| Last fall you may have learned of a warning from FDA regarding a suspected link between certain kinds* of dog foods and heart disease in dogs - specifically, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). FDA has recently updated its public notice and have included the dog food brands named most frequently in these cases reported to FDA. |
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*While the term "grain-free" has been used extensively, the types of diets in question have now been expanded to also include certain pet foods containing a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients (listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list, before vitamins and minerals).
Source: FDA
The potential association between diet and DCM in dogs is complex, may involve multiple factors, and is still being studied. While there are particular dog breeds known to be genetically predisposed to DCM, many "atypical" breeds of dogs not known to be genetically predisposed to the disease have been affected. (This phenomenon is actually what prompted veterinary cardiologists to take notice in the early days of this problem).
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Marketing firms have gotten us used to interpreting some ingredient words such as “by-products” as bad and others such as “grain-free” or “all natural” as good. You probably aren’t surprised to hear that reality is a little more complicated than fancy labels and commercials. |
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