Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am trying to sort through the potential risk of carcinogenic exposure (body burden) for my dog. On the list are: over-vaccination, pesticides and herbicides in the environment (PCBs and dioxins) and toxins in food. While I feel I can get a handle on the over-vaccination issue by frequenting a more holistic vet and doing more titer testing, I'm having some difficulty with the chemical toxicity issues. I am trying to locate pesticide free parks in my area, to limit environmental exposure. But, the MOST difficult issue for me is the dioxin issue ... from what I've read, 95% of human exposure comes from the meat, chicken and fish that we eat. There are even studies that have shown that organic sources can be higher because the animals have more outdoor exposure and dioxins travel on wind currents and spread over the ground surface. Most dog diets include meat sources, so how can their dioxin exposure be limited, unless they become a vegan dog. I'm looking for some knowledgeable input on the diet issue. Its one thing for a human to opt to be vegan to avoid dioxins in their diet, but a dog? Please help.

Dogs are carnivores by nature. In fact, think of a dog as a wolf that is living in your house and you will be better able to feed and understand him. Wolves eat completely the prey they catch. Unless you are going to give your dog whole carcasses, we should try to replicate the wolf diet as much as possible. Meat and bone are no problem, nor are internal organs like the liver. Brains are difficult to get, so we should supply the omega 3 fatty acids the wolf would get from the brain by supplying fish oil, such as cod liver or salmon oil. We also don't give intestines, but we can supply the useful bacteria by giving plain yogurt.
Due to the world we live in, it is not possible to avoid all pollutants, but we should try to avoid them as much as possible. If a field or yard or park has been sprayed with a pesticide or herbicide, or even fertilizer, don't allow your dog onto it until after a good soaking rain. Avoid known sources of dioxane, but trace amounts carried by the wind are probably unavoidable. Organic or wild sources of food are probably safer. If you hunt, your dog could share your bounty.