# Which Dog food contains Ethoxyquin and which doesn't?



## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

Hi,

I would like specific and accurate answers pertaining to several brands of dog food that contain ethoxyquin and those that doesn't.
I tried checking around, and I remembered that someone posted a link of different manufacturers that contains it in their fish, and also those that do not. I can't find the link now however.

The specific brands I am very curious about is:

Innova Evo (Made by Natura)
Blue Buffalo
Wellness
Orijen (I think their fish are fresh and never frozen but I just want to make sure)
Canidae (From what I remember, they do, but I just want to confirm this)
Solid Gold
Natural Balance
Taste of the Wild (made by Diamond)

The main thing I want to know is because my friend have been feeding their dog Canidae for the past 9 months. The dog itself is 11 months (still a puppy) and have been put to sleep yesterday due to very serious liver cancer. My friend has tried most financially reasonable medical treatment, and have spent well over 1.9 grand treating the dog, but it just didn't work out.
I have been told Ethoxyquin is related with liver, kidney and bladder failures, and I do know it is a "suspected" carcinogen that has yet to be 100% completely proven in dogs. I am neither blaming the food for this, as I know various factors (genetic, environment, other stuff it's been eating if any, stress, etc) play a big role as well.
My question right now is to find out which companies uses it and which doesn't. I'm personally worried myself and I'd rather not take any chance. This is something I don't want to gamble about.

Thanks!


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

Orijen has that info on their website:



> Champion’s ingredients and foods are never preserved with Ethoxyquin or any other chemical preservative.
> 
> Ethoxyquin is typically used as a preservative in fish ingredients, and is commonly found in fish ingredients produced within the United States. Champion uses two kinds of fish ingredients in – fresh fish, and fish meals.
> 
> ...


While researching Taste of the Wild, I found this post on a review site (listed as an "official response"):



> Thank you for your concern regarding ethoxyquin. There is not any ethoxyquin added to the Taste of the Wild pet foods.
> 
> Fish meal is preserved with ethoxyquin on the ships prior to entering port.
> Ethoxyquin is most effective at preventing rancidity in the highly volatile
> ...


I don't know about the others -- try their websites, maybe?


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

so this sorta means even though taste of the wild uses ethoxyquin, much of it is gone in the already processed kibble?

does this mean the same for all other brands that uses ethoxyquin to preserve fish? such as canidae, natural balance etc.


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## SFdoglovr (Feb 17, 2010)

Enhasa said:


> Hi,
> 
> I would like specific and accurate answers pertaining to several brands of dog food that contain ethoxyquin and those that doesn't.
> I tried checking around, and I remembered that someone posted a link of different manufacturers that contains it in their fish, and also those that do not. I can't find the link now however.
> ...


I think the only ones on your list that do not contain ethoxyquin are wellness and orijen. I'm not sure about blue buffalo. If you are not sure about a food, you can steer clear of it if it has fish meal and email the company and see what they say. They don't have to list it if its added before the kibble company receives it. I don't believe that the chemical is destroyed in the cooking process, otherwise why wouldn't all companies use it if there is no risk? Yes there is probably a small amount in the food, but if your dog eats this food everyday, or as part of a rotational diet, how many meals containing the cancer causing stuff does he have under his belt? Too many, and I personally wouldn't risk it.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

Enhasa said:


> so this sorta means even though taste of the wild uses ethoxyquin, much of it is gone in the already processed kibble?
> 
> does this mean the same for all other brands that uses ethoxyquin to preserve fish? such as canidae, natural balance etc.


I believe that TOTW mentioned that they don't ADD ethoxyquin in their fish, but that they are not able to confirm if their source (distributors etc) use ethoxyquin in their fish.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Origin and TOTW BOTH have been tested to contain equal to or less than 5 ppm of Etho. Far Far below what has been deemed "safe for consumption"


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

lucidity said:


> I believe that TOTW mentioned that they don't ADD ethoxyquin in their fish, but that they are not able to confirm if their source (distributors etc) use ethoxyquin in their fish.


Yes that's pretty much it. And also what Keechak said. It is a very very minute amount so personally I have no problems with feeding TOTW.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

There's this question I have been wanting to ask. Why is taste of the wild so cheap?

From the looks of its ingredients for "Pacific Stream Canine Formula" 


> Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber, natural flavor, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, etc.....


this is actually a pretty good lineup of food, especially if the ethoxyquin levels are indeed so low.

the other 2 formulas are pretty decent too, but they do not impress as much. 

does anyone have any idea about canidae, blue buffalo, innova evo and solid gold? i already emailed them, but if anyone knows i'll greatly appreciate that if you can help.

canidae, blue buffalo, solid gold, taste of the wild and many other brands are all manufactured by diamond pet foods.
is it safe to assume all the ethoxyquin are cooked down like in taste of the wild?


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

TOTW is cheap, but it isn't the cheapest grain-free food around. I believe that TOTW doesn't waste money on marketing and handing out food coupons (like some other companies), so they might save money on that. Horizon Legacy is one of the grain-free brands that I've found that's cheaper than TOTW ($2.50/lb). Also, EVO Chicken is cheaper than TOTW per pound.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

lucidity said:


> TOTW is cheap, but it isn't the cheapest grain-free food around. I believe that TOTW doesn't waste money on marketing and handing out food coupons (like some other companies), so they might save money on that. Horizon Legacy is one of the grain-free brands that I've found that's cheaper than TOTW ($2.50/lb). Also, EVO Chicken is cheaper than TOTW per pound.


at my local store taste of the wild goes for $10.99-$12.99 for the 5lb bag. $15.99 for 5lb (or was it 6? i cant remember) evo chicken. i feed evo fish though and that is $19.99 for 5lb 

i can't find horizon legacy anywhere near where i am :[


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## Inga (Jun 16, 2007)

I had a dog in for training a few years ago. Actually a puppy. The pup was a rescue and had suffered frostbite losing 3/4 of one ear and 1 full toe. The pup was diagnosed with Cancer at around 10 1/2 months old and the decision was made to humanely euthanize her. The Cancer had spread throughout her body. 

