FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterina...diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy#cases
[h=1]FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy[/h]
Updated June 27, 2019
In July 2018, the FDA announced that it had begun investigating reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as "grain-free," which contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients (listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list, before vitamins and minerals). Many of these case reports included breeds of dogs not previously known to have a genetic predisposition to the disease. The FDA?s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), a collaboration of government and veterinary diagnostic laboratories, continue to investigate this potential association. Based on the data collected and analyzed thus far, the agency believes that the potential association between diet and DCM in dogs is a complex scientific issue that may involve multiple factors.
We understand the concern that pet owners have about these reports: the illnesses can be severe, even fatal, and many cases report eating ?grain-free? labeled pet food. The FDA is using a range of science-based investigative tools as it strives to learn more about this emergence of DCM and its potential link to certain diets or ingredients.
Following an update in February 2019 that covered investigative activities through November 30, 2018, this is the FDA?s third public report on the status of this investigation...

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/it-s-not-going-away-vets-still-seeing-cases-dog-n1107791

'It's not going away': Vets still seeing cases of dog heart problems linked to grain-free food
Exotic ingredients and boutique brands may also be linked to the health issues.
Dec. 27, 2019, 2:47 PM EST
By Linda Carroll

Debbie Turner remembers the shock when a veterinary specialist said her beloved dog, Kanga Lu, had severe heart damage.

For weeks, Kanga had been experiencing odd symptoms, including fatigue, breathing problems and what her local vet assumed were seizures. But now Turner was being told that the Maltese-Chihuahua mix was in late-stage heart failure. The seizures, it turned out, had been fainting spells.

“So I’m sitting with what I thought was a healthy 6-year-old dog that was having minor seizures, and now I find out she might only have three months to live,” said Turner, 66, of Orlando, Florida. “At that point I felt like I was in a bottomless pit with no way out.”
Image: Debbie Turner
Debbie Turner and her dog, Kanga Lu.Debbie Turner

The first question the specialist had asked Turner when she brought in Kanga — whose blood pressure had skyrocketed — was, “Do you feed her grain-free dog food?” The answer was yes.

Turner is one of a growing list of pet owners whose healthy-sounding dog food may have somehow led to a serious heart problem in their pets called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)...