# Cancer-Causing Aflatoxins Found In Dog Foods



## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Cancer-Causing Aflatoxins Found In Dog Foods | Dogs Naturally Magazine

A recent test on dry pet food has revealed some dangerous facts about the food your dog or cat may be eating.

The Consumer Council of Hong Kong recently published the results of testing performed on nearly 40 popular pet foods. The results were a shock to many pet owners. Three popular US food manufacturers, Purina, Hill’s and AvoDerm, all had foods that were found to contain aflatoxin B1.

What are Aflatoxins?
Grains such as corn, wheat, and rice, as well as nuts and legumes, are often contaminated with molds, often as a result of poor growing conditions, substandard or extended storage. Molds called aflatoxins can easily grow and produce a very potent carcinogen. Aflatoxins are very stable and even the high temperature processing involved in kibble manufacturing won’t destroy them, leaving little protection for any dog eating that food.

Purina confirmed this in a statement to the South China Morning Post. They stated that cancer-causing aflatoxins were an “unavoidable natural contaminant.” AvoDerm stated that they have since removed the corn from its formula as they believed it was the source of the aflatoxins.

Corn has become a major source of aflatoxin. Droughts in the US Midwest in recent years have caused a record amount of mold-infested crops amounting to nearly $75 million in insurance claims. In response to this surplus of corn that wasn’t safe for human consumption, the FDA increased the allowable amount of aflatoxin permitted in animal feed.

A History of Aflatoxins And Sick Pets
The pet food industry is no stranger to product recalls due to these molds. The earliest documented aflatoxin outbreak dates back to 1974 when hundreds of stray dogs in India died after consuming aflatoxin-contaminated corn. In 1998, 55 dogs died of contaminated corn and in December 2005, over 100 dogs were killed from aflatoxin-contaminated pet food in the US.

Testing in the US also shows that apart from the recalls from high levels of aflatoxins, nearly every pet food on the market contains aflatoxins or other mold-related mycotoxins. The animal health and nutrition company Alltech analyzed 965 pet food samples and found 98% of them were contaminated with one or more mycotoxins, while 93% contained two or more mycotoxins.

Even grain-free pet foods still contain a high carbohydrate content, so there is the potential for mold spores to contaminate the kibble during storage, especially if it is exposed to a moist environment. This can also happen in your home if your kibble is stored in a moist basement or an open container.

How Do Aflatoxins Make Dogs Sick?
Aflatoxins primarily affect the liver and dogs who eat 0.5 to 1 mg aflatoxin/kg body weight can die within days. Smaller amounts of aflatoxins, like those found in most pet food samples, can cause sub-acute symptoms including weight loss, lethargy, jaundice and even death.

Aflatoxins are also carcinogenic. They bind with DNA and cause cell mutations. Newberne and Wogan (1968) were able to produce malignant tumors in rats with less than 1 mg of aflatoxin per kg of feed.

Because eating small amounts of aflatoxins over a period of time will cause cumulative liver damage or cancerous tumors, a very small percentage of affected dogs would be reported,. This means that tens of thousands of cases of liver disease and cancer could be caused by contaminated foods every year but the link would never be reported.

That’s Not All They Found
The Consumer Council study also found some other alarming trends. Three of the US brands tested (Purina, Iams and Solid Gold) also contained melamine or cyanuric acid. These are the substances that poisoned thousands of pets in 2007.

On top of that, processed pet foods also contain other toxic ingredients including heterocyclic amines, acrylamides, and most recently discovered in dry, cooked pet foods, PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) – a chemical used as a flame retardant. Learn more about these toxic ingredients.

Trevor Smith, a mycotoxin researcher at the University of Guelph, says “A shift in pet food ingredients is on. Instead of worrying about bacteria spoilage or disease contamination, like we have in the past, we now have to focus on removing mycotoxins.”

Pet owners should avoid any food containing corn, especially as mold infested corns are added to animal feeds. However it’s important to also remember that melamine and other harmful substances will still be in many processed foods, so feeding fresh, whole foods remains the best way to protect your pet from cancer and other diseases that processed pet foods can cause.


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## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

thank god I don't use those brands. So sad....wake up people these are living breathing things you can't just throw anything into thier bowls and call it grub!


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## MMS (Aug 2, 2012)

Any kibble with grains in it is prone to molding, not just the listed brands. Definitely do not add water to kibble with grains, as it will reactivate the dehydrated mold and can make your dog seriously ill. I know that is a common practice among people on this forum - most of them feed grain free, which makes the issue less, but others who feed grains are sure to follow the recommendation to the possible detriment of their dog.


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## cpaoline (Oct 9, 2012)

we're grain free!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

Raw and Freeze dried raw grain free here


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## michele (Jan 12, 2009)

Freeze dried here thank goodness


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## doginthedesert (Oct 10, 2011)

The thing is that the kibble is going to get moist in the dogs digestive system anyway. Adding water will stop your dog from living chronically dehydrated and the mold is going to be harmfull no matter what. I still think adding water to kibble is a good idea. Obviously don't store the kibble with water in it.

This is yet another reason that I feed my own home made food full of fresh whole ingredients from local farmers. 

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## TinyTails (Jun 24, 2011)

This would affect grain free as well since it seems legumes are part of the issue which a lot of grain free foods contain, especially lately will a lot of companies jumping on the bandwagon of adding peas, chickpeas etc


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## Huly (Mar 5, 2012)

TinyTails said:


> This would affect grain free as well since it seems legumes are part of the issue which a lot of grain free foods contain, especially lately will a lot of companies jumping on the bandwagon of adding peas, chickpeas etc
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Good point! I didn't think of that


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## fizzy n kirbys mum (Jan 17, 2005)

What about 'air-dried' foods? Different to freeze dried...


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## fizzy n kirbys mum (Jan 17, 2005)

michele said:


> Freeze dried here thank goodness



Michele, Can I please ask what food are you feeding?


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