naturalpet
n Disrupted synthesis of collagen n Genetic damage and cell death n Hyperactivity and/or lethargy n Impaired sleep (inhibits melatonin produced by the pineal gland)
n Increased lead absorption n Increased tumor and cancer rate n Inhibited formation of antibodies n Lowered thyroid function n Muscle disorders
Fluoride Alert Excess in Food and
Tap Water Harms Pets by Karen Becker I
n 2009, an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study found that bone meal and animal byproducts
in eight of 10 major national dog food brands contain fluoride in amounts between 1.6 and 2.5 times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended maximum dose in drinking water. Some fluoride from tap water used in the manufactur- ing of pet food contributes to this. Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., lead
researcher of the study, remarks, “A failed regulatory system and suspect practices by some in the pet food industry puts countless dogs at risk of ingesting excessive fluoride.” Fluoride occurs naturally in rocks, soil
and thus some food plants and water supplies. More enters food via use of flu- oride-based pesticides and commercial
54 NA Triangle
www.natriangle.com
processing facilities. The EWG advises that two-thirds of all Americans, along with pets and farm animals, are exposed to artificially fluoridated tap water.
to Humans While fluoride exposure hasn’t been studied in dogs or cats, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, ample research points to the dangers of fluoride to human health, including: n Arthritis n Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) n Bone fractures n Brain damage and lowered IQ n Damaged sperm and increased infertility
n Deactivation of 62 enzymes n Dementia n Disrupted immune system
Fluoride Dangers
to Canines Dogs are at substantial long-term risk for exposure to unacceptably high levels of fluoride. They are, for exam- ple, at significantly higher probability for bone cancer than humans, with more than 8,000 cases diagnosed each year in the U.S., compared with about 900 human cases. According to the EWG, a dog
drinking normal amounts of tap water would be exposed to 0.05 to 0.1 milligram (mg) of fluoride per kilogram (kg) of body weight daily. A 10-pound puppy that daily eats about a cup of dog food would ingest approximately 0.25 mg fluoride per kg body weight a day, based on average fluoride content in the eight contaminated brands it tested. Altogether, the puppy could be exposed to 3.5 times more fluoride than the EPA allows in drinking water. Large breed puppies may be exposed to even more fluoride due to higher water intake. Whatever the size and the appetite
of a dog, combined fluoride expo- sure from food and water can easily become unsafe. Eating the same food every day, they may be constantly consuming more fluoride than is healthy for normal growth, leading to health problems and higher veterinary bills later in life.
Fluoride Dangers
Javier Brosch/
Shutterstock.com
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