As some of us pet owners are aware the price of pet food and pet products in general can vary greatly in price as well as the content of the food itself and in recent times there has been much research from different fields as to the actual content our loyal companions food. Sometimes the packaging lists ingredients such as 'protein' 'ash' and this can mean very little to the unsuspecting owner. For others it raises the issue of where was this protein source derived from? Or why does my pet need to eat ash? From what sources are these preservatives or additives made? Now this can be an alarming finding in itself, it sure was for us.

Spectroscopy, January 2011 (A scientific Journal) edition reported some alarming findings following a study on pet food, some products contained elements that were way above what is recommended as safe levels for human consumption which owners may be inadvertently feeding to their pets. 'Many of the pet foods sample showed significant concentrations of various toxic metals'. One wonders what the long term affect will be on pets or are we seeing it now with the reported rise in pet obesity, pet cancers?

They tested for '15 potentially harmful or toxic elements... with dried dog food containing 9 of the 15 elements and cat food 6 of the 15 elements' I think this report is a stark reminder that we do not actually know what goes in to dog and cat food, especially when the article is highlighting that there is significantly higher traces of toxic metals in dry cat and dog food as opposed to wet cat and dog food which can be because of varying factors; the pet food making process itself, the raw products that go into making up the pet food and possibly the packaging itself (canning).

Sadly overtime there has needed to product recalls due to contamination of pet food which has led to death or serious illness of owners pets e.g. Known as the Melamine Pet Food Recall 2007, whereby The 'FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China and used as ingredients in pet food.'

With all the advances we have made in food, farming it is still shocking to read that the reports finds elements of; nickel, arsenic, lead, molybdenum ( silvery white metal) to name but a few in pet food.

For Bouduccia Boerboel's we try to reduce this risk by feeding our beloved dogs raw foods, now we appreciate there may be trace elements of the above but the risk is still significantly reduced, I'm sure you would agree.