5 Dangerous Dog Treat Additives to Avoid
In 2008 I lost my dog to liver failure because of the toxic treats I was unknowingly feeding him.
The situation was so terrible and heartbreaking at the time but from then on I made a commitment to never make the same mistake with another pet.
I started researching pet food ingredients, pet nutrition, pet food production practices, and what I discovered was quite shocking to say the least.
I discovered that a particular store bought dog treat (a famous brand) contained arsenic as a preservative.
Yep, you read that right. Arsenic. How can a major pet food brand get away with such a thing?
The company justified it by saying it was a low dosage and wouldn’t hurt your pet but if you’re like me you’re thinking a little arsenic everyday adds up to a lot.
That can’t be good.
Besides, why would you knowingly poison your dog? That’s crazy.
But sadly it’s not that uncommon.
Store bought dog treats are filled with dangerous chemicals that can slowly poison your favorite canine.
So in the interest of protecting dogs everywhere, I'm on a mission to share with fellow dog lovers a list of the five most dangerous (yet common) additives in commercial pet food and treats.
The reason is to extend the shelf life.
After all, there’s more money in producing a pet treat that can sit on the shelf for a year or two than one that spoils in a few days/weeks.
If you see these on a pet treat label, you’ll want to avoid it.
1. Ethoxyquin – This common preservative has two questionable uses. It’s a pesticide used by pear farmers. It’s also used as a hardening agent for rubber. It’s been linked to a number of health concerns and many governmental agencies have recently issued warnings about it. If you’re like most pet parents I know that you don’t want either of those in your pet’s food.
2. Propylene glycol – This is an ingredient in antifreeze and it’s often used to keep semi-moist kibble from drying out. It has been removed from cat foods but still exists in many dog foods. These next two can often be found together.
3. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) – For years it’s been a common preservative in pet foods. However, it’s now banned in some areas because it’s now recognized as a possible carcinogen.
4. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) – Also a used as a common preservative. It’s also found in cosmetics and even jet fuel – yuck! The World Health Organization has acknowledged both of these as suspicious and potential carcinogens. In the US they’ve been banned in some states.
5. Propyl Gallate – Used to stabilize cosmetics and food packaging, it’s connected to liver diseases and cancer.
Our pets come in contact with pesticides in many different ways, through lawn chemicals, cleaners, It’s difficult to protect your pet from every harmful chemical out there. But we can aim to feed food and treats that are not treated with dangerous additives.
After Bear died from ingesting toxic treats (I was unknowingly feeding him) I
I started researching pet food ingredients, pet nutrition, pet food production practices, and the truth I discovered was quite shocking to say the least.
The sad truth is, most commercial pet food companies simply DON’T CARE about your pet…
Thats why we created the Healthy Pet Parents community!
Healthy Pet Parents is a community of like minded, loving and responsible pet parents dedicated to ensuring the health, happiness and longevity of dogs throughout our country.
With your help we believe we can turn the tide of the pet food industry and show manufacturers that pet owners are not only willing but eager to give their dogs the best...
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