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naturalpet


in the U.S., compared with about 900 human cases.


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 fl uoride 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 fl uoride from tap water used in the manufacturing 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 fl uoride.” Fluoride occurs naturally in rocks, soil and thus some food plants and water supplies. More enters food via use of fl uoride-based pesticides and commercial processing facilities. The EWG advises that two-thirds of all Americans, along with pets and farm animals, are exposed to artifi cially fl uoridated tap water.


Fluoride Dangers to Humans While fl uoride exposure hasn’t been studied in dogs or cats, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, ample research


points to the dangers of fl uoride 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 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 Dangers to Canines Dogs are at substantial long-term risk for exposure to unacceptably high levels of fl uoride. They are, for example, at signifi cantly higher probability for bone cancer than humans, with more than 8,000 cases diagnosed each year


28 Central Florida natural awakenings


According to the EWG, a dog drinking normal amounts of tap water would be exposed to 0.05 to 0.1 milligram (mg) of fl uoride 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 fl uoride per kg body weight a day, based on average fl uoride content in the eight contaminated brands it tested. Altogether, the puppy could be exposed to 3.5 times more fl uoride than the EPA allows in drinking water. Large breed puppies may be exposed to even more fl uoride due to higher water intake. Whatever the size and the appetite of a dog, combined fl uoride exposure from food and water can easily become unsafe. Eating the same food every day, they may be constantly consuming more fl uoride than is healthy for normal growth, leading to health problems and higher veterinary bills later in life.


Prevent High


Ingestion of Fluoride The EWG recommends owners purchase pet foods free of bone meal and other meals made from animal byproducts. It also suggests that government set fl uoride limits in pet food that protect both puppies and large breeds most at risk for bone cancer. Dr. Michael W. Fox, an internationally recognized veterinarian and former vice president of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, recommends providing pets with fl uoride-free water; spring water or reverse osmosis fi ltered water also works well.


In preparing homemade food for a pet, make sure any added bone meal is free of fl uoride and lead. Ethical bone meal producers will test for these contaminants; verify with the source. Fox suggests a good bone meal substitute might be fossilized oyster shell, dolomite or a synthesized or refined calcium supplement like calcium citrate, ascorbate, stearate or gluconate. Or, consider a pure tricalcium and dicalcium phosphate, blended with magnesium. Fox attests that bones from longer-


lived food animals such as dairy cows, laying hens and breeding stock likely


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