Nutritional Recommendations

What’s the Big Deal with Pet Food? And What Happened to Grain-Free Diets?

Health & Harmony Animal Hospital’s veterinarians primarily recommend the following pet food brands: Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan.

Why?

In recent years, the number of pet diet options has grown dramatically. While this gives pet owners more choices, it also creates more uncertainty about what foods are truly safe and nutritionally balanced.

Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan have all undergone extensive scientific research and quality testing. Additionally, there have been no reported cases linking these brands to Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

In June 2018, nutritionists at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine published a study titled: “A Broken Heart: Risk of Heart Disease in Boutique or Grain-Free Diets and Exotic Ingredients” . The study examined the connection between certain diets and DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy).

“Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a serious disease of the heart muscle that causes the heart to enlarge and pump less effectively. It can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, congestive heart failure, or sudden death.

Traditionally, DCM was most commonly seen in large dog breeds such as Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Irish Wolfhounds, and Great Danes. However, veterinary cardiologists began reporting increased rates of DCM in breeds not typically associated with the disease, including Miniature Schnauzers and French Bulldogs.

Researchers suspected a possible connection between these cases and boutique, grain-free, or exotic ingredient diets.”

The article concluded:

“If you’re feeding your dog a boutique, grain-free, or exotic ingredient diet, watch for early signs of heart disease such as weakness, reduced exercise tolerance, coughing, shortness of breath, or fainting. Your veterinarian may recommend additional testing if abnormalities are detected.”

In November 2018, Tufts University published a follow-up article: “It’s Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy” .

• It’s not just grain-free diets. Researchers found that the issue may involve boutique brands, exotic ingredients, or grain-free formulas collectively referred to as “BEG diets.” Ingredients commonly used to replace grains, such as lentils and chickpeas, may play a role.
• Most dogs diagnosed with DCM do not have taurine deficiencies. Supplementing taurine alone may not reduce the risk of DCM unless a true deficiency exists.
• Raw and homemade diets are not necessarily safer alternatives. DCM has also been diagnosed in dogs eating raw or home-cooked diets, and these diets may introduce additional nutritional risks if not properly formulated.

A subsequent paper published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association titled “Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs: What Do We Know?” summarized the concern:

“Pet food marketing has outpaced the science, and owners are not always making science-based decisions despite wanting the best for their pets. Although an association between certain diets and DCM has been observed, a direct cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been proven.”

In June 2019, the FDA released its report: “FDA Investigation into Potential Link Between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy” .

“The FDA is continuing to investigate and gather additional information to determine whether there is a specific dietary link to the development of DCM.”

Based on current research and case reports, Health & Harmony Animal Hospital continues to recommend Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet, and Purina Pro Plan diets for our patients.

We encourage all pet owners to speak directly with their veterinarian about the best diet for their individual pet.