats. | | | | over time, leading to long-term chronic health |
| At the rendering plants ingredients are highly | | | | conditions. |
| heated and processed, destroying nutrients and | | | | Just recently at the end of 2005, over 100 dogs |
| enzymes, with strong preservatives added which | | | | were killed in the United States because of |
| do not appear on the labels. These include fat | | | | alfatoxin found in pet food, with some 19 brands |
| stabilizers such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) | | | | of Diamond dog food being recalled. It is likely |
| and BHT (butylated hydroxytolulene), both of | | | | there were many more deaths than those |
| which are known to cause liver and kidney | | | | reported, and as alfatoxin attacks the liver it is |
| dysfunction and Ethoxyquin, a suspected | | | | likely surviving dogs may develop chronic liver |
| cancer-causing agent. Semi-moist dog foods may | | | | disease or liver cancer in the future. |
| also contain propylene glycol, a relation to ethylene | | | | Toxic Chemicals |
| glycol (anti-freeze), which can destroy red blood | | | | The toxin sodium pentobarbital, a chemical is used |
| cells. | | | | to euthanize animals and pets, has been found in |
| Pets in your pet food | | | | commercial pet foods. The US Food and Drug |
| Though reportedly not the case today, it is well | | | | Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine |
| recorded that dogs and cats have ended up in | | | | performed two studies (1998 and 2000) to test |
| dog and cat food. In his 1990 article How Dogs | | | | for pentobarbital. Of the 74 samples analysed, |
| and Cats Get Recycled Into Pet Food, John | | | | over half were found to contain pentobarbital. |
| Eckhouse, an investigative reporter, wrote: | | | | What's more, none of the 43 brands and product |
| ‘Each year, millions of dead American dogs | | | | lines that tested positive warned of its presence |
| and cats are processed along with billions of | | | | on their labels. |
| pounds of other animal materials by companies | | | | The FDA researchers also tested the food for |
| known as renderers. The finished products -- | | | | the presence of dogs or cats but reported none |
| tallow and meat meals -- serve as raw materials | | | | present. It was believed the pentobarbital residues |
| for thousands of items that include cosmetics and | | | | were entering pet foods from euthanized, |
| pet food.' | | | | rendered cattle or even horses. |
| Doctor of weterianry medicine Wendell Belfield in | | | | The FDA say the small amounts of the drug |
| Foods Not Fit For a Pet (Earth Island Journal, | | | | found in these foods were harmless, but not all |
| 1996), reports that ‘federal and state | | | | veterinarians agree. Long-term continual doses, |
| agencies, including the Food and Drug | | | | even at small levels may be increase the onset of |
| Administration and medical groups such as the | | | | chronic and degenerative diseases. |
| American Veterinary Medical Association and the | | | | Aside from the toxins and base ingredients of |
| California Veterinary Medical Association, confirm | | | | commercial pet foods, these harshly processed |
| that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after | | | | and high-carbohydrate products in no way match |
| they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by | | | | the natural diets dogs and cats would have eaten |
| health authorities, and the end product frequently | | | | in the wild. They are species-inappropriate and |
| finds its way into pet food.' | | | | ill-suited to canine and feline physiology. I |
| Toxic Grains | | | | recommend healthy, homemade, raw diets or |
| The very use of grains in pet food is questionable | | | | optimum natural, holistic alternatives for the health |
| as grains are ill-suited to the digestive physiology | | | | and well-being of your dog and cat. Before |
| of carnivores. This is especially so for cats who | | | | embarking on a raw food diet (otherwise known |
| are obligatory carnivores and meet their glucose | | | | as BARF - ‘biologically adequate raw food'), |
| requirements through amino acids in their diet. | | | | thoroughly research the area first as nutritional |
| Further, the grains used in dog and cat foods may | | | | balance is essential. |