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Joanne I believe it’s so much more complicated then peas/legumes causing lack of absorption of taurine. Way over my head with scientific explanations but I get the gist that not ALL grain free is causing DCM. Below is sited from JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE OXFORD:
Other recent publications highlight the need for careful nutrient formulation.
Several recent papers, both original research and reviews, likewise highlight the unknowns surrounding grain-free diets (typically legume or pulse-based, but sometimes also with āexoticā ingredients such as kangaroo, bison, or wild boar) and DCM. For example, Adin et al. (2019) examined 48 dogs of many breeds with diagnosed DCM and having a known diet history. Among grain-free diets being consumed in this study, 1 dog was particularly associated with DCM, possibly underscoring the importance of specific diet formulation. Furthermore, 2 dogs switched from that diet to other grain-free diets showed improvement in their DCM; it is unclear if those dogs were taurine deficient or if they also received taurine and/or carnitine supplementation. This suggests that grain-free composition per se may not be the root cause of DCM. Another recently published case series of 24 Golden Retrievers with DCM and known diet histories were evaluated, and an association between grain-free diets and DCM was suggested (Kaplan et al., 2018). Most dogs (15 of 24) were fed a single diet which was significantly associated with low blood taurine concentrations, again suggesting that specific diet formulation may play an important role. However, as in the previous study, soluble vs. insoluble fiber concentrations were not available for the diets, nor were taurine, methionine, or cysteine concentrations, meaning that the true nutrient profiles of the diets could not be assessed and reinforcing the point that diet formulation for nutrientsānot ingredientsāis essential. It also suggests that nutrient requirements may vary widely based on breed, diet, and other phenotypic data. Indeed, most of the dogs with DCM in the previously described study were consuming less energy compared with their predicted requirements (Kaplan et al., 2018). It also bears pointing out that the numbers in both studies were very low (representing less than 100 DCM-affected dogs between them), which surely represents a fraction of the dogs consuming grain-free, pulse-based diets. A recent thoughtful review supports these conclusions by reiterating the crucial need for plant-based diets for dogs to be formulated with sufficient quantities of bioavailable methionine and cysteine to support adequate taurine synthesis (Dodd et al., 2018). This can be achieved with the addition of purified AAs and other sources that are readily available (Gloaguen et al., 2014). Finally, a recent commentary carefully concludes that a true cause-and-effect relationship between grain-free diets and DCM has not been proven, and other factors may ultimately be more important (Freeman et al., 2018). Taken together, these recent publications may point to faulty nutrient formulation in some, but not all, grain-free diets.
Effect of Dietary Fiber on Taurine Status and RISK of Canine DCM
Dietary fiber has been shown to affect the taurine status in dogs. For example, commercial diets formulated with lamb meal and rice bran were shown to cause taurine deficiency in part because of low bioavailable cysteine from lamb meal and possibly more importantly due to the effects of rice bran fiber on gastrointestinal metabolism of taurine (Johnson et al., 1998; TĆ“rres et al., 2003). It has been hypothesized that high-fiber diets can increase susceptibility to taurine deficiency by 2 mechanisms of action linked to obligatory bile acid conjugation with taurine in dogs (OāMĆ”dille et al., 1965) and reliance on enterohepatic circulation for the reabsorption of bile acids and taurine. First, high-fiber diets may increase fecal output and losses of taurine-conjugated bile. This would require higher synthesis rates of bile in the liver, and consequently, higher utilization of taurine (Story, 1978). Second, high consumption of fermentable fibers may increase the abundance of microbial populations that degrade taurine in the intestinal lumen (Kim et al., 1996a, 1996b). Either alone or together, increased excretion or degradation of taurine from high-fiber diets may decrease enterohepatic circulation and recycling of taurine. Given that taurine is the only AA used for bile acid conjugation in dogs, over time, high-fiber diets could increase the risk of taurine insufficiency in dogs and lead to DCM.Have you tried some of the flavors/proteins in freeze dried food? It’s not sold at petco/petsmart. My feed supply store always takes it back if they don’t eat. You do have to rehydrate a little with warm water. I use Primal and Stella chewys for my dogs. Went through every brand of canned be it stews or pate and wouldest as your cat for a day or two then turn up her nose. The freeze dried she consistently eats though. The brands are available for cats also. Worth a try. I know the frustration. Good luck.
