Researchers studied samples of raw pheasant dog food and claimed that “the majority” of it contained “high levels of lead.”
In a new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge, experts say consuming raw pheasant dog food may be harmful to your dog’s health, as the “vast majority” of samples tested contained “high levels of lead.” said it could be at risk.
Scientists said “frequent ingestion” of raw pheasant pet food by dogs could pose a health risk, as lead is a toxic metal that negatively affects body tissues in humans and animals. . In particular, the nervous system can be affected by lead intake.
Researchers claim that elevated levels of lead in the diet can have negative effects on animal health, but lead bullets can be legally used in the UK to hunt terrestrial game birds such as pheasants. .
Because pheasants are used in certain pet foods, researchers at the University of Cambridge analyzed 90 samples taken from three types of raw pheasant dog food purchased in the UK.
“We already know that lead levels in pheasant meat sold for human consumption are often much higher than lead levels allowed in other meats such as chicken, beef and pork. I knew it,” said lead author Professor Debbie Payne, from the University of Cambridge’s department of zoology.
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“However, we were surprised to find that lead levels in raw pheasant dog food products were so high.”
The study results revealed that 77% of the samples had lead concentrations above the maximum residue level (MRL) allowed in animal feed according to the law.
Overall, the average lead concentrations for the three products tested were approximately 245 times, 135 times, and 49 times the MRL.
Furthermore, the average lead concentration in the raw pheasant dog food analyzed was 34 times higher than recently reported levels in pheasant meat sold for human consumption, and the Cambridge researchers found that I think it’s too much.
The research team provided an analysis that found that pheasant meat “is typically minced when used as dog food, whereas whole birds or pheasant breasts are typically sold for human consumption.” He pointed out that this may be due to the Second, mincing can fragment lead shot, increasing the number of small lead particles within the meat and increasing the likelihood that lead will be absorbed into the bloodstream.
With this in mind, researchers have confirmed that dogs who eat foods containing such high levels of lead (especially if they are frequently fed lead as a staple food) are at risk of damaging their health. .
Puppies, in particular, turned out to be especially vulnerable. Young animals tend to absorb more ingested lead than older animals, the researchers say, because their developing nervous systems are particularly affected by lead.
To conduct the study, the research team tested five types of pheasant dog food products. Three of these were fresh meat products, one was a dried pheasant and partridge product, and one was a processed pheasant and goose-based canned product. Three comparable chicken-based pet food products (fresh meat, dried meat, and processed meat) were also tested.
In addition to raw pheasant dog food, lead levels above the MRL were also found in some samples of dried pheasant-based products, but the team found that average concentrations were much lower than in raw products.
Samples of poultry-based products or pheasant- and goose-based canned products did not contain unacceptable levels of lead.
Furthermore, the findings highlighted that raw dog food containing pheasant meat is widely available in the UK. In fact, 34% of the 50 online raw pet food suppliers they surveyed sold raw pheasant pet food, and 71% of product labels indicated that the meat may contain shot. It was listed.
“Most samples of three randomly sampled raw pheasant pet food products had very high lead concentrations, and a recent study of the types of injections used to kill pheasants found that 94 percent The fact that it was found to be injected in patients suggests that this is a much broader problem ‘and not just these three products,’ said co-author Professor Rhys Green.
A research program is currently being undertaken to investigate the firing types of pheasants sold for food, and will assess the effectiveness of a voluntary ban on lead shotgun ammunition for shooting in wild quarries in the UK. This is part of a series of studies. The study will be carried out in phases over five years starting in February 2020.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have consistently found compliance with voluntary bans to be low, but a blanket ban in Denmark has been shown to be “highly effective”.
A ban on the sale and use of lead ammunition, along with restrictions on lead ammunition, is currently being considered under the UK’s REACH chemicals regulations.
