Are you considering feeding Grain Free? Here is some information to consider:
Grain free is food that contains no corn, soy, wheat, rice, barley or other grains.
In July 2018, the FDA launched an investigation linking grain free diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) (enlarged heart) due to an overwhelming spike in diagnosed cases. Dogs are omnivores – meaning they ingest both plant and animal matter.
Unless your dog has a proven grain intolerance, diagnosed by either allergy testing or a strict food trial, veterinarians often do not recommend to feed grain free diets. Grains are not just ‘fillers’! They can be very beneficial to our pet’s diet as they provide protein, vitamins and minerals. It is suspected that it’s not necessarily the lack of grains that could be causing heart disease, instead could be what food companies are using in place of grains such as peas, beans, lentils or potatoes. The quality and quantity of ingredients are very important to assess when choosing a diet for your dog.
DCM can be more prominent in certain breeds, Golden Retrievers being #1, and mixed breeds are #2 on the list. Golden retrievers are genetically predisposed to taurine deficiency (an amino acid) which can also contribute to developing DCM. In this study, the FDA compiled a list of the diets most commonly fed to dogs that had developed DCM – and very well known, popular brands were included.
Signs of heart disease could be decreased energy, exercise intolerance, coughing, difficulty breathing or collapse. DCM can be diagnosed by radiographs or an echocardiogram, and blood analysis would be performed as well. Unfortunately, this disease can ultimately decrease a dog’s life span.
Once diagnosed, treatment must start immediately and a diet change should always be taken into consideration. Please contact your vet today to discuss what diet is best for your pet!