Since the Food and Drug Administration first warned of a possible link between a potentially deadly virus canine heart disease and “grain-free” pet foods In 2018, owners and veterinarians continued to report cases of dogs developing diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM.
DCM is a condition in which the heart enlarges, leaving it weaker and less able to pump blood. Certain dog breeds, including the Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, Boxer and Cocker Spaniel, are known to be at higher risk of developing this disease. Golden Retrievers are particularly vulnerable to developing DCM if their diet leaves them deficient in an amino acid called taurine.
The FDA’s most recent tally of dogs, and a much smaller number of cats, with diet-related DCM included 1,382 cases, 255 of which were determined between August 1, 2020 and November 1, 2022.
In 2019, the FDA named 16 Dog Food Brands associated with this rare form of heart disease, although this does not suggest that owners stop giving their pets this food, which often contains high levels of peas, lentils and potatoes.
Researchers and veterinarians don’t yet know exactly how dog and cat food can damage the hearts of some animals, but a study published in 2021 suggests that one of the culprits could be high levels of peas in some pet foods.
This discovery was confirmed in May when Canadian scientists published a study on the effects of a 28-day diet on eight adult beagle dogs, a breed chosen because it is not known to be susceptible to heart disease. Veterinary researchers at the University of Saskatchewan fed the dogs one of three diets: a traditional diet; a grain-free diet rich in lentils; and a grain-free, pea-rich diet. They then repeated the experiment with the other two diets so that all the beagles had experience with all three diets. Researchers observed “DCM-like changes” in dogs that had been consuming a pea-based diet for 28 days.
It’s not yet clear why peas might harm pets’ hearts, said study lead author Lynn Weber, professor of veterinary biomedical sciences at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine. .
One possibility is the amount of fiber in peas. “I suspect that if we remove all peas from all dog and cat foods, we’re still going to have a problem,” Weber said, emphasizing that more research is needed to find out what peas and possibly others mean. ingredients. leading to heart damage.
The best evidence linking DCM to certain diets is how dogs’ hearts improve once they switch to a traditional diet, said Dr. Aly Cohen, associate veterinarian at Riney Canine Health Center and clinical instructor at Maddie’s. Shelter Medicine Program at Cornell. University school of veterinary medicine.
The peak in the number of reports – 608 between May 1, 2019 and July 31, 2020 – came shortly after the FDA issued the pet food brand names which seems to be linked to the development of DCM.
FDA spokeswoman Veronika Pfaeffle noted that the agency’s investigation into the matter was continuing, but cautioned against reading too much into the new statistics.
“While adverse event numbers may be a potential signal of a problem with an FDA-regulated product, they do not by themselves provide sufficient data to establish a causal relationship with the product(s). reported,” Pfaeffle said in an email. The FDA has not recalled any pet food products and the agency does not plan to issue further public updates until “there is significant new scientific information to share.”
Although the rate of new cases appears to have slowed, experts say the problem may be more widespread than the number of reports suggests.
Dr. William Rausch says his cardiology practice still receives about one new case each week. And since studies have shown that dogs can develop CMD for years without symptoms, “this suggests that for every case I see, there are many more (dogs) who appear normal but develop the disease,” she said. said Rausch, a researcher. veterinary cardiologist in private practice and assistant professor at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The Pet Food Institute, an industry group that represents most pet food companies in the United States, appreciates the FDA’s attention to the issue, said Sherri Kirk, a spokeswoman for the organization. , in an email. “Our members continue to conduct research to determine the highest quality and safest ingredients to provide a complete and balanced food to help dogs live long, healthy lives.”
Symptoms to watch out for
For the most part, dogs show no signs until they experience heart failure, said Dr. Terri DeFrancesco, professor of cardiology and critical care at the State University College of Veterinary Medicine. North Carolina.
Signs that a dog is developing heart failure include:
- Decreased activity.
- Fatigue.
- Lethargy.
- To cough.
- Shortness of breath.
- Decreased appetite.
For dog and cat owners, discovering that carefully chosen foods may have damaged a beloved pet’s heart can be heartbreaking.
Julie Carter was stunned when her 3 1/2-year-old golden retriever, Oliver, was diagnosed first with a heart murmur and then, after an echocardiogram, with full-blown DCM in February 2018. Shortly Afterward, Carter’s other golden retriever was diagnosed with DCM, but at an earlier stage than Oliver.
After explaining his condition, Carter’s veterinarian asked what type of dog food Oliver had eaten. “It was really horrible to think that I could have been responsible in any way because of my choice of his diet,” a resident of Florham Park, New Jersey, told NBC News.
Carter switched both dogs to a food with a more traditional formulation and put them on cardiac treatment. But the damage to Oliver’s heart was too great and after six months he died. Carter’s other dog, Riley, eventually recovered.
Before the FDA’s first notice, some veterinarians had already seen cases of DCM that appeared to be linked to certain dog foods.
“The first case I saw was in 2017,” DeFrancesco said.
The veterinary cardiologist said she used to report every case, but with media coverage of the problem and the loss of the staff member who handled the FDA reports, she stopped. It’s likely that reporting to the FDA is just the tip of the iceberg, because many owners and veterinarians don’t have time to fill out the forms, DeFrancesco said.
DeFrancesco believes that diet-related DCM is most likely multifactorial, with some animals inheriting a genetic susceptibility triggered by certain types of diets.
“Millions of dogs are on these diets, but millions are not getting DCM,” she said, adding that she advises pet owners to avoid non-traditional formulations because you can’t know in advance if an animal might be sensitive.
There is a way for pet owners who don’t want to give up their nontraditional brand of pet food to check their heart health, said Dr. Joe Bartges, professor of internal medicine, interventional radiology and nutrition at the Center. Veterinary Medicine from the University of Washington. University of Georgia.
“There are biomarkers that can determine whether the heart muscle has been damaged,” Bartges said, adding that veterinarians can perform a blood test that measures levels of a protein called BNP.
Cornell’s Cohen advises owners to avoid any pet food that contains the following in the top 10 ingredients:
- Peas.
- Lenses.
- Chickpeas.
- Potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Even with the media coverage of power-related DCM, some owners are unaware of the problem. Carter, who participates in a DCM Facebook group, recently heard from another golden retriever owner whose dog had died from the disease.
“Her 5-year-old golden retriever died two months ago after being fed one of the diets linked to this disease,” Carter said. “His loss hit me hard, especially considering the age and breed of his dog. I put my head on my desk and cried.
CLARIFICATION: (August 27, 6:50 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article did not include the FDA’s full response. It has been updated to reflect that the agency says it has not “established a causal relationship” between the reported heart damage and pet food products.