Grain Free Dog Food and Possible Health Implications By: Kamryn Nicole Batts

Is grain-free the correct food option for your dog?

In July 2018 the U.S. FDA began notifying pet owners and veterinarians about the reported relationship between canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and in dogs eating certain pet foods containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes as main ingredients. Canine DCM is a disease that results in an enlarged heart and affected 515 dogs between January 1, 2014, and April 30, 2019. While some of the dogs in the Food and Drug Administration’s study were not genetically predisposed to canine dilated cardiomyopathy, larger male dogs tend to be more affected.

So, what’s your next step as a dog owner?

Be aware of the signs of DCM/another heart condition. 

•  Signs that your dog may be suffering from DCM or a heart condition include decreased energy, cough, difficulty breathing and episodes of collapse. If you notice your dog displaying any of these signs, you should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
• Avoid ingredients such as peanut hulls, corn cobs, oat hulls, rice hulls, soybean hulls, cottonseed hulls, brewer’s rice, almond shells, grain fragments, powdered cellulose, soy mill run, wheat mill run, wheat mill run, wheat middling’s, fermentation waste.
• Better grains for your dogs include rice (brown rice is the best), barley, oats, rye, whole wheat, and gluten-free millet and quinoa.

https://www.k9ofmine.com/best-dog-food-with-grains/

These are top human foods you can feed your dog, along with a healthy dog food your vet may recommend.