Stranded dolphins’ brains show signs of Alzheimer’s

Scientists believe their results could confirm the ‘sick leader’ hypothesis, by which an otherwise healthy animal pod finds itself in dangerously shallow waters following the loss of a group leader that may have become confused.

In the study, researchers analysed the brains of 22 dolphins that had been stranded in the coastal waters of Scotland, four of the five dolphin species showed some brain alterations associated with human Alzheimer’s disease.

In particular, three species had amyloid-beta plaques and several other dementia-related pathologies in their brains, suggesting that some dolphin species develop Alzheimer’s-like neuropathology. Dr Mark Dagleish from the University of Glasgow and lead researcher, said: “These are significant findings that show, for the first time, that the brain pathology in stranded odontocetes (dolphins) is similar to the brains of humans affected by clinical Alzheimer’s disease.”

Read full article here published in MRCVS January 2023

What does this have to do with pet food?

The common denominator that we have with mammalian dolphins and humans, is the eating of fish! It is known that fish contains levels of arsenic from the ocean which can bioaccumulate as these fish are eaten by mammals. The studies of the affected dolphins showed that in particular, three species had amyloid-beta plaques and several other dementia-related pathologies in their brains.

A quick Google search shows that arsenic exposure causes these ‘amyloid-beta plaques’ to develop so there should be research into the eating of any fish foods or use of fish oils and the development of Alzheimers in humans and age related dementia in our pets.

It doesn’t stop with arsenic that bioaccumulates in one species and gets stronger when eaten by another species. This article shows the effect of all the dangerous heavy metals and how they bioaccumulate in the organs of feedlot animals….the very organs that are used in the pet food industry!

Fish has been used as a protein and fat source in pet food and continues to be used when we know that dogs and cats are land mammals that would never normally choose to catch fish if left to fend alone in the wild  – especially cats who are originally desert animals. There really should be a complete ban on the use of fish of any sort in pet food…especially if fish are known to be carriers of not only arsenic but also heavy metals such as lead and mercury that bioaccumulate in the tissues of pets fed these foods.

Read here about the presence of arsenic in pet food mentioning fish in particular as a real hazard.

Yet again, even more reason to only eat plant-based natural pure foods – for us and our pets!