So very sorry about your dogs passing. My Chloe also died from pneumonia . . She had no symptoms until I noticed at her walk that day.she would keep stopping with labored breathing. Took her to our long time vet same day. Unfortunately, when diagnosed with x-rays we trusted him when he assured us to just give antibiotics and take her into a steamy shower tap to loosen congestion on her chest and she’ll be fine He wasn’t concerned .Early the next morning we rushed her back to vets office when her breathing got worse .. We were told race to the large animal emergency hospital 15 minutes away. She died in my arms as we pulled into parking lot. We still feel such guilt . She was struggling to breath that night but since I got two antibiotics into her we thought because of assurance from vet, that breathing would improve and she’ll be fine. She was 13 and we and vet should have been more concerned at that age . I mean how could a vet see a dog the day before her death and not know she was very ill. This was many years ago but tears are still coming from my eyes thinking about this. Vet and head vet from office called to apologize . I think they thought we would sue. Mistakes are made so must forgive him and ourselves.
Regarding the enlarged heart. Many small breeds have genetic chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD) . That is what my soon to be 17 year old Chihuahua has. So if your vet didn’t clarify after ultrasound is DCM then especially if she was a small breed the enlarged heart could be from mitral valve disease. This type never has anything to do with diet.
I feed Stella’s also. Their kibble has a lot of peas/legumes. They assure me that their small breed chicken has high protein coming from meat vs legumes. However, kibble is a tiny part of their diet. Mostly mine eat Stella’s freeze dried chicken and turkey flavor/protein. I rotate to be safe with Primal turkey/sardine and duck. I also feed Bixbi rawwble in beef and chicken and salmon. I started VERY slowly with each protein/brand and now I just mix it up every few months. They also get our cooked food when appropriate. Hope this helps.I know that many disparage Susan Thixton on this board. I never understood why that is so. . I think she does hard work and at least woke me up in thinking about what I have been feeding my dogs and the lack of transparency of the pet food industry .(TruthaboutPetFood).”, Susan learned the ‘truth’ about pet foods the hard way. Her four legged best friend, Sam, died from bone cancer.From that day forward, Susan studied the pet food industry. TruthaboutPetFood.com began in 2004; today pet owners from all over the world visit TruthaboutPetFood learning about pet food regulations, ingredients, and recall alerts. TruthaboutPetFood.com provides a free newsletter and hosts a subscription based pet product review publication Petsumer Report. Susan is also the author of Buyer Beware and co-author of Dinner PAWsible.
So if you read below it says that the FDA is not allowing “boutique” brands to participate in the DCM study. Why is that? Also that Merrick, owned by Purina is also implicated in DCM. Why aren’t they taking Merricks grain free off the market . You would think that since Purina would not want to be associated with foods that are not formulated correctly?
An email received yesterday emphasized a very real problem of pet food. Yesterday (3/13/19) a 3 year old dog died of diet-related taurine deficiency induced DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy). This dog (and another dog in the same household also diagnosed with diet-related taurine deficiency induced DCM) was fed Merrick Grain Free Kibble.
A video attached to the email (sent by the pet ownerās sister) was gut wrenching to watch. It showed this young dog struggling to breath. A āComplete and Balancedā dog food destroyed her heart.
Another āComplete and Balanceā dog food destroyed a family.
How many dogs have to die before FDA takes action?
We donāt know. FDA has issued two statements to pet owners; one in July 2018 and another in February 2019.
Of concern: the FDA has chosen to work ONLY with Big Pet Feed through their trade association Pet Food Institute on the DCM investigation. FDA has refused our requests to involve pet owners in the investigation. FDA has also refused the request of another pet food trade association that represents human grade pet food manufacturers to help aid in the investigation. Instead, FDA is choosing only to partner with feed grade pet food manufacturers (the very same companies whose pet foods have been linked to DCM sick or dead dogs).
What can you do to protect your pet?
Veterinarians are tending to instruct pet owners to stay clear of āboutiqueā (small brands) pet foods and attempting to lead pet owners back to grain based pet foods manufactured by Big Pet Feed. This āadviceā is bad for multiple reasons.
Merrick Pet Food ā which was fed to the dog mentioned above ā is owned by Purina. Purina or Merrick is NOT a āboutiqueā brand.
FDA refuses to allow āboutiqueā brands (human grade ingredient brands) to participate in the investigation of the diet-related DCM issue.
crazy4cats the alternative feeding kibble
” Dry pet food, for all its convenience, is difficult to store in a way that preserves its nutritional value and freshness.”
“Many unhealthy things can occur in a bag of kibble ā especially an open bag ā including fat rancidity, bacterial and fungal growth, nutrient depletion and storage mite infestation.”
“Most dry pet food also has a number of other problems, including poor-quality, rendered and high-glycemic ingredients and extreme processing that creates cancerous byproducts.”
“If youāre still buying kibble, there are several handling and storage guidelines you should follow to help prevent feeding unsafe food to your pet.”
