# Is BHA that big of a deal?



## crazy daisy (Jul 3, 2011)

I was looking at some ingredients lists...

Chicken, Chicken By-Products (organs only, source of arginine), Corn Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Oatmeal, Whitefish, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Flaxseed, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Sodium Propionate and Mixed Tocopherols (preservatives), Salt, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, *BHA (a preservative)*, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

Chicken, Chicken By-Products (organs only, source of arginine), Corn Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Brewers Dried Yeast, Flaxseed, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Sodium Propionate and Mixed Tocopherols (preservatives), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, *BHA (a preservative)*, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Rosemary Extract.

should I be concerned about this food?


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I would try to avoid it myself but would encourage you to do your own research. Knowledge is power 
Toxicology of BHA
BHA... a Time Bomb in Dog Food?
What's In Your Pet's Food?
Chemical Preservatives: BHA, BHT, and Ethoxyquin

There are other products pet food companies can use as a preservative but chose not to.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

For me, YES, it's a deal buster. I try to eliminate or minimize exposure to substances that could be harmful. There is so much out there that we can't control, that I make every effort to eliminate the risks I can..... true for DH and me and the puppers. Like said above, do your research and find what you feel comfortable with.


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## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

It would be a deal breaker for me. There are many good food out there that don't have it.


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

Its not at all. People have been gunning for it since 1959 and there is not one shred of evidence it does any harm. In fact, it is being studied for its ANTI-CANCER properties by various research hospitals.

The only study that showed cancer was on rats in megadoses in a part of the body people and dogs don't have. Canine studies at megadose for 6 - 12 months showed nothing.

The foods you posted are Bil-Jac and they have some of the highest repeat buying in the whole industry, and its the only pellet food around. The amount used in Bil-Jac is 4% of the allowable FDA limit. It is nothing to worry about.

BHA is completely harmless. If your dog does well on that food and you find it convenient to use don't worry. 

Some of the "natural" ingredients in the "better" foods are in fact dangerous, like licorice root which is a known toxin that can damaged liver and kidneys and cause heart problems.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

*National Institute of Health Publication on BHA*

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/ButylatedHydroxyanisole.pdf


> Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition (2011)
> National Toxicology Program, Department of Health and Human Services
> Butylated Hydroxyanisole
> CAS No. 25013-16-5
> ...


oh yummy, let's all go eat some yummy BHA.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

It is also in lots of human foods, like cereals.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

It's in cosmetics too.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Good to know.


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

MikaTallulah said:


> Good to know.


You can post whatever you want to scare the OP but the bottom line is that after over 50 years of study, there is no link to disease.

That is the pure scientific fact.

Why don't you review the studies on beagle colonies.

The bottom line is that some people have an agenda. When it comes to Orijen the known toxins are overlooked because of fashion, from the University of Maryland:

*"Although the most dangerous effects mostly happen with high doses of licorice or glycyrrhizin, smaller amounts of licorice may cause side effects. Some people have muscle pain or numbness in the arms and legs. To be safe, ask your health care provider to monitor your use of licorice.

People with the following conditions should not take licorice:

Heart failure
Heart disease
Hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast, ovarian, uterine, or prostate cancer
Fluid retention
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Diabetes
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Low potassium (hypokalemia)
Erecetile dysfunction
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take licorice.

Don't use any licorice product for longer than 4 - 6 weeks."
*

Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/licorice-000262.htm#ixzz213uVuXsp


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I told the OP to do their own resource and knowledge is power. 

I myself attempt to avoid it. The person asked a question- I gave my opinion and why.

I have read your recommended reading before and will no longer even respond to you.

Good day sir!?



WasChampionFan said:


> You can post whatever you want to scare the OP but the bottom line is that after over 50 years of study, there is no link to disease.
> 
> That is the pure scientific fact.
> 
> ...


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

MikaTallulah said:


> I told the OP to do their own resource and knowledge is power.
> 
> I myself attempt to avoid it. The person asked a question- I gave my opinion and why.
> 
> ...


I'm totally with you Mika Tullulah! Besides, what does licorice have to do with the OP's question?!


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

The point with licorice is that everyone assumes natural additives are safe but they are not. 

