Dog food & dog treats – The toxic/ carcinogenic chemical additives to avoid
We discovered that NO dog food or dog treats should have any flavor additives or sugar added in large quantities to make it edible or more attractive for a dog to eat. This is just a corporation fooling you and your dog into thinking the dog ‘loves’ this cocktail of non meat cheap treats in an expensive bag.
However now we look at some of the harsh carcinogenic additives that are banned in many parts of the world, but still find their way into many dog foods and dog treats.
You might be aware that the majority of dog food consumed by dogs in Australia is from imported ingredients from OS companies.
Even if that country is America, you can’t assume that they have banned the additives that they should have, or that the input ingredients are even from America – meaning that the origin country might include additives that America or Australia do not use in the dog food.
This is not true of every dog food, but from dog food review sites it appears that there are enough of these chemicals still in circulation to cause concern. And being aware of them might help you be alert if your favorite brand uses them.
Bad preservatives & additives in dog food (globally)
Ethoxyquin – is also a common pesticide – American watchdog organisations have issued statements saying that they believe it might cause liver cancer and blood issues. It is banned in Australian dog food, but as you know, Australian dog food only accounts for a small percentage of dog food eaten in Australia
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – both are thought to cause (as defined by WHO & California). BHT is also part of jet fuel and BHA in the process of being banned.
Propyl Gallate a dog food preservative is used for ‘stabilizing’ cosmetics and in food packaging. Possible issues of dog liver cancer.
Propylene glycol – main ingredient in anti-freeze is used just to keep dog pellets moist. Legal in dog food, illegal in cat food (in America).
TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) – to stabilize explosives, in varnishes, lacquers & resins. Linked to stomach tumours and might cause damage DNA.
Dog treats additive recommendation?
Some customers query what is in the dog treats we sell. If it 100% it is just the meat. If it includes grain it will include preservatives and binders If you suspect that a given additive is causing a skin condition, it makes sense to avoid that in all its foods (especially dog food).
Vets and science journals say that the exclusion diet is the only definitive way of testing for dog food allergies.
If you feed your dog manufactured dog food, you might be surprised with how many preservatives and additives are in it. So before checking your dog treats, make sure their primary meal is safe.
Many dog treats have artificial colours in them which most dogs handle very easily. What you will want to do is avoid any taste enhancements or artificial sweeteners or too much added sugar.
If you are truly at issue with preservatives or additives in dog treats, then its your option to buy 100% meat based dog treats.