GRAIN FREE DIETS

Many pet owners shop for their pets’ food with their hearts. It makes us feel good to treat our pets with what we perceive as high quality food. To be clear, no one is arguing that these diets are not good diets with quality ingredients. Unfortunately a surge of grain free and limited ingredient diets has revealed a disturbing trend.

Heart disease rates have increased recently according to a study performed at UC Davis. This study specifically pertains to a certain heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM. The preliminary results seem to point to an amino acid issue, namely taurine. Not all patients test abnormally for this amino acid and not all dogs responded well to increased supplementation. While the true cause of this problem is still being investigated, the United States Food and Drug Administration are working with Veterinary specialists and willing pet food manufacturers to try to identify and remedy the problem.

My request for all pet owners is to choose a pet food with a valid AAFCO statement for their pets life stage, and don’t believe the hype about non-traditional diets. There is no evidence to suggest that a vast majority of dogs will do worse on a standard diet which contains grains as a carbohydrate source. This is a delicate subject with many fierce supporters on both sides, with very strong convictions. I only ask owners to at least talk with their Vet about the risks and benefits of their current diet and any conditions or worries they may have. Nutrition is a highly complex subject with many
potential pitfalls and variables.

As with any problem, there are shining examples of dogs and cats who miraculously improved after changing from diet A to diet B. I am writing this not to disparage any food manufacturer or owner, but to open their eyes to a potential problem we should all work towards solving as soon as possible.
Open the lines of communication with your Veterinary professional and get involved with your pets health!

Please contact us today if you have any questions and for more information.