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| Is Grain Free Food Killing Dogs ? |
If you’re confused about the FDA’s announcement linking dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) to grain-free diets, you’re not alone! consistent with an iHeartDogs poll taken by 4,000 people, roughly 50% of householders currently using grain-free are planning on switching, while the opposite 50% are sticking with grain-free.
Here are 7 belongings you got to realize the FDA’s announcement so as to form the simplest decision for your dog:
👉 1) DON’T RELY ONLY ON SUMMARIES AND OPINIONS, READ the particular REPORT FROM THE FDA
Much has been said within the media about the update, but it seems few have read the text or the complete reports.
The most recent FDA update is out there here.
Perhaps more importantly, read the complete list of DCM reports from dog owners and veterinarians.
👉 2) THERE ARE OVER 60 BRANDS NAMED within the REPORT, NOT JUST 16
The mainstream media confusedly began reporting headlines like “These 16 pet food brands are linked to a heart condition .” While these 16 brands had the foremost reports, there are more brands also linked. Other common brands named quite once include Purina, Canidae, Iams, Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet, Halo, Wellness Core, and lots of more. Frustratingly though, the FDA only called out brands and not the precise formula of the food. Often times the precise formula isn’t mentioned, only the brand.
Also, while the bulk of reports (90%) are from grain-free foods using legumes rather than grains, there are still some grain-based foods within the reports. Some have speculated that since the 2018 announcement that the FDA was investigating a link with grain-free caused both owners and veterinarians to disproportionately report incidents involving grain-free foods.
👉 3) DESPITE THE REPORTS, THE FDA doesn't ACTUALLY RECOMMEND CHANGING FOODS (YET)
According to the report, “Based on the info collected and analyzed so far, the agency believes that the potential association between diet and DCM in dogs may be a complex scientific issue which will involve multiple factors.”
In a separate FDA Q&A post, the agency makes the surprising statement “At this point, we aren't advising dietary changes based solely on the knowledge we've gathered so far… we don't think these cases are often explained just by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.” Full Q&A here.
👉 4) GREE-FREE SUBSTITUTES like LENTILS, CHICKPEAS, AND OTHER LEGUMES could also be a part of the matter
Many have mistakenly assumed that grains are the cure to DCM. More likely is that the possibility that legume-based grain-free substitutes are the culprit and are affecting the way a dog’s body processes taurine, resulting in nutritional DCM. While many pet parents are switching back to foods that contain grains, others are choosing grain-free foods that don't contain legumes like peas, chickpeas, and lentils high on the ingredient list.
A commonly believed myth is that grain-free foods are lower in carbohydrates, which is never the case. If your dog doesn’t have a grain allergy or intolerance, you'll not need a grain-free food.
👉 5) DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND ask YOUR VET
Here are some excellent resources on DCM written by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists:
Dr. Lisa Weeth
Dr. Justin Shmalberg
There is also an outsized and really active group on Facebook about nutritional DCM
👉 6) SEEK IMMEDIATE HELP IF YOUR DOG SHOWS SIGNS OF DCM
Out of 77 million dogs within the US, the FDA has received 524 official reports of DCM. However, more cases are likely unreported.
You should get on the lookout for the subsequent possible signs of DCM:
– Decreased energy
– Cough
– Difficulty breathing
– Episodes of collapse
👉 7) do you have to CONSIDER ROTATIONAL FEEDING OR FRESH NON-COMMERCIAL DIETS?
If we’re honest, we've to admit we just don’t know all the facts yet, and neither does the FDA.
With that said, we believe it’s more critical than ever to rotate the foods we feed our dogs. a bit like the ancestors of dogs would rotate the food they dine in the wild, and a bit like we as humans constantly rotate our foods, dogs do better with variety. Rotational feeding isn't popular amongst commercial pet food brands, because it’s not in their best interest for you to be switching brands. But with all the recalls and scares we’ve seen lately, we believe rotational feeding may be a safe bet to attenuate the likelihood of DCM or your pet being suffering from dangerous recalls.
And while it isn't for everybody, there hasn’t been a far better time to a minimum of consider fresh, non-commercial cooked or raw diets. Yes, it takes work and features a potential downside if done incorrectly, but we've to honestly ask ourselves we would like to place the lifetime of our dogs into the hands of any one company. Let’s be honest, our dogs are well worth the overtime and energy, aren’t they?
Because of every dog matters,
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