“A much better alternative to kibble is a nutritionally balanced, species-appropriate diet containing high-quality animal protein, moisture, healthy fats and fiber, and low to no starch content.”Primal and Stella’s goes through a HPP process as written above.
“Without going into too much detail on the history of dry commercial kibble diets, the short end of the story is that it was introduced in response to the high cost of meat during the Great Depression and was heavily promoted at the end of WWII when it gained popularity for its convenience, ease of distribution and low cost.”
“If our pets have managed to survive off this cheap, convenient, low quality protein source for the last 80 some years, why should we be concerned about it?”
Even though our pets may be surviving off commercial kibble, can we really say that they are thriving on it?
“The answer is pretty clear ā¦
“Chronic degenerative diseases, auto-immune diseases, allergies, kidney, pancreatic and liver disease are all rampant within our pet populations and cancer rates continue to rise. “
Kimberly A Yes my bad I miswrote. MEANT to write that not all ENLARGED HEARTS are caused by DCM. So just wanted others to know that if you have a senior small breed dog enlarged hearts are normally caused by a predisposition for some to have DMVD which can eventually in older years lead to the enlarged heart with symptoms associated with.
Thank you for posting and your concern Kimberly. Hannah is doing well now with cough suppressant for her cough(trachea collapse also). She’ll be getting ultrasound next weeks also.Anon I feel you really can’t win with kibble. It will either be the carbs/potatoes or peas. It will always be in kibble as a binder to hold it together. Pet owners should really say no thank’s to ALL kibble. However because of convenience most won’t ever consider an alternative way of feeding.
That being said it’s the amount of the starches that are necessary to make a kibble vs the extra they put in to displace a meat protein vs pea protein. I don’t believe potatoes displaces the protein but I don’t want a food full of potatoes either. I prefer a low carb food. My husband sneaks pieces of potatoes and pasta to them already. So they don’t need any more carbs for weight gain.Thank you Susan.. I did contact him with question. No reply as of yet. Also posted question on Dog Food Advisor f/b page. . I stopped using the Stella’s even though mine being Chihuahuas’ are not dogs prone to the DCM. But wanted a kibble with protein coming from meat and NOT peas.
Anyway I give the other two freeze dried but when I feed home cooked I always gave a little kibble also. Figuring between varied brands of freeze dried with change of proteins AND the home cooked AND some kibble I’m doing all I can for their nutrition. Will be getting a bag of the Wellness . I wish the small breed was lower in kcals. My eight year old tends to get chubby. But need the little size kibble for them. Now that weather is nicer they’ll get more walks though.Just really want an explanation from Dr . Mike how he determined originally with his breakdown that Stella’s kibble contained an ABUNDANCE of meat and then review same exact protein (small breed chicken kibble) and now his breeakdown reviews shows MODERATE meat???
I’ll just stick to my home cooked and freeze dried with different brands and proteins in rotation . Maybe I just miss their crushing some kibble and they don’t. lol
So I’m just curious . When I found this forum I really relied on Dr. Mike reviews to give me starting point in choosing food. I’m just questioning now if I can even trust his reviews.I have been feeding my two Chihuahuas freeze dried for about two years now. Actually I was giving Origen Freeze dried treats for years but didn’t even realize it was freeze dried. Just knew it was a different texture that they really loved. I now have put in rotation Stella Chewy’s chicken meal mixers, turkey patties and venison blend. When I started I was using Fromm kibble as a base. Then I switched to Stella’s raw coated kibble small breed. I’m concerned about the Dcm with the legumes so stopped all kibble now until sorted out. Many questions on Stella’s f/b page regarding their kibble but their statements also say their kibble is not implicated in any DCM cases. Anyway I started out slowly . One protein at a time in tiny amounts. Just add warm water. Amount to feed for weight is on bag. Adjust according to weight gain or lose. I also slowly put in rotation Primal freeze dried. I use Turkey/sardine, rabbit and their duck. No stomach issues if done slowly. Bixbi Rawbbles is a great freeze dried also. I use this as treats or just throw some in with the pucks or patties . My dogs are doing great on this and I feel much better feeding the freeze dried instead of kibble or canned. Much easier to feed also.
Primal food does Hpp process to kill bacteria but not with all flavors/proteins. It’s on their webpage which protein/flavors they use it with. I believe Stella’s uses hPP process on all their food as well as Bixbi.
HOW HPP WORKSEssentially, this technology “puts the squeeze” on food pathogens without cooking out vital nutrients or changing the fresh characteristics of food. During High-Pressure Processing, pressure is uniformly applied around and throughout the food product. High-Pressure Processing can be conducted at refrigerated or even frozen temperatures, which means the temperature starts low and stays low ā High-Pressure Processing does not cause the heat degradation that happens during cooking.
