Substances
That Scare Me, (Series)
Part 1: Fluoride
– Canine Catastrophe
[Disclaimer:
First of all, understand that I am not a doctor or a veterinarian, and I am
giving no advice for the health of a human or dog, etc. I am only expressing
what I think, where research has led me, personally, and what I do for me, my husband and Valentina,
(yada, yada, yada) but also understand that I do A LOT of research into health
categories. Second, I use my own intuition to determine whether something feels
“right,” health-wise for me, my husband, and my puppy dog, Valentina.]
One of the
first sources I bought for determining Valentina’s diet was a book by William
D. Cusick, entitled Canine Nutrition and
Breed Specific Diets: The Best Diet for a Great Dane.(He has created a
series of different books for different breeds of dogs.) This is not a vegan book, however, Cusick covers very specific
nutrients for a Great Dane, and this has helped me formulate my own vegan recipes and supplement list. He lists the necessary elements of a healthy diet,
and provides recipes for each age of the dog. He has a chapter regarding
nutrients that can harm a Great Dane. The
first one he mentions is “fluoride.”
I’m not
going to comment on fluoride and humans. All you need to do is a little
internet research for that. My dentist, Griffin Cole (Austin) has very definite
opinions about fluoride and humans that, in my opinion, are worth listening to. There are YouTube videos on this.
Fluoride:
Canine Enemy #1
Fluoride has
been added to the water of most commercial sources, claiming that it hardens
tooth enamel in children and thus preventing tooth decay. Cusick sites research
studies (Biester et. al 1936), that show
that the addition of fluoride to the water supply of canines causes mottling in canine permanent teeth. It alters the serum calcium and inorganic and
organic phosphorus concentrations in puppies. (Andreeva, 1959) Cusick states
explicitly that “fluoride should not be included within the dietary intake of
any breed of dog. Therefore, I suggest that you filter the Great Dane’s water
supply to eliminate the fluoride.” (p.23) He also advises that you check the
water filter type to determine that it actually does filter out fluoride. He
suggests the possibility of buying bottled water for your companion.
Personally I
give Valentina both. I use Zerowater
filters, (recently, at a super price at my Costco), and I buy bottled water. There is the question that with filtered and
bottled water, most of the minerals have been removed. So, for Valentina’s
water as well as my husband’s and my water, we supplement the water with
ConcenTrace trace mineral drops for my husband and me, and for Valentina, we
use a product called Ultimate
Essential Mineral Supplement For Dogs, Cats & Other Small Pets Helps Them
Stay Healthy, that I buy on Amazon. As far as I can see, the two products
are pretty identical in ingredients. Cusick states that the essential minerals
for Great Danes (and probably all dogs) are: Cobalt, Molybdenum, Copper,
(Fluoride?!), Iron, Arsenic, Magnesium, Zinc, Chromium and Manganese.
Water is one
of the most essential substances to humans and dogs. We are, in great part,
mostly water. Deprivation of water can cause death. In recent years, many sources have suggested
that it is important to drink water that “has memory,” that comes from a spring
water source, because it is rich in all the essential minerals and other
substances. Most essential, in my opinion, is to at least make sure our water
has the needed minerals, (or to supplement it with trace minerals if it doesn’t),
and to remove toxic substances that may harm our precious canine companions.
The only sport Valentina loves more than Frizbee (in Austin) is Basketball Soccer (at Lake Chapala.)
