Researchers found dogs eating some of these “boutique” diets are not making or maintaining enough taurine, an amino acid important for heart health. Taurine deficiency has been known for many years to lead to dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, a heart muscle disorder that can lead to congestive heart failure and death.
What ingredient in dog food causes DCM?
Currently, peas are at the top of the list of ingredients linked with compounds that might be related to DCM. Diets reported to be associated with DCM are often labeled “grain-free” and usually contain certain ingredients, including peas and potatoes, which are used to replace other ingredients such as rice or corn.
Why does grain-free cause DCM?
The apparent link between BEG diets and DCM may be due to ingredients used to replace grains in grain-free diets, such as lentils or chickpeas, but also may be due to other common ingredients commonly found in BEG diets, such as exotic meats, vegetables, and fruits.
What dog food does not cause heart disease?
At Jacksonville Community Pet Clinics, their vets recommend Purina, Hill’s Science Diet, or Royal Canin pet foods. They believe it is safest for pet owners to avoid feeding grain-free diets until they know the specifics about what’s causing heart disease in pets.
What dog food is best for heart disease?
Some balanced diets include Royal Canin® Veterinary Diet Canine Cardiac, Rayne Clinical Nutrition™ Restrict-CKD™, or Hill’s® Prescription Diet® h/d®. Your veterinarian will help you determine the most appropriate nutrient profile at each stage of your dog’s heart disease progression.
Are peas lentils and potatoes bad for dogs?
Certain types of grain-free dog food seem to be involved, FDA says. Dogs fed “grain free” food based on peas, lentils or potatoes are developing an unusual condition that can cause an enlarged heart, the Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.
What should I feed my dog to avoid DCM?
Diets with these primary ingredients have been linked to DCM. Don’t fill your dog’s bowl with peas—avoid dog foods with peas, lentils and other legumes, as well as potatoes, listed as a primary ingredient.
Can you reverse DCM in dogs?
Many cases of nutritionally induced DCM can be reversed if the nutritional deficiency is identified and treated. Similarly, patients with tachycardia induced DCM can show full reversal of the cardiac changes once the underlying arrhythmia has been treated and controlled.
Do sweet potatoes cause DCM in dogs?
Far fewer dogs diagnosed with DCM were eating foods containing potatoes or sweet potatoes. This means that sweet potatoes, as a treat, will not harm your dog or cause DCM.
Does grain free dog food really cause heart problems?
University of California, Davis, veterinarians led a team that has found a link between some popular grain-free, legume-rich dog diets and a type of nutritional deficiency and canine heart disease known as taurine-deficient dilated cardiomyopathy.
What dog foods do vets recommend?
10 Vet Recommended Dog Food Brands That Are Inexpensive (2021)
- Hill’s Science Diet.
- Royal Canin.
- Purina ProPlan.
- Orijen.
- Wellness Natural Food for Dogs.
- Castor & Pollux.
- Iams/Eukanuba.
- Nutro Ultra.
Does taurine cause DCM in dogs?
Taurine is an amino acid that dogs get naturally in their diets and manufacture from other building blocks contained in the food. Although dogs have the ability to manufacture taurine, it has been known for some time that low levels of taurine are associated with a potentially reversible form of DCM.
How do you reverse heart disease in dogs?
Although treatments cannot reverse heart disease, your dog can live a relatively normal life. The food your dog eats plays an important role in his overall health and well-being. When your dog has been diagnosed with a heart condition, it’s even more important to feed the right dog food.
Does Royal Canin cause heart disease?
Acana topped the list with 67 cases, followed closely by Zignature (64), then Taste of the Wild (53), 4Health (32), Earthborn Holistic (32), Blue Buffalo (31), Nature’s Domain (29) and Fromm (24). So what should you be feeding your dog?
What does taurine do for dogs?
Amino acids for dogs help in the same way as they do humans. Taurine aids in cardiac function, eye health, immune system function, and in multiple other systems. Taurine is especially concentrated in the heart muscle and contributes to it functioning properly.