The Toxic Contaminants Hiding in Your Pet’s Food

The Toxic Contaminants Hiding in Your Pet’s Food

According to PetfoodIndustry.com, unwanted toxins inevitably make their way into dog, cat, and other pet foods, and “some level of contamination is unavoidable.” The list of “ingredients and substances” the ultraprocessed pet food industry tries to avoid includes “arsenic, mercury, PCB, BPA, dioxin and aflatoxin.”1 Among the many reasons to seriously consider switching from ultraprocessed diets to fresh food for furry family members, unwanted toxins are high up the list. Let’s take a closer look at each of these inevitable and “unavoidable” contaminants. 6 Inevitable, ‘Unavoidable’ Pet Food Contaminants 1.Arsenic — Arsenic is a heavy metal mineral. Inorganic arsenic is often found in products like herbicides, insecticides, wood preservatives, and some types of insulation. Organic arsenic is used in certain drugs to treat or prevent blood parasites, including heartworm. According to Aldrich, “The measured presence of arsenic in pet foods does not equate to toxicity for this naturally occurring earth element.” This may be true, but I doubt pet parents expect or want even a “nontoxic” amount of arsenic in their dog’s or cat’s food, as bioaccumulation can do significant damage over time. In some cases of poisoning in pets, an animal inadvertently ingests a product containing arsenic that is lying around. However more commonly, sublethal doses are consistently consumed, and toxicity occurs slowly, over a long period of time (such as when a dog or cat eats grass that is regularly treated with herbicides containing arsenic). Ongoing low dose arsenic exposure can also occur in some parts of the world via the water supply, which is why filtering your entire family’s water is so important, especially in some areas. The main source of arsenic exposure is from conventionally raised (non-organic), factory farmed chickens. Arsenic is added to commercial chicken feed to inhibit mold and fungi in many countries, and it’s passed up the food chain. Arsenic that dissolves in water is quickly absorbed after your pet swallows it. Most of the arsenic that is ingested binds to red blood cells, poisons the cells’ mitochondria and is distributed to body tissues, with the highest levels accumulating in the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs. In cases of long-term exposure, arsenic accumulates in the skin, nails, sweat glands, and fur. It’s typically the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, liver, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, and skin that are most vulnerable to arsenic damage. Along with its ability to cause cancer and death, arsenic also interferes with hormones, specifically glucocorticoid system hormones. Iodine and selenium-rich foods, including sea vegetables and Brazil nuts, as well as sulfur-rich foods (e.g., fresh garlic) are helpful in removing arsenic trace residues from the body. If I have patients with elevated arsenic levels, I add alpha lipoic acid and n-acetyl cysteine (NAC) to their detox program. 2.Mercury — According to Aldrich, “Concern for mercury in pet food affects only certain cat and dog food products,” and when it does show up, pet owners can rest assured it wasn’t deliberately put there. Not much reassurance in that statement, is there? And because no quality control testing is required, pet lovers never know what toxins their pets are inadvertently ingesting. Mercury is a naturally occurring substance, but it’s toxic, nonetheless. It’s released into the air and the oceans primarily though burning coal. Seafood is the most common route of exposure for both people and pets. Studies have revealed high levels of mercury in both dog and cat food. To limit your pet’s exposure to mercury, my advice is to be very choosy about the fish you feed, and I certainly don’t recommend feeding an exclusive diet of fish protein to dogs or cats (unless you’re making your pet’s food and choosing low-contaminant seafood). However, fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential to your pet’s well-being. If you supplement with fish, I suggest using sardines packed in water. Sardines don’t live long enough to store toxins in their bodies, and they’re a terrific source of omega-3s. Feeding wild caught salmon, mussels, or rainbow trout in rotation with other proteins is also an excellent way to get those omega-3s into your dog or cat with minimal contaminant risks. If you choose not to feed any fish, I recommend you supplement your pet’s diet with krill oil or another omega-3 fatty acid that’s been third-party validated as contaminant-free and sustainably sourced. It’s also important not to cook your pet’s food in nonstick pans. Use cast iron or stainless instead. Chlorella and cilantro are my favorite foods to use for mercury detoxification.2 3.PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyl) — Fish-flavored pet food has also been found to contain PCBs. Dr. Jean Hofve of Little Big Cat explains how this occurs: “New research suggests that cats are especially sensitive to PBDEs (which, among other things, are used as fire retardants in carpeting and furniture), chemicals found at higher levels in both canned and dry cat foods than dog foods; and more in dry than canned cat foods. Fish-based foods are even worse, because marine organisms produce PDBEs naturally and can bioaccumulate up the food chain to high levels in fish; this compounds the exposure cats get from fabrics and dust. Predatory fish at the top of the food chain, such as tuna and salmon, may contain very elevated levels of heavy metals (including mercury) as well as PCBs, pesticides, and other toxins. Tilefish (listed on pet food labels as ‘ocean whitefish’) are among the worst contaminated, along with king mackerel, shark, and swordfish. These fish are so toxic that the FDA advises women of child-bearing age and children to avoid them entirely; and recommends only 1 serving of albacore tuna per week due to its high mercury levels (yellow or ‘light’ tuna is far safer for us, but still inappropriate for cats). If these fish are dangerous to children, cats are at even higher risk! PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in particular are toxic industrial chemicals that were banned in the U.S. in 1979. However, they are used elsewhere in the world; and because they are stable in the environment, they are still a concern in ocean waters. Recent