There is suspicion that the disease is associated with eating boutique or grain-free diets, with some of the dogs improving when their diets are changed. Recently, some veterinary cardiologists have been reporting increased rates of DCM in dogs – in both the typical breedsĪnd in breeds not usually associated with DCM, such as Miniature Schnauzers or French Bulldogs. In dogs, it typically occurs in large- and giant-breeds, such as Doberman pinschers, Boxers, Irish Wolfhounds, and Great Danes, where it is thought to have a genetic component. DCM can result in abnormal heart rhythms, congestive heart failure (a build-up of fluid in the lungs or abdomen), or sudden death. DCM is a serious disease of the heart muscle which causes the heart to beat more weakly and to enlarge. Because of the thousands of diet choices, the creative and persuasive advertising, and the vocal opinions on the internet, pet owners aren’t able to know if the diets they’re feeding have nutritional deficiencies or toxicities – or could potentially even cause heart disease.ĭilated cardiomyopathy or DCM occurs in cats where it is associated with a nutritional deficiency (see below). All this makes it difficult for pet owners to know what is truly the best food for their pet (as opposed to the one with the loudest or most attractive marketing). Marketing is a powerful tool for selling pet foods and has initiated and expanded fads, that are unsupported by nutritional science, including grain-free and exotic The pet food industry is a competitive one, with more and more companies joining the market every year. However, in the last few years I’ve seen more cases of nutritional deficiencies due to people feeding unconventional diets, such as unbalanced home-prepared diets, raw diets, vegetarian diets, and boutique commercial pet foods. In my 20 years as a veterinary nutritionist, I’ve seen vast improvements in our knowledge about pet nutrition, in the quality of commercial pet foods, and in our pets’ nutritional health (other than the unfortunate rise in obesity). If diet proves to be the cause, this truly is heart-breaking to me. It appears that diet may be increasing dogs’ risk for heart disease because owners have fallen victim to the many myths and misperceptions about pet food. However, a recent increase in heart disease in dogs eating certain types of diets may shed light on the role of diet in causing heart disease. Most nutritional recommendations focus on treating dogs and cats with heart disease and there is much less information on the role of diet in causing heart disease. Heart disease is common in our companion animals, affecting 10-15% of all dogs and cats, with even higher rates in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Doberman Pinschers, and Boxer dogs. And today, now 5 months later, Peanut’s heart is nearly normal! Peanut required several medications to treat his heart failure but the owner also changed his diet. The veterinary cardiologist seeing him asked what he was eating and found that his owner, in a desire to do the best thing for Peanut, was feeding a boutique, grainfree diet containing kangaroo and chickpeas. Peanut had been lethargic, not eating well, and occasionally coughing. A broken heart: Risk of heart disease in boutique or grainfree diets and exotic ingredientsĬlick here to view/download PDF version of this article.Įarlier this year, Peanut, a 4-year-old male Beagle/Lab mix was diagnosed with a lifethreatening heart disease at our hospital.
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