Freeze Dried The process requires food to be placed inside a vacuum chamber that lowers the temperature until it is below freezing and then moisture is drawn out by slowly raising the temperature. The water originally found in the food moves to a gaseous state from a solid to void the food of most moisture.Moisture Content:
Dehydration removes approximately 90-95 percent of moisture, while freeze-drying removes about 98-99 percent.[3]
Rehydration:
Freeze-dried pet food will rehydrate within 2-3 minutes while dehydrated pet food can often take 5-10 minutes or need to be left soaking for a few hours depending on the size of the food chunks.
Texture, Flavor, and Aroma:
When food is freeze-dried, the process is gentle and the enzymes are locked in without disrupting the texture, taste, or smell of the ingredient. This particular process greatly reduces the weight of the product and makes it convenient for storing and travel.
The look and feel of a freeze-dried product to a dehydrated is noticeable to the naked eye. Dehydrated foods tend to be a little darker, denser, and can sometimes appear leathery. In order to create a faster rehydration time for dehydrated food, they are often powdered or made granular, whereas freeze-dried foods can be kept in chunkier states.
Another key difference is that dehydration can break down vital vitamins and minerals due to the processes being a little more invasive.[2] The freeze-drying process will keep all the valuable nutrients intact ready to be rehydrated when needed.
Lilli as long as it’s roasted chicken I cook. Just to make sure it’s not salted. She has enlarged heart from mitral valve disease. Xray showed no edema or congestive heart failure. She is a Chihuahua so they are very prone to the mitral valve problem. Symptoms usually start as they age . She also has a collapsing trachea causing her to cough within last six months. sShe was doing great until then .when coughing got worse and worse making her of course exhausted. This was very hard on there heart also with all the coughing. So vet cough suppressant med. . I only give her the 1/4 at night. This has really helped. Not coughing anymore at all and she’s active again.Weather was warmer today with no wind so she even walked around whole backyard .
Yup, she sound just like your Mojo. She always had boiled breasts but the last few months only eats dark meat. She’s even now getting picky with the dark meat. The steak/london broil she still eats enthusiastically as well as the fish. I pray this lasts.Going to try the flounder for her. Usually wait until we go fishing off party boat in fluke season and they always get some if we’re lucky to catch any.
The oatmeal is just quaker oats instant plain where you just add hot water and let cool. I make it more runny for her and then crunch up the mini wheat. It has sugar on it but low in salt. Maybe you can try that trick to make it tastier. Also read below:
What Type of Peanut Butter is Best for Dogs? Generally speaking, any peanut butter that doesn’t contain xylitol (or chocolate) should be fine for a dog. It can be a good source of protein and healthy fat for your dog ā in moderation, of course.)
So maybe you can take the kibble and roll it in the peanut butter ? She went for this trick for a little while then would just start sniffing it and realized I was up to something. lol So now I just give her a little off a spoon. Well actually a big glob because I feel so good watching her enjoy this. Let me know if any of these tricks works.Kathy very sorry about the lose of your Doxi. We were grateful to be OWNED by our Doxie Pookie many years ago. Actually hubby and I decided to watch some old family VHS videos and there was Pookie in every video with the kids. Our family was lucky to have him with us for 16 years. Was very hard to let him go but now these memories of our first dog as a family are the best.
We have a almost 17 year old Chihuahua who was just diagnosed with enlarged heart. However vet explained that in small breeds it is very common to have Mitral Valve disease which she has. Symptoms with most only show up in later years. Her X-rays show the enlarge heart. No lung edema which is great. Doxies are also prone to mitral valve disease. Maybe it wasn’t the dog food but just genetics.
What is Myxomatous or Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease?
Canine myxomatous or degenerative mitral valve disease (MMVD) primarily affects older, small to medium size dogs, although any dog can be affected. Degenerative changes thicken the valve, causing it to leak. When the disease and leakage progress, the heart enlarges. Predisposed breeds include Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Dachshunds and other breeds – although the genetics are being investigated, the disease is very common in small breed dogs as they age. Though many dogs are affected in their later years, only about 25-50% of those with MMVD experience clinical signs of congestive heart failure (CHF, or uid build-up within the lungs).
