FLUORIDE IN PET FOOD
July 14th, 2009 by Dr. Donna Spector
The information recently released from the Environmental Working Group about the high levels of fluoride in dog food is concerning. Although there have never been “safe” levels of fluoride determined for dogs and cats, the levels in the dog food tested well exceeded the safe limit levels for humans. When you consider the combined fluoride exposure dogs are getting from their food and tap water, there may be real health concerns.
Follow these tips to avoid excess fluoride consumption in your pet:
1. Choose a natural high quality diet like Halo. Halo foods contain no bone meal or inferior by-products which were found to be the primary source of excess fluoride.
2. If your pet has food restrictions and their food cannot be changed (from one containing bone meal or inferior by-products), decrease the amount of tap water they drink. Tap water contains fluoride and eliminating this source of fluoride will be beneficial. Most forms of spring water and bottled water have less than 0.1ppm fluoride. You should call the company and ask how much fluoride is in their water to insure a low intake. Some water filters will remove fluoride and some will not—again a quick phone call to the company will give you this information. Distilled water is fluoride-free.
3. If you cook for your pet, avoid using Teflon-coated pans as they may increase the fluoride levels in the food.
4. Avoid using human toothpaste and oral rinse products that contain fluoride in pets. Dental health products designed for pets are fluoride-free to avoid dangerous levels.


In late 2008, Cathy DiMatteo was browsing the aisles of Whole Foods in Princeton, New Jersey. An owner of three dogs, she mistakenly picked up a can of Spot’s Stew for cats. “When I placed it back on the shelf, a man standing there with a clip-board said ‘Excuse me, can you tell me why you put that can back?” recalls DiMatteo, who told the man she was looking for Halo dog food. “And the man said, ‘I’ll help you find it.’”
The Halo donation has helped Sayreville care for what Keegan notices is a tremendous rise in homeless pets. “It’s very bad, especially now,” Keegan says. “We’re seeing more abandoned pets, animals being found in parking lots, animals that were clearly someone’s pets.” Why? “Because of the economy,” says Keegan, who has seen a spike in owners whose homes have gone into foreclosure come in to give away their pets. “It’s horrendous.”
Actor Benjamin McKenzie, a star of the hit TV show The O.C., appeared on the
Oscar was found by a friend, abandoned in a park. McKenzie said at the time he thought the dog was used as bait for dog fighting because he was so meek. Oscar was named for the character ‘Oscar’ from ‘The Odd Couple’ because he acts like an old man, McKenzie tells Ellen.





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