Ways in which Dioxins affect our dogs and people : 

1. freezing water in plastic water bottles as the heating process releases dioxins in the plastic.

2. heating foods in plastic containers in the microwave

3. heating foods that contain fat – the combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. (if reheating foods, use glass, corning ware or ceramic containers for heating foods)

4. TV dinners, instant ramen and soups should be removed from containers and heated in glass, corning ware or ceramic containers

5. leaving saran wrap on container to heat up also releases dioxins into the food – remove the saran wrap and use a glass lid because the heat causes poisonous droplets from the saran wrap to drip onto the food and be ingested into the body.

6. dioxins are well known for its ability to cause damage to the immune system

7. dioxins interfere with hormonal systems and balance

8. dioxins have been linked to birth defects, inability to maintain pregnancy, decreased fertility, reduced sperm counts, endometriosis, diabetes, learning disabilities, immune system suppression, lung problems, skin disorders, lowered testosterone levels and much more

9. dogs that served in Vietnam were twice as likely to have cancer of the testicles as those dogs that were in the military in the US.

10. dogs and people that live near industrialized plants such as paper mills, have a higher incidence of bladder cancer due to the fact that chlorine bleach used in these plants combines with natural organics in wood pulp and produces dioxin.

11. dogs that live in households where a human worked in an asbestos-related job also developed mesothelioma (asbestos related lung disease), or had an asbestos related hobby, OR dogs that have flea powder applied to the dog. 

12. exposure to insecticides and or herbicides (weed killers), apples orchards, paper company forests. 

13. Agent Orange was a 50-50 mixture of two herbicides : 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D. One of these, 2,4,5-T was banned in the US about 1980 because evidence indicated it could cause birth defects such as spina bifida among other things.  The other half of Agent Orange, 2,4-D remains in wide use throughout the US where it is popular for killing dandelions and other broad-leaf plants in lawns, and as an agricultural weed killer.  Dioxin in 2,4-D  has been shown to damage the reproductive organs and systems of many animals species including humans.

14. other chemicals suspected of causing testicular cancer and dysfunction in dogs and humans is the use of tetracycline and the pesticide malathion.  Tetracycline is strongly absorbed by sperm in mammals, and is known to cause testicular atrophy (shrinkage), and diminished sperm quality in humans and dogs.  Malathion is used in spraying to control mosquitos, however, Malathion is known to cause testicular atrophy and damage in animals.

15. the major sources of dioxins are in our diets.  Dioxin is fat soluble, therefore it bio-accumulates.  It is found mainly in meat and dairy products (beef, dairy products, milk, chicken, pork, fish and eggs) in that order.  In the EPA’s dioxin report, it refers to dioxin as hydrophobic (water-fearing) and lipophilic (fat-loving).  This means that dioxin, when it settles on water bodies, will rapidly accumulate in fish rather than remain in the water. The same goes for other wildlife. Dioxin works its way up the food chain.