How much copper is in Blue Buffalo

Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The next ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth item is oatmeal, a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in B-vitamins, dietary fiber and can be (depending upon its level of purity) gluten-free.

The next ingredient is pea starch, a paste-like, gluten-free carbohydrate extract probably used here as a binder for making kibble. Aside from its energy content (calories), pea starch is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The seventh ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided theyve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The ninth ingredient is tomato pomace which can be a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.

Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.

Just the same, theres probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.

After the natural flavor, we find peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Blue Buffalo Life Protection product.

With nine notable exceptions

First, this food includes pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

Next, we find alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), this hay-family item is more commonly associated with horse feeds.

We also note the use of alfalfa nutrient concentrate, a vitamin and mineral-rich extract made from alfalfa.

Even though it contains over 50% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

In addition, pea fiber is a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from pea hulls. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.

Next, garlic can be a controversial item. Although many favor the ingredient for its claimed health benefits, garlic has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.¹

So, one must weigh the potential benefits of feeding garlic against its proven tendency to cause subclinical damage to the red blood cells of the animal.

Additionally, dried yeast can be a controversial item. Dried yeast contains about 45% protein and is rich in other healthy nutrients.

Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.

Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.

Whats more, a vocal minority insists yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something weve not been able to scientifically verify.

In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.

This recipe also includes sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

Taurine is also found in this product. Taurine is an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 50%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 26% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 51% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 57%.

Which means this Blue Buffalo product line contains

Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, pea products, alfalfa products and dried yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

Who makes Blue Buffalo and where is it made?

Blue Buffalo is owned by U.S. food company, General Mills. All of the brands dog food products are produced in the United States.

Blue Buffalo owns and operates 2 manufacturing facilities. One is located in Joplin, Missouri and the other in Richmond, Indiana. The company also outsources a number of its other products to co-packers that are also located in America.

We all know goodnutrition iscritical for thehealth and longevity ofour dogs, and most of usrelyoncommercialdogfoods to help us achievethat. Now, what if wetold you those complete-and-balanced dietsthequality food youvecarefully chosen foryour dogmay be slowlykillingthem?

Its true, saysDr.Sharon Center, theJames Law Professorof Internal Medicineat Cornell UniversitysCollege of VeterinaryMedicine(CVM).Centeris nationally renownedforherexpertise in liverdiseases of dogs andcats. She says the excessamount of the essentialtrace mineral copper in commercial dogfood can cause a serious, potentiallylethal illness called dietary-inducedcopper-associated hepatopathy (CAH).The incidence of CAH is increasingat a rate thats causing alarm amongveterinarians and dog owners, withone study showingthat30% of canine liverbiopsies have evidence of CAH.

CAH is no longer considered justa disease of predisposed breeds likeBedlington Terriers, Labrador Retrievers,Dalmatians, Dobermans and Westies.First, it can happen to any dog, and it isexpected to happen more and more ifcopper levels in dog foods remain toohigh. Second, it can be actively happeningin the liver of a dog showing no outwardsigns of illness.

Presentation andprogression

Your dogs dietary copper helps make redblood cells and absorbiron. It also functionsin the formation of skinand hair pigmentationand connective tissue. Adeficiency, though rare,can cause muscular andskeletal problems, so wedo need copper in ourdogsfood.

CAH occurs whenthe amount of dietarycopper ingested exceedsa dogs tolerance leveland accumulates in theliver. Once in the liver, itcan cause acute, severeliver inflammation withimmediate, disastrousconsequences, or it cancause chronic, insidiousdamage over time,resulting in widespreadscarring of the liver(cirrhosis) and liverfailure.

Symptoms of CAH include:

• Abdominal swelling
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Increased thirst
• Jaundice
• Lethargy
• Vomiting

There is certainly a rise in copper-relatedhepatopathies these days, saysJoseph J.Wakshlag,D.V.M.98, Ph.D. 05,professor ofclinicalnutrition andofsportsmedicineandrehabilitation, andthe sectionchief ofnutritionat CVM. It may very wellbe related to a lack of safe upper limits ofconsumption and higher than expectedlevels in dog foods.

Right now, the recommendationforthe amount ofcopper in a dog food is7.3 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram), butthat means little to the average consumerbecause the copper level is rarely listedon your dogs food label (you can callyour dog-food manufacturer and requestit). Currently, however, there is nomaximum limit for copper in your dogsfood. At one point, there was, but thatwas eliminated when the recommendedtype of copper used in dog foods waschanged to a more bioavailable form.Why the limit was eliminated is not clear,but the results most certainly are.