I think I’ll share this also in main forum to let others know DCM can also be caused by other things then diet.I think at this point you should really get ultrasound, X-rays etc to find the cause of symptoms and abnormal blood work. If all is good then you can work on diet being the cause of diarrhea. Please read below.
http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/protein-losing-enteropathy-ple-dogsPlease consider vaccinations as a possible cause for seizures. I hope you have a vet who is up to date on the dangers of many health problems associated with those yearly vaccinations . I wised up many years ago when my chi needed surgery for a luxatting patella common in small breeds. Vet insisted on full set of shots before surgery. Her blood work was perfect until tested again on day of surgery. She had extremely low white count. Instead of knee surgery she needed bone marrow testing . Test results were immune mediated low white from vaccination. Then there was the lepto vaccination in my then 16 year old Doxie. By night his face swelled huge and had to go to emergency vet. Again from vaccination. Fast forward when I had Loli spayed and vet said kennel cough nasal was necessary. Well needless to say this healthy little puppy was now hacking and sneezing from the live kennel cough virus he gave her. Had to cancel her appt until she was over cold.
I now will only get rabies . That was three years ago and titer still shows they have immunity.
Please read: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/dangerous-over-vaccination-on-the-rise/
I do believe in NECESSARY vaccinations and the NECESSARY boosters given separately until they are one year. Immunity lasts far longer then was thought. Getting a titer is the best thing you can do for your pet if you want to avoid all the adverse effects of all these vaccinations.
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/8572826/ns/health-pet_health/t/still-vaccinating-your-pet-every-year/#.XGsHoC3MzJ8I think the freeze dried version of raw is always more expensive . Frozen raw is probably the way to go with large breed dogs. I find Primal is great and also use Stella’s. Primal has Pronto frozen bags which has small round shape that is scoopable.I have small breeds so I do the freeze dried. I also stick to the 5* proteins/flavors on the reviews here. I believe these are higher protein vs fat to avoid pancreatitis. Bixbi rawbble is excellent also. Much lower in fat in all proteins/flavors. I find them expensive so I give as treats.
Sounds like a good plan to me Amir. I agree with staying away from Orijen/Acana. I know about the lawsuit but it’s really because Acana was mentioned so many times as being fed when their dogs were diagnosed with low taurine or DCM. Lamb and rice frequently.
Mine get home cooked also. Just some boiled chicken, lean steak if they’re and I’m lucky that day. lol
I do like to switch around the freeze dried though. Primal turkey/sardine and duck. They get Bixbi Rawbble as treats only. Really expensive.
Don’t think kibble will ever be the perfect food for dogs . Grain free or not. Just man made for convenience for pet owners. Not natural for our pets to be eating day in and day out for life.
You have about the same feeding regime as me. I wish us luck. Geesh..I didn’t worry so much about what I was feeding my kids when growing as much I do about these two fur babies. lolKind of at a loss to advise. My dogs were on Fromm for years until they just stopped eating it. I was relieved to find this site at that time because I was getting overwhelmed with choices at my pet supply store. So I used advisor reviews and ratings as a starting point which led me to Stella’s baked kibble. I was already using some Stella’s meal toppers on the Fromm.
I looked at ratings for Fromm Gold large breed adult and he only gives it 3.5 stars. Stella’s gets full 5. Of course a monkey wrench has been thrown in to add worry. I finally found a diet for my two that I felt good about feeding and that they BOTH ate enthusiastically and had no tummy troubles with.
Stella’s kibble has a lot of legumes high up on ingredients list. Don’t know if your aware of the controversy concerning grain free kibble and heart disease (DCM).I’ve written to them and they assure me and others who are concerned on their f/b page that they’re kibble is safe. I really like their ingredients and that it is baked at lower temperatures for better nutrition. Also high protein and low carbs. I stopped feeding the kibble but went back recently and only get the chicken recipe. Beliefs are that the cause, among many other possibilities might be exotic proteins WITH the legumes. Anyway the kibble is only a very small portion of their diet. I use Primal freeze dried and the Stella’s freeze dried also. I have Chihuahuas and not really one of the breeds most susceptible to the DCM but still concerned. Hope this helps.
Just want to add that since Stella’s kibble is so expensive possibly it’s mostly only being fed to small breeds. Most of the cases I believe are Goldens and larger breeds who are fed the grain free diets with high legumes.You say you shave your dog. Is it possible this is skin irritation from the shaving? Blade dull or too hot. If you take him to a groomer could he/she be using possibly a powder afterwards on him causing reaction?
post a reader comment
Can Dogs Get Skin Infections from Grooming?Q: We have a Samoyed, about nine years old and in good health. Recently, he was shaved head to tail for an accumulation of burrs. Our previous groomer had not been brushing him well (itās quite an event to brush himāhe has a huge mane of white fur and a lot of undercoating), and the new groomer ended up having to shave him almost completely, even around the neck area. There were burrs embedded everywhere.
