Pet tips: what’s toxic for dogs
We all sneak our precious pups a snack from the dinner table every now and then, but some of those foods can be deadly.
ProblemSolved, USA TODAY
A new analysis of 79 popular dog food products found that dry kibble tested significantly higher for lead, arsenic, mercury and other heavy metals than fresh or frozen options — and higher than levels typically found in human food.
The Clean Label Project, a Colorado-based nonprofit that evaluates consumer products for contaminants, conducted the analysis in partnership with Ellipse Analytics, an independent analytical chemistry laboratory.
The organization reported more than 11,000 individual tests on dog foods purchased from retailers nationwide, measuring heavy metals and industrial chemicals in products that millions of pet owners feed their dogs daily.
Many of the brands included in the report are widely sold at grocery stores and pet supply retailers in Reno and across the country.
Which dog food brands were included in the study?
The report evaluated 50 dry foods, 11 air-dried or freeze-dried foods and 18 fresh or frozen products.
Among the brands listed were widely sold national names such as Purina (including Pro Plan, One and Dog Chow), Blue Buffalo, Hill’s Science Diet, Pedigree, IAMS, Royal Canin, Nutro, Taste of the Wild and Wellness, along with dozens of specialty and premium labels.
Among the dry dog food brands included in the report:
- Purina (Pro Plan, One, Dog Chow)
- Blue Buffalo
- Hill’s Science Diet
- Pedigree
- IAMS
- Royal Canin
- Nutro
- Taste of the Wild
- Wellness
- Kibbles n’ Bits
- Ol’ Roy
- Acana
- Open Farm
- Fromm
- Diamond Naturals
The report did not rank individual products in its summary. That full list is available on Clean Label Project’s website.
What did the report find about heavy metals in dry dog food?
According to the report, dry dog food averaged 12.7 times more lead than human-consumable products tested by the group, 5.7 times more arsenic, 3.2 times more cadmium and 2.7 times more mercury.
Air-dried and freeze-dried foods also tested higher than fresh or frozen products, but below traditional dry kibble.
Even after adjusting for recommended serving size, dry dog food still showed significantly higher levels of heavy metals than fresh or frozen options, the report said.
Fresh and frozen dog food tested lowest overall in the heavy metals categories examined.
Where could contaminants be coming from?
The report says elevated heavy metal levels in dry dog food may stem from meat by-products — such as organs and bones, where metals can accumulate — as well as vitamin and mineral premixes and certain seafood or plant-based carbohydrates, including grains and root vegetables.
The group compared results to more than 3,280 food, beverage and supplement products previously tested for human consumption.
Are heavy metals in dog food regulated?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates pet food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and requires animal foods to be safe, produced under sanitary conditions and properly labeled.
However, the report says there are no comprehensive federal limits specifically addressing long-term dietary exposure to industrial and environmental contaminants such as heavy metals in dog food products. Most regulations focus on physical hazards and microbiological safety, the report said.
Previous research has also found that dogs may consume more heavy metals per calorie than humans, but that concentrations in commercial pet foods are generally well below known toxic exposure levels. A 2018 study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science concluded that most dry dog foods appeared safe for chronic consumption, though researchers noted limited long-term data in dogs.
The organization called for increased transparency and stronger safety standards within the pet food industry.
This report was updated to include new information.
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