FDA pet food investigation: What to know about diet-related heart disease

Since the FDA first warned about a possible link between a canine heart condition and “grain free” dog foods, owners and vets have continued to report cases of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Since the Food and Drug Administration first warned about a possible link between a potentially fatal canine heart condition and “grain free” pet foods in 2018, owners and veterinarians have continued to report cases of dogs developing diet-related dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM.

DCM is a disease in which the heart gets larger, leaving it weaker and less able to pump blood. Some larger breeds of dogs, such as golden retrievers and Great Danes, are susceptible to the condition.

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 had been determined between Aug. 1, 2020, and Nov. 1, 2022.

In 2019, the FDA named 16 brands of dog food associated with the rare form of heart disease, although it didn't suggest that owners stop giving the food, which often contains high levels of peas, lentils and potatoes, to their pets.

Researchers and veterinarians don't yet know exactly how dog and cat food might cause damage to some pets’ hearts, but a study published in 2021 suggested that a culprit could be the high levels of peas in certain pet foods.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-pet-food-dogs-diet-heart-disease-rcna101224

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