Posted on 06/30/2019 6:59:58 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified 16 brands of dog food that had been linked to heart disease in dogs that eat them, according to a report the agency published Thursday.
In the report, the FDA named for the first time the pet food brands most frequently associated with adverse events. In descending order of most incidents of heart disease, the brands are Acana, Zignature, Taste of the Wild, 4health, Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Nature’s Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Nature’s Variety, NutriSource, Nutro and Rachael Ray Nutrish.
The heart condition examined in the report, canine dilated cardiomyopathy, often results in heart failure and is believed to have a genetic component, according to the report.
The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates there are 77 million pet dogs in the United States, most of which are not developing dilated cardiomyopathy, the FDA said in a statement. The number of dogs affected with heart disease may not seem like a lot, John de Jong, president of the veterinary association, said Saturday, but the FDA found a trend and is informing consumers of it.
De Jong said the trend of not having grain in a dog’s diet might be a culprit.
“The whole grain-free thing is a popular myth,” de Jong said. “If they look at the dogs’ relatives in the wild, like coyotes, wolves and hyenas, they live on their prey. Those animals they prey on are typically herbivores, so they are ingesting grains anyway.”
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
What kind of animal is a legume? : )
Do not want to cast dispersion on anyone, and the article doesn’t say who paid for the study, but the Purina Pro Plan grain free has the same formulation that most of the 16 foods listed have, but somehow mysteriously left off the list. Hmmm?
Nor Iams. Hmmm?
I agree nut.
Dogs live best on flesh
About the same time grain companies discovered dry cereal for humans to expand the market for grains
I assume they also thought of dogs and cats too around then
Before that opportunism dogs and cats ate what humans had left over or tossed their way
“My 15 year old dog ate ol Roy all his life and did not die from heart disease, he died from old age.l
I used this as an example of how rich we are as a country in a recent conversation. Dogs have been living long, healthy lives on ol Roy dog food for years and years. All of a sudden it’s not good enough, we must feed our dogs food that costs three or four times as much as ol Roy. I have to admit to drinking the kool aid. I feed my new dog a mis-priced food.
That said it is true some of my vet's have been militant about stuff other vet's say is no problem.
What's it say about grapes? Pupster loves ‘em but poisonous or not?
Our 13 year old Shih Tzu Maxie was recently diagnosed with cutaneous Lymphoma(He had an inflamed left side of his lip, went to the vet 4 times was told his constant licking was mental, we had no idea til biopsy) so we have no idea how long he has left..his issue is external, NOT internal, it doesnt go in the body but causes pain over time and instead of the dog suffering they let the dog go..how the heck did he get this, what was he exposed to, we only gave him good food, nothing on the list..only made in the USA, but we noticed in the past year his fur would become more darker he would lick more, changed his food thinking that would fix it..so now we have this to deal with..its so hard, having a healthy dog one minute who never had a problem to now dealing with something that will eventually kill him who knows when, breaks my heart
Can’t do the tripe thing.
Although my dogs would probably enjoy it.
I’ve got a freezer burned backstrap for them this evening. It had been intended for human consumption but got behind something else in the freezer and forgotten for a year or so. Dog’s don’t care about the freezer burned part.
They are the ultra premium dog foods read expensive. My dogs get Blue Buffalo. The vetenary nutrition program is funded in part by Nestle-Purina which uses corn and rice in lower level foods and in their premium level Pro-Plan. Their premium level foods include lintel flour and pea pulp, I did notice they supplement some of their foods with Taurine.
It’s a preliminary study with something like 524 dog sample size. The articles I read dont show the percentage increase estimated due to the foods listed nor how much food required to have statistically significant increase in risk. Nor was causality proved. It’s at best a preliminary study.
Why is the FDA analyzing dog food?
Some very expensive dog food in that list. Paying more makes the owners feel better about themselves, doesn’t seem to do much for the dogs.
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I’ve been feeding my rescued mixed terriers Pedigree and cooked chicken livers and gizzards for about eight years. Only illness I’ve had to deal with is one has had Lyme disease for two years and has to be medicated twice a day.
I had a cat that lived to 21. She only ate meowmix too. Interesting.
My dog won’t eat dog food anyway - he just lets it sit, even risking starvation (although my wife always blinks and later feeds him human food).
I suspect he was tipped off by other dogs.
Savannah only likes the apple cores not the meat or skin. She likes grapes and only gets them if they are escapees.
She also likes banana and grapefruit segments but not orange/lime/lemon.
I know that chocolate is supposed to be bad for them, I’ve had Dogs since I can remember and given it to them or they steal it.
I’ve fed my last 4 dogs nothing but Purina Kibbles and Bits. Not a single vet visit outside of obligatory shots, and they’ve lived for 14, 13, 15, and the lastest is now 11 and still going strong.
Stick with a reliable brand, and avoid jumping on the bandwagon.
Her vet’s record feline patient made it to 23, so we’re hoping to equal that.
She’s (mostly) a sweetheart.
The current Akita is 7. Thanks, Purina. (although I have always added some rice to his dinners. Vet says it’s good for dogs and it gives him a bit more bulk and nutrition.)
I feed my dogs MFA’s good stuff. MFA=Missouri Farm Association. They run a bunch of feed stores.
Most everyone else around here feeds Ole Roy to save a couple of bucks. I don’t trust walmart that much.
Back when I had one small/medium dog, a full bred chow, I fed her Purina One.
Meanwhile any dog is much happier eating rotting garbage.
Our, very spoiled, toy poodle refuses to eat dog food. He eats whatever is on the table with us, mostly meat. He seems quite healthy. Perhaps he knew something was wrong with the dog food, before the experts knew.
I expected him to get quite ill from it; but, he had no problems.
I read a study, three or four years ago that the size of the kibble matters in the toasting process. In the smaller kibbles, the heat penetrates entirely crossing borders twice killing all nutrients. The heat doesn't destroy nutrients in the larger pieces because it passes only through one border once. Compare a hamburger pattie and a meatloaf baked at the same temperature for the same amount of time.
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