[photo credit: Beautiful With Brains]

You may have seen the ingredient propylene glycol in your dog  food, but what does this actually mean? According to The Dog Food Project, propylene glycol is: “a colorless viscous hygroscopic liquid, CH3CHOHCH2OH, used in antifreeze solutions, in hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent.”

Yikes! What does this even mean?

Viscous means that it is consistently thick between solid and liquid, and sticky too.

Hygroscopic is defined as “readily taking up and retaining moisture.”

What does propylene glycol do in dog food? It is used to keep dry kibble from drying out; however, it is a dangerous addition to dog food. One of the first pieces of information every dog owner should know is to keep dogs away from anti-freeze. While antifreeze is made with ethylene glycol, newer antifreeze formulas are being made with propylene glycol instead for safety reasons.  It only takes one to two tablespoons of ethylene glycol to kill a small animal. This does not make propylene glycol antifreeze less dangerous to dogs. The ingredient has been banned by the FDA for use in cat food due to it causing blood disorder Heinz body anemia; however, it is still allowed in dog food.

Imagine feeding a dry kibble to a dog that contains propylene glycol. Over time, the dog will be ingesting this ingredient, and it will be building up in the system. Propylene glycol as an ingredient should be avoided to keep your pet healthy.

Sources:

Contreras, Sabine. “Ingredients to Avoid .” The Dog Food Project. N.p., 5 Apr. 2007. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.

Guerrero, Diana L. “Propylene Glycol: Anti Freeze & Pet Safety.” Ark Animals. N.p., 12 Mar. 2009. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.

Sagman, Mike. “Propylene Glycol: Dog Food Aid or Automotive Antifreeze?.” Dog Food Advisor. N.p., 2010. Web. 13 Sept. 2011.