Is grain-free dog food bad for dogs' hearts?

Many dog owners have heard that grain-free food might hurt a dog’s heart. That news came from the FDA. So what did it really find? And what is still not known?

What is DCM in dogs?

DCM is a disease of a dog’s heart muscle. The heart gets big and weak. Then it is hard for the heart to pump blood. Fluid can build up in the chest and belly, the FDA says. For a long time, it was known mostly as a disease that runs in some big breeds.

Its full name is dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart muscle that is stretched and weak). The FDA says DCM is known to be passed down in some dogs, mostly in big breeds. The new worry was about dogs whose breeds were not known to get it.

What did the FDA find about grain-free dog food?

The FDA got reports of DCM in dogs that ate certain foods. Many were labeled “grain-free.” Many had lots of peas, lentils, or potatoes. These were near the top of the list. But the FDA did not prove these foods harm dogs. It also got reports tied to foods that do have grain.

In July 2018, the FDA said it had begun to look into these reports. Many of the dogs were of breeds not known to be born at risk for DCM.

From January 1, 2014 to April 30, 2019, the FDA got 515 reports about dogs, for 560 dogs in all, and 119 of those dogs died. By November 1, 2022, the total had grown to 1,382 reports of DCM in dogs.

Those counts need care. Owners and vets send in reports by choice. The FDA says it could not check every one. It also says reports tend to go up after it shares news about DCM. And it said that most dogs in the US eat pet food and do not seem to get DCM.

The FDA got reports tied to both grain-free foods and foods with grain. It says peas and lentils have been in pet food for many years. It says there is no proof they are unsafe on their own.

Did the FDA prove that grain-free food causes DCM?

No. The FDA looked for years, but it did not find a clear cause. It says diet and DCM is a hard puzzle with many parts. It says it does not know the exact tie between these foods and DCM.

The FDA’s Q and A page says it “does not know the specific connection” between these foods and DCM. The same page says the FDA has no firm proof that these foods are unsafe and need to be pulled from stores. It is still looking at genes, other health problems, and more.

Why did the FDA stop giving updates?

The FDA said it did not plan to post news until real new science comes out. It also said report counts alone can’t prove that a food made a dog ill. So the question is still open.

On December 23, 2022, the FDA said it does not plan to post more public updates “until there is meaningful new scientific information to share.” It said report counts alone do not show that a food caused a dog’s illness.

What do studies say?

A few studies have looked at dogs with DCM and what they ate. They found some patterns tied to certain kinds of food. But none of them proved that grain-free food is to blame. Some of the authors say more work is needed.

A 2019 study of 48 dogs with DCM found that the heart’s main pump was bigger, on average, in dogs that ate grain-free food. The dogs on grain-free food were not low in taurine, a nutrient the heart uses. The authors said the role of extra taurine is not clear.

A 2021 study of 71 dogs with DCM looked at dogs on foods outside the usual kind, such as grain-free. Some had their food changed after the vet found DCM. On average, their hearts got better and they lived longer than dogs whose food stayed the same. The authors said more research is needed.

A 2021 lab study of 18 foods looked at the food, not at dogs. Half were foods tied to DCM reports, and half were not. Peas were the ingredient most tied to the extra compounds found in the foods tied to DCM. The authors said the link between these foods and DCM is still not explained.

Who should you ask about your dog’s food and heart?

Your dog’s vet is the right person to ask. Each dog has its own needs. The FDA asks owners to talk with their vet before they change a dog’s food. A vet can also ask a pet diet expert for help.

The FDA says your vet is in the best place to help you feed your dog. To learn what “complete and balanced” means on a bag, see this guide. To find where peas or potatoes sit in the list, see how to read a dog food label. You can also compare wet and dry food or fresh food and kibble.

You can check where peas, lentils, or potatoes sit on a label with Altie.