The Vet stated that the cause was most likely fertilizer that the pup was exposed to in the garage of the first house she lived in. People also tend to spread those toxins all over their yards with little or no thought to the animals that are walking around on it and in many cases munching on the grass. 

It is possible the food has little to nothing to do with the Cancer. Either way it is tragic that this should show up in such a young pup. I am so sorry for her owner's to have to go through this. Cancer is a horrid disease.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

Nature's Variety is also ethoxyquin-free, I contacted them directly in the past about it and they assured me that their fish ingredients are not preserved with it.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

Enhasa said:


> at my local store taste of the wild goes for $10.99-$12.99 for the 5lb bag. $15.99 for 5lb (or was it 6? i cant remember) evo chicken. i feed evo fish though and that is $19.99 for 5lb
> 
> i can't find horizon legacy anywhere near where i am :[


Wow, really?? TOTW here is 17.99 for 5lbs and EVO Chicken is about 20.99 for 6.6lbs. All the EVOs are 6.6lbs I believe, so if EVO Chicken at your place is 15.99 for 6.6lbs it's still be cheaper than 12.99 for TOTW.

I just started Cadence on EVO Herring & Salmon about 3 weeks ago, and I really like it! I actually like it better than Orijen for some reason.. EVO Red Meat was pretty good as well..

Oh yeah, Horizon Legacy is a Canadian brand.. so you might not be able to get it in the States.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

i dont have a yard or anything like that. neither i do spray anything such as insecticides or whatever. i have a HEPA air purifier that i leave very near to its crate.

im concerned bout blue buffalo, canidae, innova evo and solid gold. anyone who knows please help. thanks!


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

I found the info for all the Naturapet brands (Innova, EVO, Cali Natural, Healthwise). You can read it here: http://www.naturapet.com/tools/faqs.asp?view=ingredients

Scroll and click on "how are your pet foods preserved". This is what it says:

Natura's pet foods are preserved with Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols -- alpha, beta, gamma and delta isomers) and Vitamin C. We do not use any chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.

So nope, they don't use ethoxyquin to preserve their foods.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

ah that helps a lot  i do appreciate it.

solid gold, natural balance, canidae, taste of the wild and blue buff are made by the same manufacturer. so it is safe to assume they follow the same standards?


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

No problem. 

I have no idea about the rest.. you could try e-mailing them to ask.


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## lucidity (Nov 10, 2009)

Lol, I found the info for Blue Buffalo online. Here it is:
http://bluebuff.com/why-blue/nutrition-philosophy.shtml

Scroll all the way down and here's what it says:

Preservatives like BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propylene glycol provide no nutritional value and have been associated with possible toxic side effects. Some pet food brands resort to artificial colors and flavors in an attempt to make food look and taste better. We don’t.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

Canidae replied me (amazingly fast). They do contain ethoxyquin 
I liked their food a lot too since its relatively cheap for a relatively good food.
Yes their food tend to be on the grain-heavy side. I usually add in a few kibbles from time to time whenever my dog has stools on the soft side :/


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## Jod-dog (Mar 28, 2010)

lucidity said:


> Wow, really?? TOTW here is 17.99 for 5lbs and EVO Chicken is about 20.99 for 6.6lbs. All the EVOs are 6.6lbs I believe, so if EVO Chicken at your place is 15.99 for 6.6lbs it's still be cheaper than 12.99 for TOTW.



I just paid $11.59 for my bag of TOTW. The only place locally that carries it is our local feed/farm store.


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## oliwa (Feb 1, 2010)

I read somewhere that it is required by the USDA that fish meal be treated with ethoxyquin in the US. Orijen is not treated with ethoxyquin because it is a Canadian product.


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## Enhasa (Feb 6, 2010)

wellness claims they do not treat their fish/fish meal with ethoxyquin....does this mean what they're doing is illegal? O_O


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## oliwa (Feb 1, 2010)

Enhasa said:


> wellness claims they do not treat their fish/fish meal with ethoxyquin....does this mean what they're doing is illegal? O_O


TOTW doesn't treat the fish with ethoxyquin, but their suppliers do. Can Wellness say that? I don't know...I never asked.


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## Pai (Apr 23, 2008)

oliwa said:


> I read somewhere that it is required by the USDA that fish meal be treated with ethoxyquin in the US.


That's untrue -- it's RECOMMENDED, not required. The regulations just stipulate that fish meal/fish scrap has to be preserved with *an antioxidant* prior to being shipped -- it doesn't demand any one particular kind. And if the fish meal _isn't_ being shipped into the U.S. from somewhere else, it's not even required at all.


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## Serkle K (Apr 9, 2010)

I was researching for RAW/B.A.R.F Diets as I am hoping to eventually get a Shiba Inu puppy. I came across this forum and specifically this post. I thought I'd share this link for the OP and others in case you may not have seen this before. 

there is a great site that reviews, and lists ingredients in just about every type of kibble/wet food out there. This site also rates them based on a 1-5 star scale. This was a huge eye opener for me as I did not really know much of the difference until I learned about dogs and food allergies. (Now how do I share the link info w/o breaking the forum rules?)


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