Flouride free water for GSDs? - Page 1

Yes, I essentially agree with your statement Hodie.  I haven't studied toxicology for over 25 years, but when I did the common belief was that most well water had at least trace amounts of flourine, but unless it was at least  approaching 1 ppm, it was considered to have no real medical implications, good or bad (and the vast majority of well, except for the mountain states and a few other exceptions had less).  If I remember correctly, the mountain states had the most flouride in their well water naturally due to runoff from the mountains, and some areas it surpassed 1 ppm.  In town wells with higher concentrations over 2or3 ppm, I think it caused brown staining or motteling of the teeth and was suspected to cause some brittleness of the bones in some individuals. 

The issue as I see it is the usual risk/benefit matrix.  What is the risk of too much flouride consummed versus any clear medical benefits.  Supposedly it has been generally accepted that approx. 1 ppm flouride in the drinking water provides better dental health (less cavities, harder enamel) for most, with one caveat (if there is no other significant consumption of flouride).  The problem is that there has been research showing that there is excessive consumption of flouride because of multiple source intake (it's added as a supplement to some bottled water, baby food, processed food, TV dinners, microwave foods, etc.).  There have been incidents of flouride poisoning of the public (at least two I know of) where the injection equipment malfunctioned, resulting in illness and death of the citizens.  Recently an association between excessive flouride consumption due to multiple source ingestion and increased rates of childhood bone cancer was discovered.  As with any statistical association discovered, this does not automatically prove causation, but the evidence is growing and is accepted by a number of prominant and highly respected medical researchers and MDs who are expressing concern and making recommendations to parents of young children that they be careful to limit the overall intake of flouride for their infants. 

Personally I think it may be safer and more effective to have one's kids teeth swabbed with flouride gel  by the dentist once every couple years after their permanent teeth come in and then adequately rinsed, as a prevention for cavities.  I do not believe that systemic intake of flouride in food or water is as good as this or that it really aids the skeletal structure in any significant, measurable way and may pose unnecessary risks (but the Jury is still out on this).

This is a very controversial subject because of all the politics and industrial misbehavior associated with this practice in the past (self-serving financial interests, corporate collusion, etc.) and because of all the seemingly contradictory scientific studies.  In general I just don't believe flouride in the water given to my GSDs would do anything other than expose them to additional statistical risk.  But that is only my personal view and my opinion.   It won't poison and kill the GSDs immediately upon consumption of 1-3ppm.  Any effects if they occur at all would have to be over a longer period of months or years and perhaps only to susceptible animals. The actual in vitro developmental effects if any are really unknown at this time. But I believe it is a needless risk with no return for GSDs, puppies in vitro or newborns.  And some scientists believe even at usual flouride consumption levels thyroid function can be affected in certain susceptible individuals.

I agree and I posted two months ago about the chlorine intake in our water systems is also very bad and toxic over long term use...and chlorine is classified as an   "insecticide"  

Bottled osmosis reverse filtration is the way to go both human and pets......My well water has to be double (4 filters) filtered because high iron and other to high levels of minerals  .....

Water in Dallas will knock you light out certain days of the month and the same in the city I live in.....Many studies are being done on the effects of both chlorine and flouride

Read the book   by   Steve Tredeau      The Things they dont want you to know ......Natural cures...

For many years I have filtred all incoming water, both for us and for our dogs. Aside from the dirt (not a real threat to health) caused by construction, line break repairs and hydraulic shock, much of the time the water had a foul taste because it came from lakes where I lived and there was the annual lake "turnover" effect. The algae delivered by the turnover effect did not pose a health risk but gave the water a foul smell and taste.

Chlorine is necessary to kill organisms that live in the water, and of course it has a short life in the water until it is lost to evapouration. In years past I would fill buckets with fresh water and allow them to stand for a couple of days before switching them. Several years ago municipal water treatment entities began to use ammonium to bind the chlorine for a new bonded treatment chemical known as chloromet. The chloromet does not evapourate as does the simple chlorine.

I use a three-stage water filtre these days that (a) has a paper prefiltre for coarse particulate (b) uses fine builder's sand to remove and bind fine particulate (c) uses a shredded zinc compound to provide the chemical action to render the chemicals harmless and (d) finally uses cracked charcoal to improve the taste. Of course this is not a reverse-osmosis system as Preston describes-it is merely a successive fitre array.

Does it make a difference? Soap dissolves a bit better and our skin and hair seems healthier. We all know the purpose of a flouridated water supply, and that is to improve dental health. Does it still make a difference? I ask this question because many toothpastes are nowadays flouridated. I have observed this controvery before with public water supplies that were preparing to add flouridation. We know there is an ongoing analysis of the water's quality as it leaves the treatment center, but what does this mean to any of us? Unless we can see the daily reports, observe the level of dosing and understand what it means it is useless.

The water that I drank as a youngster in Germany was well water, as was much of the water I drank in the States until my early twenties. And I have bad teeth that are full of a metallic amalgam that contains mercury. Would flouride have made a difference with me? Gee I don't know and base the next statement on what I know to be true about my parents. My father had great teeth and was able to keep most of them and is now 77 years old. My mother lost all of hers as a teenager. So I possibly inherited bad teeth. I agree with the spirit of Preston's post as many public health decisions were made before all of the risks were known and in some cases ignored. Witness the use of asbestos in residential building products until the late 1970's and the continued use of mercury in lighting products and switchgear.

I think the dogs are not so different from us, and need water that is free of chemical properties as much as possible.

Regards,

Bob-O

I live in the country and am on a well.  All my dogs get well water, without flouride.  I raise working German Shepherds, which by their very nature, bite hard.  I also give my dogs knuckle bones.  I have wondered if the lack of flouride would weaken teeth, and have even considered adding some to their water.  Recently I went to the dentist, where I purchased a stronger than over the counter, flouride toothpaste for myself.  Now I'm wondering if I shoud be using it.  I will say, I have never had a problem with broken teeth in my dogs.  Thank you for posting this information about the flouride.

Dennis

Question: Can naturally occuring fluoride be too much to the point that a well would be condemned? If so, what would be the health ramifications for both, humans and dogs (besides speckles on teeth that is)? The reason I am asking is that we had looked at a piece of property to purchase and the neighbor told us about her first well having too much fluoride and that they had to put in another one! Now, we are a bit worried about taking this property under consideration.

Chris

I'm very lucky.  The town I live in is in the same area that the Ice Mountain plant is located.  Our well water is so good that they're bottling it.   They just ran city water past the house but I refuse to hook up to it when our well water is this tasty.

Have the water tested and then put in a bang up filtering system   I use the cartidge system with carbon filters by Omni , but would love to have a reverse Osmosis system for my home   but that is big bucks....I had an opportunity to trade a dog for a system several years back but I made a mistake and said no ,,,I dont trade dogs....should have...I was not very learned about well water.....I have since learned   all water has to be filtered.....mine has mega iron and since I havent tested in a while , I believe I will put that on my list...for next week....

The Shandra help project is first for this next week...

Get the book      Natural Cures   The Tings they dont want you to Know     by   Kevin Treadeau     at Walmart book shelf....two editions   first one  and the second one he names all the apples to eat by name and names the natural brands  by name ....which he didnt do in the first book....