Why doesn't anyone ever mention the risks of using rosemary instead of BHA?

Rosemary has links to seizures.

BHA is safe. Every treehugger in the world has tried to prove it causes cancer but there is simply no identifiable risks at doses 2,000 times what any pet would consume, unless you are a rat with a non-glandular stomach pouch.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Thank goodness we all have choices in what we are willing to spend money on and feed our actual dogs. 

I think people who don't have issues with BHA should keep on feeding their dogs what they choose to feed their dogs (if they have dogs). I assume this means feeding _stuff_ like Biljac instead of Dr. Tims and Annamaet. Why spend more for premium foods you have to special order if you can trot over to Krogers to buy Biljac instead.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, I guess I better go hug my tree right now instead of my other role as a fear mongerer.:banghead::cookoo:


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Megora said:


> Thank goodness we all have choices in what we are willing to spend money on and feed our actual dogs.
> 
> I think people who don't have issues with BHA should keep on feeding their dogs what they choose to feed their dogs (if they have dogs). I assume this means feeding _stuff_ like Biljac instead of Dr. Tims and Annamaet. Why spend more for premium foods you have to special order if you can trot over to Krogers to buy Biljac instead.


:dblthumb2



Dallas Gold said:


> Well, I guess I better go hug my tree right now instead of my other role as a fear mongerer.:banghead::cookoo:


 I agree


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

It would be a deal breaker with me also, but I would never feed anything that was a bi-product. Tree hugger that I am(not) I try to do lots of research on dog food, susbcribe to lots of periodicals and talk to my vet who practices TCM. I can only do what I think is best and since I just lost my 15 year old and my 14.5 year old is still going strong I think my choices have been pretty healthy.


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## WasChampionFan (Mar 31, 2012)

If people ask a question about something like BHA they deserve an answer based on facts, not hysteria. 1999 Study by New York Medical College which mirrors the dozens of studies done in the past, including the one at Cornell and the canine studies on beagle colonies:

*"Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are widely used antioxidant food additives. They have been extensively studied for potential toxicities. This review details experimental studies of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity which bear on cancer hazard assessment of exposure to humans. We conclude that BHA and BHT pose no cancer hazard and, to the contrary, may be anticarcinogenic at current levels of food additive use."*

Go out on tangents if you wish, but the facts are what the facts are. I don't use the product but that is not the point of the thread.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

WasChampionFan said:


> If people ask a question about something like BHA they deserve an answer based on facts, not hysteria. 1999 Study by New York Medical College which mirrors the dozens of studies done in the past, including the one at Cornell and the canine studies on beagle colonies:
> 
> *"Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are widely used antioxidant food additives. They have been extensively studied for potential toxicities. This review details experimental studies of genotoxicity and carcinogenicity which bear on cancer hazard assessment of exposure to humans. We conclude that BHA and BHT pose no cancer hazard and, to the contrary, may be anticarcinogenic at current levels of food additive use."*
> 
> Go out on tangents if you wish, but the facts are what the facts are. I don't use the product but that is not the point of the thread.


Source? Is it the anonymous vet skeptic who refuses to identify himself or his credentials that you frequently quote? Sorry, but this bears no credibility without a source to check. 

Personally, I think it is you who doesn't get the point of this thread, but that's just my personal opinion and I think you know we disagree about 100% of everything. I'll go back to hugging my tree now.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I located the article Dr. Jean Dodds wrote in an epilepsy website in which she discusses chemical additives/preservatives and dog's immune system. This article includes information about BHA for those interested in this topic:
W. J. Dodds DVM on Nutrition and the Immune System, for a healthier dog

More important nutrient information, including mention of BHA, is in this link from Dr. Dodds: Thyroid-Articles


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Dallas Gold said:


> I located the article Dr. Jean Dodds wrote in an epilepsy website in which she discusses chemical additives/preservatives and dog's immune system. This article includes information about BHA for those interested in this topic:
> W. J. Dodds DVM on Nutrition and the Immune System, for a healthier dog
> 
> More important nutrient information, including mention of BHA, is in this link from Dr. Dodds: Thyroid-Articles


Interesting read. Thanks


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