We recommend you do not buy products made in CHINA.  Paints, rubbers, latex, stuffing, may all be toxic. You cannot believe what their labels say as you know from the food recall. We recommend you also NEVER use any treats made outside the USA. That being said, remember many animal chews, including HOOVES, RAWHIDES are dangerous. Hooves are particularly deadly and splinter and kill many dogs each year. Why shops are allowed to carry these I will never understand. Please remember to read all your labels!  Walmart has had many toxic pet toys. BEWARE!

The list seems to be expanding of products allowed into North America that are have been laboratory tested to be extremely toxic, therefore dangerous to children and pets.

Someone said a month ago that the pet food announcements of March, 2007 were just the tip of the iceberg and I would say that person was aware of the lack of safety protocols in China. Expert analysis conducted by Expertox a company in Texas established in 1996 that have over fifty years of environmental assessments tested pet toys sold in Walmart.

Expertox claims the results show these pet toy products contain elevated levels of deadly toxins. You have to wonder why Mattel recalled millions of its toys for children that contained lead paint made in China and still we are selling toxic toys for pets. One can assume that the levels of lead are not safe for children but are safe for our family pets. Of course, two Veterinarians dispute the findings from the Texas lab claiming these levels pose no real threat to cats and dogs. I wonder whether the veterinarians had fifty years of environmental safety assessments and where they received this education. Veterinarians really should stick to what they do best, and that is to try to help pets live a longer healthy life not a quick death.

Just as children put toys in their mouths, dogs and cats also play in this manner and that is how the chemicals are ingested into the bloodstream through their saliva. In doing this, the pet is exposed to heavy metal toxins that can cause death and is harmful to dog health.

The tests also revealed high levels of arsenic, mercury, cadmium as well as lead, so it is a combo platter of lethal chemicals.

CAT TOYS CONTAINING CADMIUM:

We are all familiar with those cloth cat toys that contain catnip, which they found high levels of cadmium. In addition, a plastic toy for cats that looks like a dumbbell also was found to be tainted.

DOG TOYS CONTAINING CADMIUM:

A Walmart toy made of cloth that looks like a hedgehog contained high levels of cadmium. These are sold almost everywhere today besides Walmart, and Petsmart even the Dollar Stores are filled with these products on every street corner.

If you were to import any products to Europe, you would have to do your research and prove your products meet the ROHS Directives set out by the EU legislation. These directives called "Restriction of Hazardous Substances", set very high standards for Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium and Bromine Flame Retardants. You would have to demonstrate that you have complied with these strict regulations before your products would be allowed into European countries including detailed product analysis. I doubt whether these products would have met the European Union standards, however they are welcomed into the US and Canada.

Since we cannot rely on importers, our governments should be doing the screening of products before they enter the country not after they are on the shelves. I would think we would be checking for shipments due to terrorist's attacks anyway we might as well inspect how they were manufactured in the country of origin. Companies buying these products from overseas manufacturers could have conducted their own screening, however most are in denial that there is a problem for obvious reasons.

There is a device called XRF Screening, which detects lead in any product and instead of each of us buying one of these - the government should be purchasing such products to protect its own population.

After all, we will be all using hospitals, drugs and medicine to cure our children and pets of lead poisoning and that costs a lot of money. If your dog exhibits these symptoms, please take it to the nearest vet for blood tests and a check up.

Signs of Lead Poisoning:

Vomiting, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Lethargy, Abnormal Behavior and eventually Seizures. How common are these symptoms these days?

Drugs are used to "chelate" chemicals like lead or mercury by binding to them and they are excreted out of your pet's system. Lead poisoning may kill your pet so check where your toys came from and then check your dog.

There are also herbs that can detox your pet from harmful chemicals. Chemicals tend to intensify in the liver and gentle herbs can help with cleansing them out of the body. What is Cadmium and why is it so dangerous? Cadmium as defined by the US Department of Agriculture is an extremely toxic chemical found in the industrial paint industry and found in batteries. Cadmium is a known cause of cancer. The lead is in the paint used to coat toys that your dog is putting in its mouth.

On September 11, 2007, China signed an agreement with the US that prohibits them from using lead paint. I do not believe other chemicals were included in this agreement. However, it appears to be a slap on the hand that feeds you. As we have allowed our manufacturing jobs to go overseas, we are paying the price in cheap, dangerous products coming back into our country and killing our kids and pets. The list of contaminated products from China continues to grow, and now includes:

Toys for children

Toys for pets

Pet foods

People foods

Fish

Jewelry

If Beijing is increasing inspections of their own products, when will the US and Canada start inspecting imported products? What is really puzzling is how this invasion of deadly products was allowed to occur because lead paint has been banned since 1978 which is over 30 years ago?

A lady from Illinois was worried about her Shelties playing with these toys she purchased so she hired a lab in Illinois to do testing on 24 dog toy products.

She has lost 3 Sheltie dogs over the past four years and that is a very high number of deaths. Her elderly mother noticed all the dog toys were made in China. The Illinois Department of Agriculture decided they were in the acceptable limits of levels of lead. What is so acceptable about levels of lead? The lab in Illinois found that a tennis ball from Petsmart tested 355 times higher than the amount found in the lab in Texas.

Dr. Ernest Lykissa, a PHD from Expertox in Texas reported that a dog playing with this tennis ball is getting a good dose of lead.

