Interesting article on Menadione

sooner

I understand your argument about amounts, but since there isn't a definitive research study done on menadione given to dogs and cats at trace amounts over long periods of time, and it's something that's relatively easy to avoid, I'm not going to risk it. JMO though :-)

I am with you on this one, Kelly.  I try to avoid foods containing menadione.  However, I will say, other than the Dog Food Project, I haven't found any other source that would indicate there is a valid reason to do so.  Personally, I think Lillian is on a bit of a "witch hunt" too.  To your point, it is easy to find foods without it and that is what I do.

Menadione is added as an inexpensive vitamin K supplement in commercial foods. The common statement as to why it is added is "to help with blood clotting", yet it is scientifically proven that the effectivity of menadione on blood clotting is inferior. Even veterinarians will administer vitamin K1 as an antidote to dogs who have for example ingested rat poison, which causes internal bleeding.

Manufacturers who use menadione in their products also like to claim that it is "more stable" than natural vitamin K and has "more nutritional value". Not a single one of them has acknowledged the scientifically proven side effects of this substance.

It is simple to come to a conclusion about the truth in these statements when you consider that

• not all pet food companies add menadione to their foods and dogs have eaten these products for years without developing deficiencies
• the National Research Council was not able to demonstrate a dietary requirement for vitamin K in dogs during tests when natural ingredients were fed and
• fish meals, liver and green plant supplements (e.g. alfalfa, kelp and other seaweed, nettle leaf, blue-green algae, spirulina) are rich sources of natural vitamin K.

 Good lord people! This thread is 2 years old, TWO! If I'm out of line feel free to tell me, but this stuff really BUGS.

24Pawsnclaws

Wow...you're probably also the same kind of person who is clueless about GMO's, High Fructose Corn Syrup, ASPARTAME phthalates, SLS and all the poisons they put in your food, cleaning supplies and cosmetics because the FDA ( worthless ) says it's "OK" until 10 or 20 yrs down the road people are dropping like flies from cancer or diabetes or immune system disease, brain tumors etc..... SCARY.... truly scary.

 That was very rude, totally unnecessary.

I find it rather rude that a few people seem to believe that a thread can't ever be revisited and feel they must jump in and inform a poster of the age of a thread and with a rather rude tone.   Perhaps the poster knew the thread was old but felt like adding to it or commenting.  What does it matter how old the thread is?