Certain Raw Pet Foods Put UK Dogs at Risk of Lead Exposure Due to Ammunition Residues
A recent study out of the UK has revealed that raw dog food containing pheasant meat may pose a health risk to pets due to the presence of high lead concentrations caused by ammunition used to hunt game. With the popularity of raw pet food in the UK on the rise, the numbers of pets at risk for lead exposure could be high.
Although most uses of lead have been phased-out or regulated in high-income countries, it remains in common use globally as the principal element in shotgun pellets and bullets (shot). While passing through the tissues of game animals, lead ammunition frequently leaves behind numerous embedded lead particles of varying size resulting in elevated lead concentrations in meat.