A latex green monster toy tested 907.4 micrograms of lead, that's is almost 1 part per million, a very high content. It also tested at 334.9 micrograms of chromium which is also high.

As an old railroad engineer once said after a major train wreck, " Someone was asleep at the switch".

If you continue to purchase lead tainted toys the imports will continue as well. It would depend on how much you really love your pet.

Teri Salvador is a freelance writer with a site concentrating primarily on dog health issues that offers frequently updated articles on natural remedies, pet product reviews and current articles on pet foods. Also added sections on Horses, Cats and Reptiles. Visit: http://www.DogHealth1.com

BEST TOYS

Kong Producets (double as treats and toys - better than any chew toy)

My Good Dog Vibram Toys (Frisbees/balls/retriever sticks)

 

Avoid painted toys, which contain the highest levels of lead, particularly toys made from latex, plastic or PVC (vinyl).

 

Look for a brand name on the package and don’t purchase any products without a brand name. Stores such as Wal-Mart and dollar stores often carry pet toys in clear plastic packages without brand names.

 

Purchase only toys that are made in the U.S. by a company with a reputation you feel you can trust. Kong, for instance, is a popular and reputable maker of dog toys. They have stated that all of their products are made in the U.S. with the exception of a few that are made in China. They claim, however, that all of their imported products are tested by independent laboratories, first in China and again in the U.S. to prove they are safe and non-toxic.

 

Look for proof of safety testing on the package. If it’s not included, research or check with the manufacturer.

 

Buy toys at stores that sell pet supplies exclusively, rather than at variety or grocery stores.

Penn tennis balls are made in the U.S.

To be safe, throw out any toys that were made in another country (especially China) and any toys you are uncertain about, and never take chances when purchasing new toys. Making your own pet toys is another safe alternative.

Avoid food bowls with a painted design.

Ignore claims that DIY lead testing kits are an effective way to test pet toys for lead content. Most lead test kits are developed to detect lead levels in household paint which has a much higher acceptable level than what is allowed for on products. These kits, therefore, aren't sensitive enough to detect lower lead levels.

Common signs of lead poisoning in a pet may include vomiting, diarrhea and anemia, which can cause lethargy and weakness. Untreated lead poisoning can also progress to seizures and other abnormal behavior.

Dog toys made in the USA:   www.dogtoys.com/madeinusa.html

Keep in mind many children's toys are poisonous (for example 'fake eyeballs filled with kerosene that are made in China). So keep them away from your children and your pets too.

To be safe - Read your labels - do not buy anything made in CHINA - if it dosen't say WHERE it's made - do not buy it. Many items made in China may not list the info and just list a USA distributor.

Read more at:

www.itchmo.com/consumers-react-to-consumeraffairscom-article-about-toxic-pet-toys-3235

www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/12/pet_food_recalls84.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Toxic-Dog-Toys&id=750713

 

TOP TIPS COURTESY OF PETS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.ORG

www.petsfortheenvironment.org/takeaction/eddiestips/itchm
 

Our advice is always evolving as we research pet health, products, and toxic chemicals, so sign up today to be sure you get the latest updates and alerts. Think we've missed a big one, or have a question? Drop Eddie an email!

  • Choose pet food without the chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, vary cats’ diets to limit their exposure to mercury in seafood, and choose organic or free-range ingredients rather than “by-products.”
  • Use a reverse osmosis, faucet-mounted, or pitcher filter to remove contaminants before filling your pet’s water bowl.
  • Replace older foam pet bedding, and replace or reupholster furniture with exposed or crumbling foam where flame retardants are found.
  • Vacuum often with a HEPA-filter vacuum, and take off your shoes at the door to minimize your pets’ exposure to toxic chemicals in house dust.
  • If you suspect your deck was made with arsenic-treated wood, treat it with a sealant every six months and don’t let pets play or sleep underneath it. Wash with mild soap and water, but never power wash!
  • Don’t get optional stain-proof treatments on couches, carpets and car upholstery—they’re loaded with toxic perfluorochemicals.
  • Avoid nonstick pans. An overheated nonstick pan can kill pet birds, and it gives off chemicals that may be bad for other pets and people too. Try cast iron instead.
  • Care for your lawn without using insecticides, which may cause nervous system damage in pets that walk on the treated lawn, eat the grass, or breathe in the chemicals.
  • Use kitty litter made of plant sources like wheat or recycled newspaper. Clay-based kitty litter is strip-mined, causing extreme environmental damage during extraction.
  • Get biodegradable, compostable doo-bags for when you go on walks with your pooch—or just reuse bags like plastic newspaper wrappers.
  • Not only are flea collars generally ineffective, they’re also a source of constant toxic exposure for your pet and family. Instead, vacuum often and thoroughly, bathe your pet regularly, and ask your vet or local pet store about safer flea treatments and repellents.
  • Try a mild baby shampoo intended for human use instead of a pet product. Just like human products, pet grooming product manufacturers aren’t required to test their grooming products for safety—but unlike human products, they’re not even required to list ingredients on labels. Use EWG’s Skin Deep at cosmeticsdatabase.com to find one that’s right for your pet.
  • Did you know that 63% of all households in the US have pets? Together, us pets can make a lot of noise—so spread the word! Sign up for Eddie’s email and action update list, tell your pet friends about Pets with an ecard, or make a donation to keep Eddie’s work going!