What We Feed & A Cautionary Word

Choosing a puppy food can be both overwhelming & exciting with so many varieties out there. It may surprise you to find out that many foods that look fantastic can possibly harm your dog’s heart! So before you settle on a food brand, I wanted to make you aware that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expressed concern about a possible link between certain types of dog foods and heart problems.

In July 2018, the FDA announced that it had 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).

US Food & Drug Administration
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

In reading about this possible link, I found that certain brands were repeatedly recommended (Purina, Hills, Royal Canin, and Eukanuba), so I decided to play it safe by feeding one of the recommended brands and ultimately settled on Purina Pro Plan (for large breeds), a top of the line variety offered by Purina.

Before deciding on any food, we encourage you to read the FDA findings, do your own research, and periodically check for updates to ensure the health of your new family member.