New FDA Investigation

[dturm]

FDA investigating link between dog food ingredients, heart condition

The FDA is investigating whether dog foods that contain peas, lentils, other legumes or potatoes as their main ingredients have caused dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs not prone to the disease. The agency asked pet owners and veterinarians to report DCM in dogs that are not predisposed to the disease, and experts say dog owners should discuss their pets' diets with a veterinarian.

This story was recently released. No firm results from investigation, but something to be aware of.

Doug, DVM

[myredracer]

LJAZ wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

Including poop in some cases.....:)

Not to mention grass, mulch, flowers, potting soil, lizards, bugs, etc.

Our old Lab sure used to keep the lawn clean! DW used to watch her out the window and run out behind to clean up the p**p as it was hitting the ground. Gross!

Our Springer Spaniel loves to munch on freshly cut grass. Problem is, besides barfing it up sometimes, he's allergic to it and ends up with red eyes and coughing and wheezing. He just can't relate the two things for some reason...

Our Springer loves all sorts of raw veggies - potato, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and more (no onions allowed) as well as many types of fresh fruit. Weird!

[lily123456]

you should watch your feed

[Ralph_Cramden]

Finally Time wrote:
Never under-estimate what a bored Aussie and a young Chow mix can do when left alone for a few hours.

When our LabChow was a puppy, she had a habit of chomping our Logitech Harmony Remotes, which were a pricey piece of hardware back in the day.............She destroyed at least 3 of them. To this day when she farts the channel sometimes changes.

[BCSnob]

This blog has a good summary of the investigation including literature references
The Skept Vet

[Toolguy5]

Does this include sweet potatoes?

[Walaby]

Thanks Dr Doug

Have to discuss this with my vet. My corgi of 12 years was diagnosed with a heart condition a couple of months ago. She has a recent history of panting and we had all kinds of tests run, and everything came back negative. They did a echo and discovered the issue. I can't recall exactly what they called it. It wasn't CHF, and I don't think it was DCM. Doc said it was treatable and prescribed ENALAPRIL.

Schatzi has allergies, and the only food we could find that she can eat was Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain. Just checked the ingredients and it has everything you listed. Lentils, peas, legumes, potatoes....

She has been on that food for years, but only developed this panting within the last year. Maybe this explains why the heck nothing ever came back with all of her tests, until the echo. BTW - meds don't seem to help all that much.

Thanks for the post

Mike

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

dturm wrote:
There is no conclusive evidence now, just some subjective information that needs further study. I'm not sure I'd do anything now if your dog is doing well on the diet now being fed. If you are choosing a new diet, maybe avoid legumes and potato without specific reason to feed them (like allergy).

These ingredients became popular when the "grain free" fad became popular. Perhaps unintended consequences.

As far as DCM, it presents like congestive heart failure. The diagnosis isn't too big a challenge, but does require ultrasound (echocardiogram) for diagnosis.

Thanks, Dr Doug - I will bother to be worried when the silliness stops 🙂 Jimmy, who is pretty much blind from cataracts, will stumble onto a stick, and then with glee, pick it up and throw it for himself to play fetch. Of course, then the long protracted search-by-nose begins.... often interrupted by Ben, the stinker, seeing and stealing the stick. Eventually, Ben has to rub it in Jimmy's nose that he has the desired toy and will poke him with it - and the chase ensues....

[Finally_Time]

And don't forget plastic; another name for dog candy. Mine chewed up all six of my automatic sprinkler valves and for good measure dug up a couple of sprinkler heads and killed them. Never under-estimate what a bored Aussie and a young Chow mix can do when left alone for a few hours.

[LJAZ]

SidecarFlip wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

Including poop in some cases.....:)

Not to mention grass, mulch, flowers, potting soil, lizards, bugs, etc.

[SidecarFlip]

azdryheat wrote:
Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

Including poop in some cases.....:)

[azdryheat]

Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

[dturm]

There is no conclusive evidence now, just some subjective information that needs further study. I'm not sure I'd do anything now if your dog is doing well on the diet now being fed. If you are choosing a new diet, maybe avoid legumes and potato without specific reason to feed them (like allergy).

These ingredients became popular when the "grain free" fad became popular. Perhaps unintended consequences.

As far as DCM, it presents like congestive heart failure. The diagnosis isn't too big a challenge, but does require ultrasound (echocardiogram) for diagnosis.

[charwan]

We've had dogs all along and all we feed them is rice, ground beef, and peas not cooked together. This has been going on for years and never had a dog with heart problems.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

Well, now you made me go read the ingredient list on my dog food, to see that peas are the 3rd listed ingredient. Hmmm. Dr Doug, is DCM pretty easy to diagnose? Clearly, my 2 active guys do well on their food; and with Jimmy being diabetic, I would prefer to stay with the Diamond Naturals Adult Light. Is this something I can put in the back of my mind, and at the first sign of lethargy, diminished appetite, etc - take them to my Vet? I also noted that the breeds prone to this seem to be large dogs - would this advisory pertain more to other large breeds NOT included in the "prone" list? (Jimmy and Ben are mini-AussiePoos)