# Iodine content in dog food?



## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Iodine is important for the thyroid functions, too much or too little can have big effects. 

The AAFCO guideline for Iodine is 1.5mg/kg. 
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn46.htm

Now if you look at labels of some of the high quality foods the numbers seem to be all over the place.
One Acana formula states 2.1 mg/kg
Orijen is an incredibly low 0.18 mg/kg
Honest Kitchen Force, As Served (hydrated) 0.75

So what's the deal? I'm a little confused here..


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I've seen essays recently pointing out the problems at both ends of this inexplicable rainbow (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism).

I'm confused too.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

lol if you're confused I don't feel so bad now!

I did see some thing mentioned that AAFCO will accept a low count if there is an ingredient present that is a good source of quality iodine. I can't remember now where I read that, and I'm not even sure what it's supposed to mean, I figured a count is a count?


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## Tabatha Farnel (Sep 7, 2008)

And Orijen's 6 Fish formula doesn't even list iodine in the analysis at all. Strange.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Marta Haus said:


> lol if you're confused I don't feel so bad now!
> 
> I did see some thing mentioned that AAFCO will accept a low count if there is an ingredient present that is a good source of quality iodine. I can't remember now where I read that, and I'm not even sure what it's supposed to mean, I figured a count is a count?



Iodine is hard to measure, I have read, and sometimes kelp or other iodine-rich ingredient is tossed in for good measure. (But why would this be good, when exceeding the acceptable range is no better than deficiency?) I'm not sure where I read this, either.

If you give me links, I will re-find mine too.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Tabatha Farnel said:


> And Orijen's 6 Fish formula doesn't even list iodine in the analysis at all. Strange.


They don't list this on their packages, you have to look this up on their website on the detailed spec sheet


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

why are you wondering about this origanally , is a dog you know having thyroid issues? and you r thinking food change may help


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## Tabatha Farnel (Sep 7, 2008)

Just found this on Orjien's website....

Q: *IODINE - ORIJEN contains organic kelp. So is ORIJEN high in iodine?*
A:  No. ORIJEN diets contain between 4.0 mg/kg and 6.0 mg/kg of iodine from Kelp – close to the lower limits for iodine established by AAFCO. The kelp in ORIJEN is rich in 64 minerals that are in a highly bioavailable organic form. 

http://www.championpetfoods.com/faq/


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Tammy St. Louis said:


> why are you wondering about this origanally , is a dog you know having thyroid issues? and you r thinking food change may help


No, some one asked the same question on another forum, at first in regards to Orijen's numbers being so low and a discussion and researching started. It's got me puzzled and intrigued, feels like there's a piece of the puzzle missing.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Tabatha Farnel said:


> Just found this on Orjien's website....
> 
> Q: *IODINE - ORIJEN contains organic kelp. So is ORIJEN high in iodine?*
> A:  No. ORIJEN diets contain between 4.0 mg/kg and 6.0 mg/kg of iodine from Kelp – close to the lower limits for iodine established by AAFCO. The kelp in ORIJEN is rich in 64 minerals that are in a highly bioavailable organic form.
> ...


Right, which completely contradicts their minerals analysis list:
http://orijen.ca/products/adult_dog/analysis

listed as 0.18 mg/kg for both their regular adult food and red meat formulas. Sorry you're right, there is not iodine number provided at all on their website for their fish formula. Great, more mystery.

I wonder if the culprit is wet/original form vs dry/post production numbers? Although I'm sure the AAFCO standard refers to the final product analysis.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Doctors Foster & Smith weigh in:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1306+1448&aid=674


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## Nicole Fisher (Jun 23, 2011)

Wow.. this is pretty concerning for me. I feed Acana to my Boxers.. a breed prone to thyroid issues. 

Googling this for a bit returned a lot of information regarding a possible link between iodine-rich kelp in the diet and thyroid problems. I'm going to research this some more.. and consider possibly switching to a food with less iodine?? Thank you for posting this here.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

Connie, did you find any thing that would suggest what an acceptable low and high range of iodine content would be? I would imagine the 1.5 is optimum but a little higher or lower is still ok, question is by how much.


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## Marta Wajngarten (Jul 30, 2006)

I thought I would share this reply I got from some one elsewhere:

The AAFCO Nutrient Requirements for Iodine are listed on a dry matter basis as a minimum of 1.5mg/kg up to a maximum of 50mg/kg.

The AAFCO also states: "These AAFCO nutrient profiles for dog foods presume an energy density of 3.5 kcal ME/g dry matter. Rations >4.0 kcal/g should be corrected for energy density." ie: 3500kcal ME/kg

For example the Acana Adult Dog food states "ME (metabolizable energy) is 4050 kcal/kg" and Orijen Adult Dog food states Metabolizable energy is 3900 kcal/kg"

The amounts listed on the bags/cans/most manufacture websites are "as fed" not "dry matter" unless stated.

So to accurately compare the foods you would need the nutrient analysis (actual numbers) not the guaranteed (min & max levels), the carb levels and convert all into dry matter and then compare the equalized calorie levels based on 3500kcal MF/kg


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Nicole Fisher said:


> Wow.. this is pretty concerning for me. I feed Acana to my Boxers.. a breed prone to thyroid issues.
> 
> Googling this for a bit returned a lot of information regarding a possible link between iodine-rich kelp in the diet and thyroid problems. I'm going to research this some more.. and consider possibly switching to a food with less iodine?? Thank you for posting this here.


I saw that essay too. And you see the concern on both ends of the scale (too high AND too low)?


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## Nicole Fisher (Jun 23, 2011)

Good info from Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, By National Research Council (U.S.). Ad Hoc Committee on Dog and Cat Nutrition:

http://books.google.com/books?id=aq...ge&q=safe upper limit iodine for dogs&f=false

What I don't like: "Based on this information, an absolute figure for a safe upper limit of dietary iodine cannot be predicted for adult dogs."


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## Nicole Fisher (Jun 23, 2011)

Also just found this:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn46.htm

AAFCO does list a "minimum" and "maximum" of 1.5mg/kg and 50mg/kg respectively. Hmm?


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Is feeding raw better?


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