Dogs may be at risk of lead poisoning after researchers found “very high” concentrations from shotgun pellets in raw pheasant pet food.
Lead is a toxic metal that is poisonous to both humans and animals and its effects are particularly focused on the nervous system. Despite the dietary danger to health, lead shot can be used legally to kill terrestrial game birds, like pheasants, in the UK. Most pheasants are eaten by people but some are minced and used in pet food.
In a new study, researchers from the University of Cambridge found that more than three-quarters of the 90 samples they took from UK products had lead concentrations higher than the maximum residue level (MRL) permitted by law. They tested three raw pheasant-based dog food products and found the mean average lead concentrations were approximately 245, 135 and 49 times higher than the MRL.
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