New FDA Investigation

Well, given dogs are carnivores, I'm not sure why anyone would be feeding them anything meat.

Gotta look at the ingredients.

HadEnough wrote:
Well, given dogs are carnivores, I'm not sure why anyone would be feeding them anything meat.

Gotta look at the ingredients.

Unless you are educated in animal nutrition (not through advertising or internet junk information) reading ingredients is an exercise in futility.

Also, dogs are not obligate carnivores - read they don't have to only eat meat.

Well, now you made me go read the ingredient list on my dog food, to see that peas are the 3rd listed ingredient. Hmmm. Dr Doug, is DCM pretty easy to diagnose? Clearly, my 2 active guys do well on their food; and with Jimmy being diabetic, I would prefer to stay with the Diamond Naturals Adult Light. Is this something I can put in the back of my mind, and at the first sign of lethargy, diminished appetite, etc - take them to my Vet? I also noted that the breeds prone to this seem to be large dogs - would this advisory pertain more to other large breeds NOT included in the "prone" list? (Jimmy and Ben are mini-AussiePoos)

We've had dogs all along and all we feed them is rice, ground beef, and peas not cooked together. This has been going on for years and never had a dog with heart problems.

There is no conclusive evidence now, just some subjective information that needs further study. I'm not sure I'd do anything now if your dog is doing well on the diet now being fed. If you are choosing a new diet, maybe avoid legumes and potato without specific reason to feed them (like allergy).

These ingredients became popular when the "grain free" fad became popular. Perhaps unintended consequences.

As far as DCM, it presents like congestive heart failure. The diagnosis isn't too big a challenge, but does require ultrasound (echocardiogram) for diagnosis.

Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

azdryheat wrote:
Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

Including poop in some cases.....:)

SidecarFlip wrote:

azdryheat wrote:
Left to themselves, dogs will eat anything.

Including poop in some cases.....:)

Not to mention grass, mulch, flowers, potting soil, lizards, bugs, etc.

And don't forget plastic; another name for dog candy. Mine chewed up all six of my automatic sprinkler valves and for good measure dug up a couple of sprinkler heads and killed them. Never under-estimate what a bored Aussie and a young Chow mix can do when left alone for a few hours.

dturm wrote:
There is no conclusive evidence now, just some subjective information that needs further study. I'm not sure I'd do anything now if your dog is doing well on the diet now being fed. If you are choosing a new diet, maybe avoid legumes and potato without specific reason to feed them (like allergy).

These ingredients became popular when the "grain free" fad became popular. Perhaps unintended consequences.

As far as DCM, it presents like congestive heart failure. The diagnosis isn't too big a challenge, but does require ultrasound (echocardiogram) for diagnosis.

Thanks, Dr Doug - I will bother to be worried when the silliness stops :-) Jimmy, who is pretty much blind from cataracts, will stumble onto a stick, and then with glee, pick it up and throw it for himself to play fetch. Of course, then the long protracted search-by-nose begins.... often interrupted by Ben, the stinker, seeing and stealing the stick. Eventually, Ben has to rub it in Jimmy's nose that he has the desired toy and will poke him with it - and the chase ensues....