It’s a sad state of affairs for consumers and their pets. Our government has allowed big name pet foods to continue to contaminate products that we feed our beloved dogs (and cats too). Pet food is a multi-billion dollar industry that is not being regulated as it should be. I am staunchly against feeding my dogs the big name commercial dog food. After reading this article and doing some research you can read What I Feed My Own Dogs if you are curious about what diet my girls are on. I feed my dogs a raw diet which is biologically appropriate for dogs. Many people have concerns about raw feeding, but there are plenty of articles about both ordinary commercial food and raw diets.
The ATPF (Association for Truth in Pet Food) and has published The Pet Food Test Results. The study was funded by consumers.
First some things to know before reviewing the study:
Mycotoxins: These are a toxic substance produced by a fungus – especially a mold. Grains are prone to mycotoxin mold growth. Existing studies of mycotoxin contamination in pet food have shown that day to day consumption of small amounts of mycotoxins can result in “chronic diseases such as liver and kidney fibrosis, infections resulting from immunosuppressant and cancer.” Experts suggest chronic diseases are “often overlooked” as caused from long term consumption of lesser amounts of mycotoxins.
The budget allowed for the testing of eight (out of twelve) pet foods for 37 different types of mycotoxins. Results found that ALL pet foods had some level of mycotoxin contamination. Four pet foods tested as Low Risk, two tested as Medium Risk, and two tested as High Risk.
Guaranteed Analysis: All twelve of the pet food products were tested for Guaranteed Analysis nutrient and mineral content. Results were compared with AAFCO nutrient requirements and suggested nutrient maximum as established by the National Research Council’s (NRC) publication Mineral Tolerances of Animals. The testing found four instances in excess of nutrient maximum suggested by the NRC in cat foods, five instances in excess of nutrient maximum suggested by the NRC in dog foods, and five instances of excess of AAFCO regulatory nutrient maximum in dog foods. Many of these ingredients are sourced in China, but other sources are also not trustworthy. Vitamin premix sourcing is a big issue.
| Sir or Madam:
Consumers recently raised the funds to test 12 of the most widely-purchased brands of pet foods sold in the U.S. and Canada. What was found in this consumer funded testing were violations of pet food regulations (nutrient imbalances), dangerously high levels of mold (mycotoxins), and very concerning bacterial contamination (bacteria determined by the FDA and CDC to be antibiotic-resistant).Consumers pay an estimated $1 billion dollars a year to states in sales tax revenue (for pet food purchases alone). Please explain to me what consumers are getting in return for that revenue?Pet food consumers have been complaining about the condition of pet food since the 2007 pet food recall, complaints have fallen on deaf ears. For more than seven years consumers have waited on FDA to find the lethal contaminant of Chinese jerky treats – FDA has provided us nothing. In 2007 Congress told FDA to establish pet food ingredient standards and definitions, processing standards of pet food and provide updated standards for the labeling of pet food. This work was required – by Congress – to be completed by September 2009. More than five years after the deadline – consumers still wait for the FDA. I ask you, how much longer should consumers wait for safe pet food? Testing of pet food that should have been performed by tax dollar supported regulatory authorities was done by consumers. Now, consumers – myself – are asking you Why? How? could pet food pose such a serious risk to the pets that consume it and the humans that handle it? Please read every page of our Pet Food Test Report – you can do that here: http://truthaboutpetfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/PetFoodTest1.pdf I await your response on this very concerning issue. Sincerely, |
*The information in this article is from Susan Thixton who has actively crusaded to change how the pet food industry works to protect consumers from being taken advantage of as dangerous products flood the pet market. She also educates pet owners about the dangers of pet food. Her studies serve to empower pet owners. Susan is the owner of the ATPF (Association for Truth in Pet Food) and published The Pet Food Test Results. This study is funded by consumers. She also owns The Truth About Pet Food which has excellent content and a free newsletter that you may subscribe to for allowing me to share her work with my readers on my website.
Sources:
| Thixton, Susan. “The Pet Food Test Results.” Truth about Pet Food. AssociationforTruthinPetFood.com, 4 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. <http://truthaboutpetfood.com/the-pet-food-test-results/>. |
6 thoughts on “Shocking Dog Food Research Study”
Excellent article and I could not agree more!
It is about time that Governments of ALL countries take a stand and make the pet food industries accountable for the products that they have on the market.
Until then…..we all need to undertake our own research on what to feed out beloved pets and not fall into the clever marketing of these so called ‘trusted brands’ anymore.
Do it for your pets sake and if that is not enough…do it for your hip pocket!!! Sick pets cost $$$$.
Hey-
It’s been a while. Well said! I try so hard to get the word out about the stuff that I give to my own dogs. I feed them Barfworld (which contains green tripe). I love to know that their food is probably the next best thing to fresh kill from the wild. The food is relatively expensive so people just won’t switch. In the long run, feeding dogs food that is biologically appropriate saves costs significantly reduces health issues including disease.
I love that food so much that I have become an affiliate. If I recall, you’re an Aussie and we have been in touch in the past. They don’t ship there, but I am sure that there is stuff there that is just as good.
If you know of any Americans who want to make the switch, please have them refer to my website when placing an order. It has no affect on the price whatsoever and if they ask for free shipping Barfworld will provide free shipping to my readers for 3 months.
It’s great to hear from you again!
Janie
Thanks for keeping everyone informed about this. It’s hard to keep up with all the reports.
Hey Beth!
It is my pleasure to keep people up to date. I get really pissed off that there is so much despicable stuff that goes on that we don’t know about. I feel that it is so important to expose what goes on in the pet industry. Veterinary practices as well. How do people wake up and look into the mirror each day???
Thanks for visiting my blog and send my love to Gracie!
Janie
Are the foods Just Good For Dogs & Farmers Dog really good?
Hi Karla,
Thank you for visiting my website and for your question.
Like people, animals require a healthy diet. I always recommend a correctly balanced raw diet and to alternate proteins so they are not consuming the same nutrients over and over. Biologically, dogs are designed to have a natural fresh diet without starches and without legumes or plant-based proteins. Think of it this way – when an animal is hunting and consuming another animal they are getting a healthy complete diet. They are getting an assortment of organ meat, they grind the bones (calcium) and they eat the muscle meat. Occasionally dogs will eat various veggies. Green tripe is probably the healthiest source for greens. Green tripe is the greens that are partially digested in the stomach of the prey (if the prey eats grass).
There has been a craze about grain-free kibble. Grains are not ideal for dogs. They don’t feed off of grain in their natural environment. However, the grains are being replaced by other cheap ingredients like soybeans, chickpeas, and lentils. Dogs are not designed to process those ingredients. Many companies have begun to add more supplements to offset the damage that those legumes lead to. Please read: https://essentiallydogs.com/beware-of-the-grain-free-kibble-trend.
I also limit the number of added supplements (vitamins, minerals…). The food itself should be healthy. Personally, if a food contains more than around 9 added supplements. I often suggest a favorite of mine that has ground bone (NOT bone meal which is not as healthy). It contains the correct proportions of organ meat, bone, and muscle meat. They also throw in some fruits and veggies. https://essentiallydogs.com/dog-food-the-best
Warmly,
Janie