New Study Contradicts Danger of Grain-Free Dog Food Diets

The 18-month double-blind study showed no heart damage to the dogs, regardless of diet.

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was investigating the link between grain-free dog food diets and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). The investigation was sparked by a study at Tufts University that concluded grain-free diets, including those with legumes and potatoes, increased the incidence of a heart condition called DCM. Since then, veterinarians have been steering patients to grain-inclusive diets, even when patients seemed to do better on grain-free diets.

The new double-blind study was shared in the Journal of Animal Science and followed 60 dogs over eighteen months. Each dog was fed one of four diets: grain-free with peas and potatoes, grain-inclusive with peas and pea fiber, grain-free with potatoes only, or grain-inclusive with no peas or potatoes. The dogs’ heart function, blood, and taurine levels and key heart markers were tested at 6, 12, and 18 months. At the end of the study, there were no signs of heart damage in any of the dogs, taurine levels remained normal, and all of the dogs were clinically healthy with no signs of DCM.

Researchers were able to conclude that it’s more important for your dog to have a nutritionally balanced diet rather than focus on an ingredient-specific diet. Dilated Cardiomyopathy is the second most common heart disease in dogs and mostly impacts large breeds and purebred dogs. Some of the breeds commonly diagnosed with DCM include Dobermanns, Great Danes, Boxers, Bulldogs, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards. The study was conducted at Kansas State University and funded by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the same company that funded the original research in 2018.

What does this mean for you and your pet? If your dog isn’t at risk for DCM, there are a wide variety of grain-free and grain-inclusive dog foods available on the market that are nutritionally balanced and safe. If your dog is at risk for DCM, work with your veterinarian to find an appropriate diet to keep your dog healthy. 

You can read the entire study at the Journal of Animal Science.