blogger online: Dog and Pet Shampoo - Unsafe, Harmful Ingredients to be Avoided

Vrydag 06 Julie 2012

Dog and Pet Shampoo - Unsafe, Harmful Ingredients to be Avoided

Dogs are exposed to so many toxins and carcinogens these days. Every additional unsafe ingredient we expose our dogs to creates a heavier toxic load on our dog’s system.

Talking about unsafe ingredients in pet shampoo may seem trivial if you only bath your dog once in a blue-moon…but it is best to remember that you should look at toxic loading in broad perspective.

Here is an example of how your dog’s toxic load can build-up without you ever realizing it…

If your dog is:

Eating commercially manufactured

If your dog is drinking fluorinated water;
If your are brushing your dog’s teeth with commercially manufactured dog toothpaste or oral rinse;
If you have your dog on chemical based flea, tick, heartworm, etc. topical or orally ingested products;
If you are using commercially manufactured chemical-based household cleaners;
If you are using any herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers on your lawn and garden - or you are living near a neighbour, parkland or farmer who uses these products;
If you are walking your dog on salt treated roads or sidewalks in the winter…

Your dog can be carrying a substantial toxic load. Now add a shampoo with toxic ingredients into the mix…even if that shampoo is only used a few times a year the bad ingredients are absorbed through your dog’s skin - resulting in further toxic load.

Don’t be fooled by labels that say ‘all natural’, ‘safe’ etc. As dog shampoo is not considered a drug, there are no regulations to govern the term ‘all natural’, ‘safe’. Many manufacturers’ take advantage of this gap in regulations, therefore the one and only way to protect your dog is to know what to avoid.

Take a look at this list below - if the dog shampoo you are using contains any of these, throw it out! If you are looking to purchase a product take this list with you, or compare it to the product you are buying if purchasing on-line.

You can also make your own dog shampoo - to do so is simple and you will be 100% sure you are using a safe, truly natural product.

Ingredients to Avoid in Commercially Manufactured Dog, Pet Shampoo

1,4-diaminobenzene
Artificial colors (i.e. blue 1,2,4, disperse blue 1; green 1,2,3; red 4,9,17,19,22,33,40; yellow 5,6,8; disperse yellow 3 - will be shown as D =&C or FD&C…i.e. FD&C Red No.6);
Benzalkonium Chloride and Benzethonium Chloride - synthetic germicides, long term use may affect immune system, cause asthma;
BHA;
BHT;
Coal Tar Dyes;
Diethanolamine (DEA);
DEA-Cocamide & Lauramide & Oleamidecondensates;
DEA-cocamide/lauramide condensates;
DEA-MEA/Acetame;
DEA-Sodium lauryl sulfate;
Dioxins;
Fragrances (Parfum) - unless from a truly all natural source;
Methylisothiazolinone (MIT);
Methicone;
Triethanolamine (TEA);
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS);
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES);
Paraphenylenediamine;
PEG-compounds (1,4-dioxane, propylene glycol and other ingredients with the letters "eth" , i.e.polyethylene glycol);
P-phenylenediamine;
Propylene Glycol (used in anti-freeze!);
Phthalates;
Petrolatum or Mineral Oil (can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons);
Sodium Hydroxide;
Triclosan.

Although this list is lengthy, it represents only a portion of the harmful ingredients - toxins and carcinogens that can be present in off-the-shelf shampoo products for dogs.