For the past two years, the FDA has been investigating a strange development in dog health. The agency started hearing reports that more pups than usual were developing a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to weaken and grow larger.
Typically, veterinarians see this issue in large dogs. Some breeds, such as Doberman pinschers, Great Danes and others, are genetically predisposed to the condition, which slowly saps the heart of its ability to efficiently pump blood. This can lead to fainting, weakness or death. But recently, dogs that aren’t considered at risk of the heart disease, like golden retrievers, started showing up to veterinarian offices with enlarged hearts. Veterinarian providers began talking amongst themselves and observed that some of these dogs were eating “grain-free” food — kibble and soft canned food formulated without corn, wheat and soy. It begs the question: Could these heart troubles stem from a dog’s diet?
