A soon to be published paper finds shocking results from pet food testing. The results of a scientific study by Spex CertiPrep, a laboratory standards company, reveals that some commercial pet foods contain toxic metals, some at levels greater than 120 times higher than the Reference Dosage Limits for human consumption.

In part, the conclusion of the laboratory testing revealed some very troubling findings:

Toxic Element Exposure for Cats
A 10-lb cat eating 1 cup a day (100 g) of dry food or 1 small can of wet food (175 g) with the maximum contamination would be consuming about:
29 mcg (micrograms) Arsenic (greater than 20 times Reference Dosage limit)
13 mcg Cadmium (greater than 3 times the Reference Dosage limit)
17 mcg Mercury (greater than 30 times the Reference Dosage limit)
42 mcg Uranium (greater than 3 times the Reference Dosage limit)”
Dry cat food contained more contamination which exceeded human Reference Dosage guidelines than wet cat food.

Toxic Element Exposure for Dogs
A 50-lb dog eating 5 cups (500 g) a day of dry food or 1 large can of wet food (375 g) with the maximum contamination would be consuming about:
124 mcg (micrograms) of Arsenic (greater than 20 times Reference Dosage limit)
65 mcg of Cadmium (greater than 2 times Reference Dosage limit)
280 mcg of Mercury (greater than 120 times Reference Dosage limit)
5 mcg of Thallium (greater than 2 times Reference Dosage limit)
430 mcg Uranium (greater than 5 times Reference Dosage limit)
1200 mcg Vanadium (greater than 6 times Reference Dosage limit)”
The average dry dog food exceed the Reference Dosage levels for many compounds and wet dog food had fewer results exceeding the human Reference Dosage limits.

To view a poster created from the results of the testing, click on the link: Trace Metal Analysis of Commercial Pet Food for Toxic Metals by ICP and ICP-MS