Are Pesticides Toxic To Our Dogs?

Monsanto, the makers of toxic pesticides like Round-Up, have over 150,000 people claiming lawsuits against the cancerous toxins found within their products. Many of these people have been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma despite claims from Monstanto and Bayer that the ingredients in Round-Up and other products are completely safe.

The most dangerous chemical, that we know of in pesticides, is sprayed all throughout our towns and cities. This includes most of the crops around the United States (and around the world with exceptions for those who have banned the product like Sri Lanka). Since this is sprayed essentially everywhere, the product seeps into our groundwater leading to a contaminated water supply. And, contaminated bodies.

Remember, this doesn’t only affect us. This affects our pets, too. They are exposed even more than humans. Your dog walks outside and rolls in the grass to enjoy that amazing sunlight. What you don’t think of often is that grass is likely contaminated (even if you don’t spray it yourself) and your dog is coming in constant contact with a toxin.

In a discussion with Larry Bohlen, the Founder of Health Research Institute – HRI Labs, he states “the level of these herbicides has gone up so dramatically in the last 20 years, the cancer rates in dogs seems to be tracking it.” Bolen continued to say, “I don’t have the absolute proof, but I see enough correlation that I am really cautious and I try to minimize exposure to the dogs as well as myself.”

That’s quite the statement.

HRI Labs

Now, more about HRI Labs. Larry Bohlen is the Founder of HRI Labs, which is a non-profit that created a test for humans and pets to detect the amount of pesticides and herbicides in the body. Essentially, the test checks for toxins. What toxins have you been exposed to? What toxins has your pet been exposed to?

Luckily, the test can also be conducted on your water supply to determine if the level of pesticides or herbicides in your household is at unsafe levels.

Bohlen says he never planned to make a test for dogs, but people had been requesting the test. According to Bohlen’s research at his non-profit, he states “the average [amount of pesticide exposure] for dogs, and we have tested 60 now, is 30 times higher than the human average.”

Why Are Our Dogs at a Higher Risk Than Us? 

The answer to this question is simple. The answer to this question is so simple that most don’t even think about it.

Our dogs are on the ground at all times. Our dogs are closer to the ground. Our dogs lie in the grass. Our dogs play in the grass. During all these ‘should-be-fun’ activities, our dogs are breathing in all those toxins and soaking them into their skin at the same time in most cases.

Another reason dogs are at a higher risk for pesticide exposure lies within their dog food. That’s right. That bag of kibble sitting across the room. Kibble has the highest levels out of any kind of dog food. The grains in kibble- the pea protein, the chickpea protein, the lentil flour- they are all crops that have been sprayed by glyphosate.

“A clear link has been drawn to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and glyphosate. Dogs get lymphoma too and dog’s life spans have been going down. This can be linked to the environment but more so to their food. This has been eye-opening to us. We ask each person who tests their dog to take a voluntary survey, and the biggest eye-opening result is that food is the largest source of herbicide exposure for dogs. This is more than just what they are exposed to walking on grass” said Bohlen.

Why is the FDA Sitting Still?

Here’s a good one. Why is the FDA sitting still and allowing this to happen? The Food and Drug Administration isn’t regulating sufficiently to keep toxins out of our food.

People put a lot of trust in agencies but must realize just because someone says it’s okay, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is.

When this question was posed, Bohlen stated “the simplest explanation is that the agencies have conflicted agendas.”

Bohlen knows this as he worked in Washington D.C. to try to enact environmental change.

He went on to state “they have dual agendas to promote health, but also to promote businesses of the chemicals in agriculture. So how can they possibly be faithful just to the purpose of protecting our health, if they also have the mission of promoting products like glyphosate?”

Minimize Your Dog’s (And Your Own) Exposure 

In 2017, I purchased a grooming and boarding business called Beautify the Beast. Through Beautify the Beast, I created a program where dogs can board, train, and foster at Fire Flake Farm. This gave dogs who suffered behavioral and health issues a second chance and gave pet parents a place to learn about safe, natural healing. To date, the farm has rescued, fostered, and placed hundreds of animals.

Currently. my farm ‘residents’ include:

• 9 geese
• 19 ducks
• 12 chickens
• 1 pig
• Several dogs, including Nina, Odie, Jolene, Maza, Rhemi, Daisy, Roxie, Blanche and fosters looking for forever homes.

Treating with CBD wouldn’t make much sense if we didn’t do all we can to protect the animals. As such, we don’t use any pesticides at Fire Flake Farm. Of course, there could still be pesticides in surrounding areas, but this ensures we are doing our part in limiting their exposure.

Providing a Test Kit Assessment

If your dog is suffering from any sort of health ailment, like cancer, giving him or her an assessment may help identify some problem areas.

Studies and trials have concluded that one of the best ways to treat cancer in dogs is with a raw diet.

“I feed my dog’s raw food mixed with veggies,” says Bohlen. “We give them that and supplement it with stewed pumpkin and steamed veggie mix and have it ready for every meal. We just buy a big can of organic pumpkin. Pumpkin is a lower pesticide food, even conventional pumpkin won’t expose your dog to as many toxins,” Bohlen outlines.

Now, it’s time to grab that kit to test your pup (and yourself). To learn more about HRI Labs testing kids, visit www.HRILabs.org. The collection cup and round-trip postage are included.

If you’re interested in learning more about raw feeding and holistic pet care, visit www.AngelaArdolino.com.

About Angela Ardolino

Angela Ardolino is a holistic pet expert who has been caring for animals for over 20 years and operates a rescue farm, Fire Flake Farm, in Florida. She is also the owner of  Beautify the Beast,  a natural pet salon and shop. After getting her certificate in Medical Cannabis Biology and Therapeutic use from the University of Vermont School of Medicine, she founded CBD Dog Health to provide high quality, all-natural medical cannabis products designed specifically for pets. Angela has seven dogs, Odie a 12-year-old mini-schnauzer, Nina an 8-year-old Doberman. Jolene a 7-year-old mutt, Maza a 7-year-old mutt, Rhemi an 8-year-old poodle, Potato a 15-year-old shih-tzu, and Miss Daisie a 15-year-old black lab, plus 4-10 more at any time that she is fostering or boarding. She uses Full Spectrum Hemp Extract on all her pets at her rescue farm every day and has since 2016. She is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, the Veterinary Cannabis Association, and has trained hundreds of medical doctors and veterinarians about the therapeutic uses of medical cannabis on animals. Visit  www.angelaardolino.com for more information.

About Larry Bohlen

Larry Bohlen is the Chief Operating Officer of HRI Labs. Larry Bohlen is a former NASA engineer. Today, he brings his scientific expertise to food, health, and environmental issues. Larry’s experience in food and agriculture started with his investigation of contamination of the food supply by an illegal variety of GMO corn. Most recently, Larry co-founded Health Research Institute, a non-profit, independent laboratory helping to create more transparency in food and agriculture.