Grooming
Products: Can They Be Causing Fido's Itch?
by Sevi Kay
There are so many controversies on whether some ingredients in pet
products are the main reason why our dogs seem to be developing so many
strange illnesses, rashes and allergies. Before I go on, I just want to
point out that there are two sides to every coin and that we must look at
both sides. With that said, here is a general look at the most common pet
grooming practices and products.
Most mass-manufactured pet grooming supplies contain certain amounts of
artificial colors, preservatives, and synthetic materials in order to
assure long shelf life, make them more attractive to use ( such as
smelling nice and lathering well) and more profitable. Also, most of these
grooming supplies use fairly common industry terms such as
"all-natural", "organic", "pure",
"hypoallergenic", "aromatherapy" or
"holistic" which, of course, make things even more difficult for
pet lovers.
Since the definition of "all-natural" seems to mean anything
from petroleum to poison ivy, the controversy widens. The questions then
become:
What is all-natural? Is natural always good? Is natural really natural? I
have noticed that some companies use the term "all-natural"
because they have chosen not to use synthetic ingredients and use organic
or non-synthetically derived materials. So the term all-natural
differentiates their products from the products that contain synthetic or
not so pure ingredients.
There are also companies that use "all-natural" or
"organic" ingredients among many synthetic ones and call the
product "all-natural" or "organic". This is where
reading product labels carefully is important.
In my opinion, if a product is made without artificial colors, synthetic
perfumes, synthetic preservatives, petroleum by products and contain
organically grown herbs, extracts, hydrosols or essential oils, it is as
all-natural as it can be.
If you are the owner of a sensitive or allergy prone dog, you may want to
do a bit of digging yourself and see if you can learn about some of these
potentially irritating ingredients. I am going to mention only a few here.
SLS: Tests show that SLS can penetrate into the eyes as well as systemic
tissues (brain, heart, liver, etc.) and show long-term retention in those
tissues.
When SLS is combined with other ingredients such as Diethanolamine (DEA),
Monethanolamine (MEA), or Triethanolamine (TEA) nitrosamine (nitrates) is
formed. Nitrosamine (N-Nitrosodiethanolamine) is a known carcinogen.
SLS is also a skin irritant and has been found to cause eye irritation,
skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic
reactions.
Mineral Oil: Mineral oil coats the skin and disables its ability to
breathe. Skin is the largest body organ that needs to release toxins
freely, but mineral oil stops this process. Since the toxins cannot be
released, problems such as severe acne or premature aging of the skin may
occur.
DEA and MEA: These hormone-disrupting chemicals, also known as Cocamide
DEA or MEA, and Lauramide DEA, are known to form cancer-causing nitrates
and nitrosamines. They are used as foam boosters, stabilizers and
viscosity builders/modifiers for shampoos, hand soaps and bath products.
As reported on CBS Morning News, the "National Toxicology Program (NTP)
recently found that repeated skin application to mouse skin of
diethanolamine (DEA), or its fatty acid derivative cocamide-DEA, induced
liver and kidney cancer."
Talc: According to Dr. Samuel Epstein, of the Cancer Prevention Coalition,
"A wide range of scientific studies over the last three decades have
clearly linked regular talc use by women and ovarian cancer."
Most manufacturers of pet grooming supplies claim these ingredients are
okay to use since the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approves them as safe enough to use at certain levels.
Then how do we explain all the constant itching, rashes, reoccurring
dermatitis and ear infections that our dogs battle? The problem may be
somewhere else, but it’s up to us to find out why our dogs are feeling
the way they are because they depend on us.
I personally try to stay away from natural or unnatural ingredients that
can and have caused skin problems in my dogs. I still prefer mild, organic
herbal grooming products and believe that strong detergents in shampoos
can cause an imbalance in the skin. They can create extensive dryness,
dermatitis, and irritate and produce rashes.
The synthetic perfumes in doggie colognes may cause inhalant and skin
allergies, just like in people. In my opinion, using ointments with
mineral oil, a petroleum byproduct, just may not be the mildest solution
to a flaring hot spot.
A solution is to try more than one product and read labels even if it
seems absurd at first. After all, as a consumer you have the right to know
what you are paying for.
Ask questions, listen to what the manufacturer says, do some Internet
research and compare your findings. Be wary of "we will educate
you" slogans. You are savvy and intelligent, can educate yourself and
make your own choices. I promise that with a little effort, you will soon
learn to recognize what's available and will not buy into some hype.
And remember, keep flipping that coin until YOU feel comfortable and then
make your own decision.
__________________
Sevi Kay is a crafter, former chef,
freelance writer and translator. Sevi is the founder of Mundo Co! L.L.C,
which makes earth friendly grooming products, wheat free treats for dogs
and botanical products for people. She is currently studying animal
behavior and training with canine specialist and Schutzhund trainer Doreen
Reinhart. You can visit her site at www.cybercanine.com.
All-natural Botanical Line For Dogs: www.cybercanine.com/aromaticproducts |