He soon developed a spot on his neck the size of a quarter that became redder and redder. And he has become very itchy, scratching and only making it worse. Iāve been putting warm salt compresses on the spot and that seems to relieve him for a while, but then heās back at it. Whatās going on?
Angela Miller
Llano, CaliforniaA: Thereās something known as a post-clipping bacterial infection, technically named post-grooming bacterial folliculitis-furunculosis. āYou see it occasionally after grooming or bathing,ā says Tufts veterinary dermatologist Lluis Ferrer, DVM, PhD, DECVD. āItās not a very frequent event, but it does happen.ā
How can grooming lead to an infection? Sometimes the hair follicles, which become more exposed upon shaving, become contaminated with bacteria (in the vast majority of cases, Pseudomonas or Staphylococcus). This could occur because of trauma to the follicles when you cut or wash the hair or even because of bacteria in the water that can then colonize on a dogās skin. There may even be inflammation of the hair follicles as a consequence of a bacterial infection. It can be localized, restricted to one skin site, or more generalized, affecting broad skin areas.
āYou could also nick the skin with cutting or shaving and leave a cut, even a very small cut, that allows bacteria to enter,ā Dr. Ferrer says. If you shave the hair all the way down to the skin, thatās certainly a possibility.
Sometimes itās not the shaving or water but, rather, mild, transient contact dermatitis because of substances used to clean a dog that were never applied before.
You do mention that you have a new groomer, and he or she may use a shampoo with ingredients that donāt agree with your dog.
You should take your dog to the doctor. Sometimes a post-grooming bacterial infection clears on its own, but in most cases, antibiotics are needed. Also, post-grooming bacterial infections tend not to be very itchy, so your dog may have an infection or other problem that has nothing to do with the grooming and just happened to occur at the same time coincidentally.
Good luck solving this. The sooner you get your pet to your veterinarian or a veterinary dermatologist, the smaller the chance that whatever is wrong will not spiral into a problem thatās difficult to treat.
Yes..they do have feeding trials. They can’t put for All Life Stages on their label without feeding trials. Unfortunately feeding trials are also flawed.
How do you reconcile that feeding trials are the best way, imperfect as they are, to determine if a food is nutritionally sound, with the fact that hardly anyone (or their foods) does AAFCO feeding trials? My favorite dog food companies (aka the ones I learned about through your yearly reviews, like Merrick) don’t seem to have any AAFCO feeding trials under their belt.I’m not trying to question your knowledge or recommendations (because I love both), more just hoping I’m not the only one out there thinking about this stuff so much.
Thanks for your question! Iāve discussed feeding trials in a lot of different articles over the years, and Iām happy there are others āthinking about this stuffā as avidly as I am.
Itās true that in the article you mentioned in your note, I said that the ānutrient levelsā method for establishing the nutritional adequacy of a food was flawed:
“Feeding trials are considered by most veterinary nutrition experts [emphasis added] to be the ‘gold standard’ for proving nutritional adequacy claims ā superior to the ‘nutrient levels’ method of proof. Thatās because itās quite possible for a laboratory analysis to confirm that a food contains the amounts of various nutrients judged to be necessary for maintaining a dog, but for the product, in practice, to fail at that very job.
This is possible because not all nutrients may be in a digestible (‘bioavailable’) form. Most nutritionists agree that feeding trials offer the most reliable confirmation of a foodās ability to deliver nutrients in a form that will benefit the target species.”
However, as Iāve mentioned in many of my other articles on commercial diets, the feeding trial method of establishing nutritional adequacy is flawed, too.
The above-referenced article didnāt assert that feeding trials are the best way to prove the nutritional adequacy of a food. Its purpose was to clarify what feeding trials are, and describe conditions for dogs used in the studies.
In that article, I did call feeding trials āimportantā ā and I still think they are. It absolutely is important to know whether a food that may well be fed to a dog every day for years on end is, in actuality, capable of sustaining dogs over time, without causing gross deficits leading to illness, weight loss, or abnormal blood chemistry.
Iām not going to go so far as to regard them as requisite, however, because they arenāt perfect. For one thing, they really arenāt long enough. Just because a diet can sustain a dog in a laboratory environment for about six months without causing illness or abnormal blood values doesnāt mean it will perform the same way for dogs who may lead a much more active and stressful life, and for years on end.
