No grain free dog food link to DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy)

Posted by Peter Lam on Aug 04, 2020

Latest Update

We have an update on the latest information relating to the incidence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs and cats which is currently being investigated by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Quick Reminder Of FDA Investigation

As a reminder, the FDA issued an alert in July 2018 indicating a possible link between pet foods containing ingredients such as peas, lentils, chick peas, and potatoes which are commonly found in grain-free pet foods and DCM (primarily in dogs). These cases of DCM are confined to a small number of dogs and cats in the USA and there is no known issue in the UK/Europe.

The Investigation/Review

An extensive review of scientific literature and studies related to Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs has been carried out by a group of veterinarians and animal nutritionists from a pet care research and consulting firm (BSM Partners).

The Findings

The resulting paper, published in the June issue of Journal of Animal Science (https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaa155), has concluded that “it is impossible to draw any definitive conclusions, in these cases [referring to those reported to the FDA since the alert they issued in 2018], linking specific diets or specific ingredients to DCM.”

The review also highlights some key issues regarding the cases reported to the FDA, including incomplete diet histories, incomplete medical information (e.g. presence of underlying diseases), inclusion of breeds with a known genetic predisposition to DCM, making it impossible to draw any definitive conclusions about a possible role of diet in the cases reported to the FDA.

The cause(s) for these cases of DCM remains unknown

Unfounded Link Between Grain Free Diets & DCM

The investigation by the FDA is still ongoing and by its own admission “At this time, it is not clear what it is about these diets that may be connected to DCM in dogs.”(taken from the Q&A section about this issue on their website: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fda-center-veterinary-medicines-investigation-possible-connection-between-diet-and).

We have our extremely popular grain free dog and cat food diets below if you have been cautious of grain free pet food but now feel reassured by the FDA's findings.