The FDA cannot recommend a diet switch at this time for a couple of reasons: 1.) They have not examined or know your dog. 2.) Also, there has not been a specific causation yet only a very strong correlation. They are not sure yet if it is due to ingredient interactions or some sort of contamination in the ingredients.
It is too bad the word seems to be getting out slowly. This new grain free fad is sacrificing nutritional value for better “looking” ingredients. Many of us are falling for it, including myself. I’m sticking to the bigger established companies that do research and feeding trials from now on. I do not want my dogs in a sense to be the ones doing the feeding trials.
Here is a current interview with Dr. Martine Hartogensis, the Deputy Director at the US Food & Drug Associations Center for Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Surveillance & Compliance. She says there have now been about 200 dogs diagnosed with DCM do to the food they are eating. I can imagine there will only be more as the word gets out.
FDA on Grain Free Diet Alert
I’m certainly not taking the risk. If they find in the end there is no causation after all, there is no harm done. Just a diet switch. But, if they turn out to be right, your dog could have a “broken” heart.
If concerned about transitioning to a new food, a very helpful vet has recommended feeding a prescription diet to aid in the transition to a new diet. The type of fiber between a food with legumes and potatoes is different than one without and sometimes can be rough. Hope this is helpful!
