PAW PRINTS: Fluoride in pet food: The link to osteosarcoma

By Niki Laviolette
Special to the Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — The most common type of bone cancer in dogs, cats and
humans is osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is more common in the larger breeds
of dogs such as Rottweilers, greyhounds, golden retrievers, etc.
Eighty-five percent of all major bone tumors in dogs and 70 percent in
cats are osteosarcoma. Approximately 5 percent of all primary bone
tumors in children are osteosarcoma-related.

A number of studies suggest a possible link between osteosarcoma and the
exposure to fluoride. According to the Environmental Working Group
(www.ewg.org), they “conclude that fluoridation of public water supplies
should stop because of risks that outweigh the possible benefits,
especially for infants and young children who consume more water than
adults, relative to their size.” The Environmental Working Group has
been concerned with healthy ingredients and the safety of pet food. EWG
pet food testing has revealed high levels of fluoride in various major
brand pet foods. Veterinarians are reporting a rise in cancer rates
found in dogs and many are wondering if diet is a contributing factor.

George Glasser, press officer/water quality adviser, National Pure Water
Association, reports, “A low-fluoride commercial dog food contains 40-60
parts per million of fluoride. A high-fluoride dog food can contain up
to 460 parts per million of fluoride.” A study at the University of
Montana indicated the average level of fluoride in leading pet foods to
be 11 to 193 ppm, with canned food having the highest amount. The
Montana researchers discovered that fluoride accumulates in pets’ bones.
84 to 1,535 milligrams of fluoride was found in the leg bones of dogs.
74 to 1,190 milligrams was found in cat bones, and it increased with
age. A number of lower-grade dog foods may contain up to 2,000 ppm of
fluoride. The government daily limit said to be safe for children over 3
years of age is 2.5 milligrams. Tolerance levels have been identified
for domesticated animals, with the lowest values for dairy cattle at 30
mg/kg feed or 2.5 mg/liter drinking water.

Numerous research has been done on sheep, pigs, goats, cattle and
chickens on adverse health effects from fluoride, with little
information relating to cats and dogs. “Consequently, it is safe to
assume that many of dogs and cats who appear to be suffering with
arthritis, dysplasia, spinal deformities, etc., may have actually
developed skeletal fluorosis.” Even though a particular breed may be
genetically predisposed to such health problems, fluoride in pet food
could prematurely trigger the disease.

“The primary source of the fluoride in pet foods is from the added
mineral supplements: defluorinated phosphate rock, raw soft phosphate
rock, mono and tricalcium phosphate. The less expensive the dog food,
probably the higher the fluoride levels because they use raw phosphate.

Raw phosphate, mainly because of its fluoride content (3 to 4 percent),
is the most physically damaging animal mineral supplement because it is
not processed and is the least-expensive. These facts have been known
since the 1920s in early animal nutritional research of fluorine in
animal nutrition.

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