FDA Releases List of Dog Food Brands That May Cause Heart Disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a list of dog food brands Thursday that could potentially lead to canine heart disease.

The FDA has been investigating what they call a link between certain pet foods and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) since July of last year.

The administration said in a third press release Thursday:

For the first time, the agency is also posting the pet food brands most frequently identified in these adverse event reports. It’s important to note that the FDA doesn’t yet know how certain diets may be associated with DCM in some dogs. However, the FDA is first and foremost a public health agency, and takes seriously its responsibility to protect human and animal health. In the case of DCM, the agency has an obligation to be transparent with the pet-owning public regarding the frequency with which certain brands have been reported.

Steven M. Solomon, Director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, said the investigation into the issue is ongoing and encouraged owners to work closely with their veterinarians when choosing food for their pets. Solomon said:

We know it can be devastating to suddenly learn that your previously healthy pet has a potentially life-threatening disease like DCM. That’s why the FDA is committed to continuing our collaborative scientific investigation into the possible link between DCM and certain pet foods.

Reports state the investigation has found that it is mostly large breed dogs such as golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, and mixed breed dogs being affected. However, there have been some documented cases involving smaller breeds.

A connection found by the investigation was that the majority of the dog food the pets were consumed were dry and labeled either “grain-free” or contained peas, lentils, legume seeds, or potatoes.

Below is the list of brands the FDA have found with the most cases linked to canine heart disease (DCM):

• Acana, 67.
• Zignatue, 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.