For health-conscious pet parents, nothing is more important than making sure your furry friend gets the healthiest food, treats, and supplements available.
So, whether it’s reviewing each ingredient on a product label or doing online research to learn more about the ingredients that brands are using, you’ll do whatever it takes to keep those not-so good ingredients away from your pet’s food bowl. We love that!
But as they say, just because something is on the internet doesn’t make it true!
As such, we want to shed some light (and even debunk a few things) about an ingredient that’s given pet parents like you some cause for pause lately -- Palm Oil.
Chances are, you’ve stumbled upon a few articles that describe Palm Oil as highly toxic and dangerous for pets. We completely understand why that would spark concern from loving pet parents.
However, those articles have caused quite a few misconceptions to form about the overall safety of Palm Oil. So, let’s revisit how these concerns came about, and what it truly means for your favorite furball.
Beach Contamination
Many dog parents love taking their canine companions to the beach for fetching frisbees and fun in the sun. But sadly, not everything that washes ashore is Fido-friendly, as some beaches are located in areas where cargo ships wash their tanks out at sea using palm oil and then dump the waste into the ocean.
Contaminated water is already appalling enough as it is, but it doesn’t just stop there.
This toxic ship fuel waste can wash ashore using the palm oil as a solid carrier. This gelatinous concoction smells of petrol, which attracts dogs to sniff and even consume the oil. Needless to say, such contamination is highly dangerous, and poses a serious health risk to both people and pets.
Understandably, the news of contaminated Palm Oil (in the United Kingdom) traveled fast, which immediately caught the eye of pet parents that recognized Palm Oil as an ingredient used in pet supplements.
In turn, that sparked frightened pet parents to conclude that Palm Oil, in general, is a life-threatening ingredient that should be avoided at all costs. But if you’re concerned, rest easy.
Can Palm Oil Really Harm Your Pet?
If those details about contamination make you cringe, trust us. You’re not the only one.
But as you can see, natural Palm Oil isn’t the culprit. It's the associated diesel fuel and other contaminants that causes harm to pets. But still in all, let’s just hope that one day, ocean waters will stop being used as a dump for harmful chemicals that put our loved ones at risk.
The good news is, Palm Oil that is purchased for use in dog supplements, foods, and treats is not toxic.
We can’t vouch for every brand out there, but at Zesty Paws®, we only purchase reputable Palm Oil for our pet care products. Plus, all of our formulas go through a rigorous quality control process that meets Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.
We hope this shows that Zesty Paws® takes your pet’s well-being just as seriously as you do. So, if you have any additional questions about Palm Oil or some of our other ingredients and formulas, feel free to reach out to us at (800) 738-0661 or bark@zestypaws.com.
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