Recent findings have revealed that fluoride is no longer considered an essential nutrient, as it once was thought to be, because it is not vital to growth or development of humans or animals. However, if this is the case, then why is this “non-essential” nutrient found in alarming, dangerous amounts in pet food all across the country?

As one walks down the aisle of the store, bombarded by the many options of pet food types and brands, they would be shocked to find out that the overwhelming majority of bags and cans of food contain amounts of fluoride so high that they can considered to be potentially dangerous to one’s pet. In 2009, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported, based on their own research and laboratory tests, that eight out of ten major pet food brands contain excessively high levels of fluoride in their pet foods. In fact, according to their study, the amounts of fluoride found average about 2.5 times higher than the EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) maximum legal dose for drinking water. The danger of these high levels is due to the fact that large amounts of fluoride consumption has been linked to weakened bones, developmental damage, hormonal disruption, neurotoxicity, among other things. All of those potential effects are things that pet owners want to avoid for their beloved four-legged friends.

The reason why these high levels of fluoride exist is because of the large quantities of chicken meal found in pet foods. Often listed as one of the first ingredients in pet food, chicken meal by name doesn’t sound all that bad. However, when one understands what chicken meal is it can lead to a better understanding of why it is a carrier of such high levels of fluoride, which in turn can be dangerous to our pets. Chicken meal is created by using the entire chicken, including meat, bones, organs, organ parts, muscle meat, etc. Through the deboning and creation process, the end product ends up being infused with high levels of fluoride, which are then processed into pet food, and given to our pets as their food. However, the reality is that even whole chickens contain high levels of fluoride due to the fact that their own diet consists of items that are high in the nutrient. So whether it is chicken or chicken meal that is an ingredient, the dangerous risks of high levels of fluoride are prevalent in pet foods. Even though the EWG’s report came out eight years ago, the sad reality is that currently over 85% of pet food still contains excessively high levels of fluoride. Basically, the industry standards have not changed, and this potential dangerous non-essential nutrient is still found in pet food across America!

Despite the growing concern amongst pet owners, there is an easy solution: switching your pet to a raw food diet that does not include any chicken in it. In addition to removing the risks associated with high levels of fluoride, a raw food diet can also bring about a number of benefits to all pets, including, shinier coats, healthier teeth, greater energy levels, smaller stools, among others. Raw food diets tend to favor what dogs and cats ate for hundreds of years in the wild, bringing with it a more natural approach to feeding pets. As more pet owners are recognizing the dangers that lurk in the standard processed pet foods, many of them are placing the health and well being of their pet above all else and switching them to a natural, healthy raw food diet like Fetching Foods.