research found high levels of PCBs in dry and canned pet foods. Scientists also found that cats retain PCB metabolites in their blood longer than dogs.”3 Clearing persistent, fat-soluble toxins like PCBs from the body occurs via several detox mechanisms including the bowel, so increasing the amount of fiber in the diet helps (add more ground, fibrous veggies to your pet’s bowl). Chlorophyll-containing foods (or chlorophyll supplementation) is also beneficial, as are green tea polyphenols (I use decaf, organic green tea as a food topper).4 4.BPA (Bisphenol A) — Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical found in a wide range of household products that affect everyone in the home, including hard plastic water and baby bottles, and plastic pet food and water bowls. It’s also found in the epoxy resins used as coatings inside food and drink cans, including pet food containers. BPA has the ability to imitate the body’s hormones, especially estrogen, in ways that are damaging to the health of both humans and animals. For most animals, including humans, exposure to BPA occurs primarily through diet. A 2017 study conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri concluded that even a short-term (two week) feeding of canned dog food results in a significant increase (three-fold) of BPA in dogs. According to Aldrich, BPA is an “incidental non-ingredient” — a compound that makes its way into pet foods during production. “This is nothing underhanded or disingenuous, merely a function of the process, package and regulations,” he explains. My view is that while contamination with BPA isn’t intentional, it’s also not desirable, and since it’s apparently unavoidable per Aldrich, it’s up to pet parents to decide whether to take the risk that the pet food they buy is contaminated. To protect your whole family from BPA exposure, avoid canned foods and don’t store food in #7 plastics (you can find a chart of plastic types here). You can provide ongoing BPA detoxification support by offering foods rich in Lactobacillus acidophilus (kefir and yogurt)5 and glutathione-rich foods (including culinary and medicinal mushrooms).6 5.Dioxins — Dioxins are created during many industrial processes when chlorine or bromine are burned in the presence of carbon and oxygen. These environmental pollutants can disrupt the delicate signaling of both male and female sex hormones in the body. Unfortunately, dioxins are found in much of the U.S. food supply. Factory-produced meat, fish, milk, eggs, and butter are the products most likely to be contaminated, so offer your pets (and yourself) as much organic food as possible. Also, avoid feeding fish, since the majority of seafood these days is contaminated by toxic metals and industrial chemicals like dioxins. Because dioxins are fat soluble, they’re stored in adipose tissues, so I use the ancient Ayurvedic practice of lipophilic-mediated detoxification (using healthy fats, including ghee, coconut and MCT oil) to pull out fat-stored toxins.7 6.Aflatoxins — According to PetfoodIndustry.com’s Greg Aldrich, Ph.D., professor and pet food program coordinator at Kansas State University, aflatoxin contamination is a recurring issue in pet food.8 The problem was more prevalent in 2020-2021 than in past years, and due to “climate change and shifting growth patterns for crops,” Aldrich believes aflatoxin contamination may be an even bigger issue going forward. I’ve been warning pet parents about the potential for aflatoxin contamination of pet food/feed for years, and sadly, my worst fears are being realized. In one of the most recent reported incidents, as of August 9, 2021, 130 pets in the U.S. had died and another 220 were sickened from apparently lethal levels of aflatoxins in Sportmix brand dog or cat food produced by Midwestern Pet Foods based in Evansville, IN.9 Aflatoxin contamination has been the cause of several regional pet food recalls and several major disease outbreaks over the past 20+ years. Aflatoxins are naturally occurring mycotoxins produced by the Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticusfungi and are the most extensively researched mycotoxins in the world. They’re known to cause acute toxic illness and cancer in animals and humans and are considered among the most carcinogenic substances on the planet. Cats and dogs are more sensitive to aflatoxins than many other animals. Aflatoxins frequently contaminate agricultural crops before they are harvested. Conditions that promote pre-harvest contamination include high temperatures, prolonged periods of drought, and insect activity. Aflatoxins can also be a problem after harvesting if the crop stays wet for too long. And they can grow on stored crops if the moisture level is too high, and mold develops. The three plants with the highest rate of aflatoxin contamination are corn, peanuts, and cottonseed. Aflatoxicosis is more common in dogs than cats because commercial dog food formulas more often contain corn products. Thankfully, there are many animal model studies demonstrating how healing foods can be used to help the body detoxify from mycotoxins, including ginger,10 thyme,11 broccoli,12 turmeric,13 and carrots (and other apiaceous veggies). Does Your Pet Need a Detoxification Program? The world is becoming more polluted every day, and while we can’t control all points of chemical exposure for our family members, we need to do what we can to reduce known risks. Switching to nontoxic home and garden products, filtering the air and water in your home, and minimizing the chemicals you choose to put on and, in your pets, will cut down on tag-along contaminants. The only way to know exactly what you are feeding your pet is to buy the ingredients yourself and prepare nutritionally complete meals at home (Meal Mix for Dogs makes this easy!). If you choose to support a pet food company, knowing if human-grade ingredients are used and what quality control steps are in place for contaminant testing will bring you peace of mind (or send you looking for another pet food company to support). Your pet’s ability to clear accumulated toxins is based on the overall functioning of detoxification pathways. If those pathways aren’t working as they should, detoxification systems become stressed or completely overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are many ways you can assist your pet’s detoxification mechanisms to help them function optimally. Analysis by Dr. Karen Shaw Becker