Last year the FDA begun investigating reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as "grain-free," which contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients (listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list, before vitamins and minerals).

Many of these case reports included breeds of dogs not previously known to have a genetic predisposition to the disease.

The DCM illness can be severe, even fatal, and many cases report eating “grain-free” labeled pet food.

The FDA has not asked and of the companies listed in the report to recall their products. “We have shared case report information with these firms so they can make informed decisions about the marketing and formulation of their products"

Dog Food Brands Named Most Frequently in DCM Cases Reported to FDA. Graph shows the dog food brands most frequently named in reports of DCM submitted to FDA. Acana 67; Zignature 64; Taste of the Wild 53; 4Health 32; Earthborn Holistic 32; Blue Buffalo 31; Nature’s Domain 29; Fromm 24; Merrick 16; California Natural 15; Natural Balance 15; Orijen 12; Nature’s Variety 11; NutriSource 10; Nutro 10; Rachael Ray Nutrish 10

The above image is provided by fda.gov. CLICK HERE to view the complete report.

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