Also, as I explained in my 2007 dry food review (/issues/10_2/features/Dry-Dog-Food-Review_15897-1.html), foods that acquire the right to use a nutritional adequacy claim based on feeding trials need not be formulated to meet the other standard for nutritional adequacy: the ānutrient levelsā criteria. Here is an excerpt from the 2007 article ā but Iām going to boldface and correct a big mistake I made there:
“Foods that pass feeding trials are not required to contain minimum or maximum levels of any particular nutrients. Therefore, itās possible for a food to sustain dogs long enough to ‘pass’ the trial, but fail to demonstrate an ability (in real-world, long-term use) to promote optimum health. As one example, mineral excesses may take a year or more to cause noticeable health problems, but a food that claims to provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs (a ‘maintenance’ claim) may have passed only a 26-week test.
“There is also an AAFCO feeding trial (at least 13 weeks long) for products intended for dogs during gestation and lactation and another that tests puppy diets (10 weeks). To earn the right to claim nutritional adequacy for dogs of ‘all life stages,’ a food must undergo all three trials sequentially, for a total of 49 (or more) weeks. [Actually, to earn the ‘all life stages’ claim, the food must pass the ‘gestation and lactation’ and then the ‘growth’ (puppy) trials, sequentially, for a total of about 23 weeks. The ‘maintenance’ trial is not actually included.] If it passes, its label can state, ‘Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.’
“Many experts regard the ‘all life stages’ feeding trial as the best proof we have of a foodās ability to perform. But again: Even a year-long [nope, only six-month!] feeding trial may fail to reveal faults that can cause serious health problems if fed as a sole diet for a long period.”
However, as I said in the 2007 article, the ānutrient levelsā claim is flawed, too:
“Foods that meet the ‘AAFCO nutritional profiles’ qualification can lack palatability and/or digestibility. If dogs donāt like the smell or taste of the food, they wonāt eat enough of it to gain its nutritional benefits. Also, the nutrients contained in a product may not be present in a form that the dog can digest. The AAFCO nutrient profiles themselves contain a problem: Not many lay people are aware that the profiles allow for a wide range of values. Far from being some sort of industry ‘standard,’ or offering suggestions for optimum nutrition, they actually offer only broad guidance.”
The fact is, both methods that a company can use to āproveā the nutritional adequacy of a product are flawed. Hereās an excerpt from a 2012 article I wrote about the research conducted by pet food companies (/issues/15_6/features/Pet-Food-Company-Research_20546-1.html):
“Many people consider AAFCO feeding trials as the ‘gold standard’ for confirming the nutritional adequacy of a canine or feline diet. However, because the products that met the ‘feeding trial’ test of nutritional adequacy do not have to meet the ‘nutrient levels’ criteria, there is the possibility that these products may contain excessive, deficient, or unbalanced nutrient levels that may contribute to the development of health problems if fed as a sole diet for periods that are in excess of the testing period. An ideal test would encompass both a feeding trial and meeting the AAFCO nutrient profiles, but no such standard currently exists [emphasis added].”
Veterinarians are taught in vet school (with texts underwritten by pet food companies) that only foods qualified by feeding trials should be fed, ever. And the vast majority of veterinarians believe this. Maybe itās because of all the blood tests a dog in a feeding trial is subjected to . . . But six months! Itās not enough to base a lifetime of feeding on, in my opinion.
Thatās why I donāt say in our pet food reviews that one ought to use the type of nutritional adequacy claim as a selection criteria. I do think, however, that this information is worth knowing āthat dog owners should always keep in mind which test was used to prove the adequacy of their dogsā food as they monitor their dogsā health and condition closely. If itās a āfeeding trialā product ā ask the maker (or better yet, look for yourself) to find out if it DOES meet the ānutrient levelsā standards, or do some nutrient values deviate from the AAFCO Canine Nutrient Profiles? If itās a ānutrient levelsā product, ask the maker what sort of informal feeding trials they use, how long the diet is fed to its test dogs, and what sort of tools are used to monitor or evaluate the dogs used in the trials. Some companies use their employeesā dogs or the dogs in a shelter close to the company headquarters as informal test dogs, but donāt follow up with any sort of health tests. These informal tests really only give the company information about the palatability and digestibility of the product; they donāt address long-term health consequences. But then, neither do the AAFCO-protocol feeding trials, unless you consider six months to be ālong term.ā
We all have our eyes on the pet food industry and are breathing down their necks to finally get this right.
For now I’m avoiding kibble of any kind. I have small dogs so it’s affordable to feed freeze dried.If you go to Stella’s or Primal’s f/b page, chewys you’ll see there are thousands who feed this to their pets and are doing very well. There are also many posts there questioning their food regarding DCM . So they are very aware that we are holding them accountable in them providing a nutritionally safe product for our pooches. As of now they are not implicated as one the offending foods. At this time we really just don’t know.
