F.D.A. Links 16 Tags of dog food for heart heart disease
The Food and Drug Administration identified 16 dog food brands that had been linked to heart disease in dogs eating them, according to a report published on Thursday.
In the report, F.D.A. named for the first time the pet marks most often associated with side effects. In the downward order of most heart diseases, the brands are Acana, Zignature, Taste of the Wild, 4Health, Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Nature's Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Nature's Variety, NutriSource, Nutro and Rachael Ray Nutrish.
The cardiac condition examined in the report, elicited cardiomyopathy, often results in heart failure and is believed to have a genetic component, according to the report. The disease usually affects large breeds, but F.D.A. said it knew about smaller dogs that were hit by it.
The disease was most frequently reported to F.D.A. in golden retrievers, but the report noted that breed-specific social media and activities increased awareness of the problem in these communities by golden retriever owners, who may have disproportionately notified F.D.A. of the dog's diagnoses.
Most dog foods listed are usually labeled "grain-free" and contain a large portion of peas, lentils, bench seeds or potatoes, according to the report. Many of the dogs researched in the study did not have a genetic predisposition to the condition, F.D.A. so.
Using the abbreviation for the disease, the agency said in its report that it was "using a variety of science-based research tools that it is trying to learn more about this emergence of DCM and its potential link to specific diets or ingredients." [19659007] "We understand the concern that pet owners have about these reports: The diseases can be serious, even fatal, and many cases report eating" cornfree "labeled pet foods."
In July 2018, the study began to investigate diagnosed cases of the disease as had been reported to the FDA The agency began receiving reports of extended cardiomyopathy in cats and dogs in 2014. Since that year, 560 heart disease dogs have been reported to the FDA, of which 119 have died, the report said.
The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that there are 77 million pets in the United States, most of whom do not develop extended cardiomyopathy, the FDA said in a statement. The number of dogs affected by heart disease may not seem like much, said veterinary president John de Jong on Saturday, but F.D.A. found a trend and informed consumers about it.
"F.D.A. is responsible for the fact that there are more than five or 10 isolated cases to report," says Dr. de Jong.
"There are not five million dogs; there is still a small amount, "he added." I would also like to note that the consumer will not throw the baby out with the bath water. "Cardiomyopathy affects dogs by thinning the heart's left heart, the last place the blood rests before the heart Dr. de Jong explained that it weakens the heart, which means that fluid can enter the lungs of the dog, cause cough or disease, and can be treated with medication if it is taken early, he said.
Dr. de Jong said that the trend of not having grain in a dog's diet may be a guilty one. "The whole grain-free thing is a popular myth," said Dr. de Jong. "If they look at the dog's relatives in nature, Like coyotes, wolves and hyenas, they live on their prey. The animals they afflict are typically plant-living animals, so they consume at least. "
Anywhere, the best thing a dog manager can do is consult a veterinarian," said Dr. de Jong.
"There is not an overwhelming amount of cases out there," he said. "We know it exists , and we know that there is a very high correlation; Some of these diets may be sufficient.
"If it's not good, you don't have to fix it."
