Ingredients in Dog Food That are Recalled

Dog food recall happens when harmful contaminants are found in dog food. These contaminants could be chemical, though sometimes dog food becomes contaminated with bacterial agents that can cause infection. Here are some of the facts about dog food recall.

Any Brand Can Be Recalled

Recalls of pet food have been common recently. Many owners avoid store brands manufactured under private labels because of a fear that these brands might then later be recalled. But in fact, even top shelf organic natural dog foods can accidentally come out of the factory contaminated with agents such as Salmonella.

It's Up To You To Protect Your Pets

The FDA is in charge of regulating the pet food industry, and making sure that the food our dogs and cats eat is safe. Unfortunately, the FDA is understaffed and cannot supervise the manufacture of pet foods effectively. In any case, the FDA has no authority to force a dog food recall. Manufacturers may voluntary recall contaminated or poisonous pet foods upon written request made by the FDA, but they are not required to do this, nor is there any penalty involved if they do not.

Dog foods that are recalled contain the same ingredients as any other dog food-meat, grains, dairy and vegetables. In most cases, you won't know your dog's food has been contaminated until your dog becomes ill.

Toxic Ingredients That May Contaminate

Dog food recall is often due to the intentional inclusion of an ingredient that is harmful to pets. Here are some ingredients that have been included in recalled dog food in the past:

  • Cadmium
  • Vitamin D3 (which in large quantities is toxic)
  • Aminopterin (used in rat poison)
  • Melamine (used in the manufacture of plastics)
  • Cryomazine (a crop pesticide fed to chickens to control parasites in their droppings)

Often, these ingredients are found in genetically modified foods, such as wheat gluten, so reading the label may not help you spot their presence in your dog's food.

Consider Homemade, All-Natural Diet

What can you do to protect your dog against dog food recall? The best thing you can do is to switch your dog to an all-natural diet made at home with fresh ingredients. This isn't as hard as it sounds. You can feed your dog home cooked meals that contain the following ingredients:

  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Lamb
  • Eggs
  • Milk and other dairy products
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Grains
  • Nuts
  • Legumes

Just remember to avoid the following substances with are toxic to dogs:

  • Chocolate and caffeine
  • Onions and garlic
  • Citrus
  • Walnuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Potato peelings
  • Raw eggs and raw fish
  • Chicken bones
 

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