I always rotate several brands they have gotten used to and do well with. However I will now eliminate (until this dcm is settled) the protein rabbit and lamb. These “exotic proteins” contain little natural taurine. Will stick with turnkey/sardine, beef, chicken etc. They also get boiled eggs, lean steak, boiled fish, boiled chicken when we have it. When given the all clear I will again give the very little kibble in-between of Stella Chewy’s.
I believe adding taurine-rich fresh foods would be the safest and most beneficial method of introducing more taurine to your dogās diet. Decreasing the risk of dietary DCM will be one of many benefits of introducing more fresh foods to your dogās diet! The following table contains a list of food items and their taurine content [15,68]. Seafoods, dark meats, and organ meats generally contain the most taurine. Each food item in this table is raw unless otherwise noted.Taurine (mg/100g)
Tuna (albacore) 176-200
Tuna (canned) 42
Tuna (whole) 284
Salmon 60-130
Mackerel 78
Mackerel (whole) 207
Cod 31
Whiting 40
Haddock 28
Whitefish 114-151
Clam (fresh) 520
Clam (canned) 152
Shrimp 155-390
Scallops 827
Octopus 388
Mussels 655
Oysters 396-698
Herring (whole) 154
Capelin (whole) 144
Smelt (whole) 69
Chicken (light meat) 18
Chicken (dark meat) 83-170
Chicken breast 16
Chicken leg 34
Chicken liver 110
Chicken hearts & livers 118
Chicken necks & backs 58
Chicken (whole) 100
Turkey (dark meat) 306
Turkey (light meat) 30
Turkey (ground, 7% fat) 210
Duck leg (meat) 178
Duck leg (skin) 62
Rabbit (whole, ground) 37
Beef (ground, 15% fat) 40
Beef (ground, 25% fat) 28
Beef heart 65
Beef kidney 69
Beef spleen 87
Beef lung 96
Beef tongue 175
Beef gullet 80
Pork loin 50-61
Pork lung 78
Pork gullet 65
Pork liver 86
Pork kidney 77
Lamb leg 47
Lamb kidney 24
Venison 60
Veal 40
Horse 31Jennifer puppies metabolism is faster and will poop more then adult dogs. Initially the for you gave wasn’t right for her. Then with all the sudden changes of course she would have loose stoold.y As long as her stools now are solid and no blood just stick to one food. Stella’s is good. I also give Stella’s to my Chihuahuas. I stick to their chicken toppers with a tiny bit of their kibble. You can also introduce Primal freeze dried with water to hydrate very, very slowly to diet to top her kibble. Only after she is used to Stella’s for awhile. One of my dogs has sensitive stomach but does very well on the Stella’s and Primal turkey/sardine. I’d stay away from the goats milk for now. Keep it simple and consistent and see how she does.
Please don’t put her on strong medications if her stool is normal .
http://www.vetcontact.com/en/art.php?a=572 More side effects then just pooping a lot. Give her time since she’s just a puppy.Purina deserves Champion.
The class action lawsuit against Champion Pet Food (manufacturer of Orijen and Acana) has been amended in a concerning way. The lawsuit now includes ārisk of inclusion in their pet food of pentobarbitalā¦āFiled in Colorado today (11/12/18) was an amended lawsuit (complaint) against Champion Pet Food. The initial lawsuit against Champion was based on ānegligent, reckless, and/or intentional practice of misrepresenting and failing to fully disclose the presence of heavy metals and toxins in their pet food sold throughout the United States.ā Now the lawsuit states this:
bring this Class Action Complaint against Defendants Champion Petfoods USA, Inc. and Champion Petfoods LP (āDefendantsā), for their negligent, reckless, and/or intentional practice of misrepresenting, failing to test for, and failing to fully disclose the presence and/or risk of inclusion in their pet food of heavy metals, pentobarbital, toxins and/or unnatural or other ingredients that do not conform to the labels, packaging, advertising and statements sold throughout the United States.āThe clue to this concerning change in the Champion Pet Food lawsuit was this statement:
āIt was recently revealed on information and belief that Defendants were knowingly, recklessly and/or negligently selling certain of the Contaminated Dog Foods from the DogStar Kitchens containing pentobarbital, a substance largely used to euthanize animals.ā
He does have this disclaimer :
The Dog Food Advisor is privately owned. Weāre not affiliated ā in any way ā with the pet food industry.
We do not accept money or samples from dog food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.
In addition, to avoid any influence from the industry itself:
We do not accept or allow paid advertising from pet food manufacturers.
Really hard to find a food that has not been recalled if it has been around long enough.
I am curious to see if and which grain free kibble brands he has on his personal list of recommend foods. Still can’t subscribe.
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