Theeffects ofthatdecision

Meet Vira, a happy, seemingly healthy4-year-old, spayed female Labradoodle.Routine blood work performed ather annual wellness exam showeda concerning elevation of her ALT(alanine transaminase), a liver enzymethat increases in the presence of liverinflammation or injury. When repeatbloodwork one month later showedan ongoing increase in ALT, Viraunderwent liver biopsy surgery. Herbiopsies confirmed the presence of excesscopper levels in her liver with associatedhepatocellular damage or CAH.

Treatment for CAH usually includesadministration of an oral copper-chelatingagent (a compound that bindsto copper to help remove it) calledd-penicillamine. Dogs with CAH arealso fed a copper-restricted diet toprevent further copper accumulationin the liver. Antioxidants like vitamin Eand SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine) arerecommended as supplements.

It can take many months of treatmentfor the liver damage to resolve. Repeatbiopsy is the only definitive way todetermine how the affected dog isdoing. Because this is an expensivepropositionand most of us dont wantour dogs undergoing multiple invasivesurgical proceduresprogress is usuallymonitored with sequential ALT bloodtests. All affected dogs should be fedcopper-restricted diets for life, and somedogs will require chronic, low-dosechelation therapy.

Vira has responded favorably to hertreatment,and her ALT is now normal.She eats a copper-restricted diet calledThe Scoop, which is available atwww.safedogfood.com. Other commercialoptions for copper-restricted dietsinclude Hills l/d Liver Care and RoyalCanin Hepatic Veterinary Diet (bothrequire approval from your veterinarian).

Gettinghelp

Wakshlagsays that most of the low-coppercommercial foods designed fordogs with liver disease are also proteinrestricted, which is not appropriate forall CAH cases.

This is where I come in,saysWakshlag, who offers nutritionservices at the Cornell UniversityHospital for Animals. Since there areno commercial products available, ahome-prepared diet is needed. We havebeen formulating diets for these copper-relatedhepatopathies in dogs for nearly20 years.

Its also wise, if you havecopper water pipes in your home, to flushthe lines for several minutes before fillingyour dogs water bowl to reduce watercopper content.

Electing to have routine bloodchemistry run at Viras annual wellnessexam most likely saved her life. Pleaseconsider this relatively inexpensiveoption for your dog attheir annualheartwormandtick test.

Center is relentlessly lobbyingthe FDA to immediately re-establishmaximum-allowed copper levels incommercial dog foods and to reconsidercurrent federal canine dietary copperrecommendations, but we all need tomake our voices heardinorder tomake this an industry-widechange. Please consider helping.

Whatyoucando: Contact the FDA

Center asks that if your dog has been diagnosed with copper hepatopathy, pleasecomplete the FDA questionnaire athttps://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/report-problem/how-report-pet-food-complaint. Ask your veterinarian to do the same, asentries from veterinarians are taken very seriously.

• You can start by Selecting SafetyReporting Portal, and identify yourself as a guest.

• Then select, Start a New Report.

• For a title for your FDA report, Center recommends Dog Food Copper Over-Supplementation.

• Fill out the form to the best of your ability, trying not to leave anyentries blank.

The entry marked Problem Summary is the most important entry, saysCenter. Make it clear to the FDA that your dog was affected by copper overdosethrough dog food and add personal commentary regarding your experience.

For example, you might say: My dog was impacted by copper-associated hepatopathythought to be due to over-supplementation of copper in commercial pet food. I implorethe FDA to take corrective action to lower the maximum copper concentration incommercial dog food to mitigate this avoidable and potentially fatal illness.

We recommend that you expand this entry with your personal commentary of hardshipyou endured. Tell them about the expenses you incurred, your dogs illness, thedifficulty of the diagnosis and management, and the emotional stress to yourself andyour family.

Theplayers

AAFCO (Association of AmericanFeed Control Officials).A nonprofitorganization consisting of stateofficials responsible for enforcingstate laws regarding the safety ofanimal feeds. AAFCO does not test,recommend or approve dog foods.The association has no regulatoryauthority, only enforcement authority.Most dog food companies include anote on the food label that the productis formulated to meet or exceed AAFCOrecommendations for nutrition.

NRC (National Research Council).This is the operating arm of theNASEM (National Academies ofSciences, Engineering, and Medicine),a congressionally chartered non-profitorganization whose purpose is toprovide independent scientific evidenceand advice for the benefit of society.Reports from the NRC are what the FDAuses to create policies and regulationsregarding dog foods.

FDA (Food and DrugAdministration).A federal agency ofthe Department of Health and HumanServices, responsible for protectingand promoting public health throughthe control and supervision of manymarketed products, including animalfoods and feed. The FDA is the only oneof these three agencies with the powerto change regulations regarding thenutritional content of dog foods.

This article originally appeared in the February 2022 issue ofDogWatch, produced by Belvoir Media Group, in collaboration with CVM and the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center.