Does Grain Free Dog Food Cause Heart Disease?
Investigations are still ongoing on a potential dietary link between certain grain free dog food and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. Over the past few years, the number of dogs who had cardiomyopathy has been on the rise, causing an alarm especially after some dog breeds not prone to DCM started to develop the disease. The link between grain free food and DCM hasn’t been fully proven.
Nonetheless, there are multiple reports of dogs suffering from DCM whose condition improved or was completely resolved after they were taken off BEG grain-free diets. In today’s post, we seek answers for the question does grain free dog food cause heart disease?
If your dog happens to be on a regular grain free diet, it should be keenly monitored for any signs of heart disease by your vet. Other than suffering from DCM, if your dog suffers from a food allergy, there are alternatives to grain-free diets that are known to have no health risks. Whenever you are feeding your dog, you will want to know what nutritional benefits grain food has to your dog.
As most dog owners continue to question the role grains play in their dog’s diet, we are here to help you understand the difference between regular and grain-free dog food. Let’s have a look!
Regular Dog Food vs Grain Free Dog Food
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Regular Dog food With Grains
Regular dog food with grains continues to be one of the most popular dog foods among many dog owners. The good thing about regular dog food is that they are easy to find on the shelves at an affordable price compared with grain-free food varieties.
When you look at a regular, grain dog food label, you will see a combination of more than one of the following; wheat, corn, barley, oats, rice, rye, and soy.
Regular dog food with one or more types of grains named above is rich in carbohydrates which give dogs energy while still supplying them with fiber to improve digestion. Grains are also rich in other essential nutrients among them protein and linoleic, an important fatty acid for pets.
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Grain Free Dog Food
Any dog food made without any grain as an ingredient is considered grain-free. Our dogs still need carbohydrates for energy though. Are there any nutritional benefits of grain free dog food? While there is a myth that grains cause allergies in dogs, the reality is that true food allergies are extremely low in pets and the substances causing the allergies are often not grains.
Allergies caused by grains are less than one percent. If you suspect that your dog is having food allergies and sensitivity, it is recommended that you consult a veterinarian and find out the cause.
Despite being beneficial for some dogs, grain-free dog food has its downsides too. Many dog owners will opt to feed their dogs grain-free food thinking that they are low in carbs. Well, that’s not the case. Some grain free dog food is higher in alternative carbohydrates sources like those in peas and potatoes.
Such food can end up causing your dog unintentional weight gain. It is therefore important for all dog owners to consult their veterinarians and get the right information on which food one should give his/her dog.
Related Post: Best Grain Free Dog Food
Why Does Grain Free Dog Food Cause Heart Disease?
All dogs need a fully balanced diet for them to stay healthy and strong. With grain free dog foods being more nutritious and easily digestible compared with regular dog foods, the big question is why they are linked to heart diseases.
While there is no complete answer to that question yet, studies are yielding some clues. A study on dogs that had died of DCM and the food they used to take had two clues that stuck out. These clues can help dog owners make the right decision about what food to give their dogs and which ones to avoid.
- Most of the dogs whose samples were studied ate grain-free food manufactured by smaller boutique brands that feature peas and/or lentils. A smaller number of dogs were on grain-free food which had sweet potato and/or potatoes.
- Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers were dog breeds most reported. However, a wide range of breed and mixed breed dogs were also reported to have died of DCM. This means that no breed is immune, however, some are at a higher risk.
To protect our pets, we need to read every pet food label. Generally, lentils, peas, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are safe for our dogs. While the link between these tragic heart diseases and grain-free food is yet to be established, what we know so far suggests that the problem is most likely in how the different nutrients proportions are mixed in some grain free dog food boutique brands.
What are the Benefits of Grain Free Dog Food?
Grain free dog food has its benefits, however, the decision to give your dog grain food or grain-free food will highly depend on which food your dog prefers as well as what you also prefer to feed your dog. Here are some of the benefits your dog will gain after eating grain-free food.
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Better Skin and Healthier Coat
If you notice that your dog’s coat is getting dull and rough, odds are that there is a problem with his diet. Switching to grain-free food will immediately restore your dog’s coat to one that is shiny and healthy. This is partly because of the reduction of grains and partly because of other healthy nutrients found in grain free dog food.
Your dog’s coat will look better if you feed him with food rich in omega and fatty acids as well. Other than a dull coat, dog food rich in grains can end up causing itchy, irritated, dry and inflamed skin. If left untreated, your dog will end up losing fur. However, changing his diet to grain-free dog food rich in omega fatty acids will help restore the skin to an excellent and healthy condition.
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Minimal Risk of Food Allergies and Intolerance
Food sensitivities or allergies in dogs can be frustrating as they cause health problems and great discomfort as well. While it is difficult to tell that your dog is allergic to a certain type of food, some dogs are allergic to certain food.
Food intolerance in dogs is well described as a difficulty in swallowing or digesting a certain ingredient. The case is different when it comes to food allergies. Food allergies in dogs occur when the immune system has extreme exposure.
Food allergy symptoms in dogs vary and can range from mild cases to severe cases that are even life-threatening. If your dog has excessive gas, skin irritation or rash, vomiting, frequent infections, diarrhea or itchy skin consider switching his food to grain-free food varieties.
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Great Food for Expectant Dogs
Just like in human beings, pregnancy places a lot of stress on the expectant dog. To maintain their health while sustaining the health of their unborn babies, you need to provide your dog with a balanced diet.
Providing your expectant dog with more food isn’t going to work as well as giving her less but quality food such as grain free dry dog food. Grain free dog food will supply her with energy and nutrients to keep her healthy throughout the pregnancy period and after the pregnancy as well.
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Less and Smaller Stool
Cleaning up dog stool is one of the worst jobs ever, but we have to do it to keep our dogs clean. When you feed your dog grain-free food, the stool he produces is smaller in size and more compact. Moreover, your dog will relieve himself less frequently, therefore reducing the number of times you have to clean up his waste.
How does this happen? It’s all down to the fact that most of all grain-free food is absorbed into the digestive system of your dog. The corn and wheat in regular dog food contain a lot of fiber which your dog fails to digest fully. The undigested food will later be passed out of the dog’s body as stool. However, with grain-free food, there is minimal requirement to remove anything since most of the food is absorbed.
Related Post: Best Dog Food for German Shepherd with Sensitive Stomach
Frequently Asked Questions About Grain Free Food
Q: How Should you Select a Food for your Pet?
A: When it comes to selecting the best diet for your favorite canine friend, the best advice will come from your veterinarian. They are much better suited to advise you about the right diet for your dog than a pet store attendant.
Q: Is Grain Free Food Safe for Dogs?
A: When it comes to safe dog food, the company’s track records matters. It is therefore important to know that the food you have chosen to buy has been developed by qualified and experienced nutritionists and veterinarians. When the demand for grain-free dog food began, multiple boutique brands sprung up. From the studies done so far, these boutique brands appear to be manufacturing the foods linked to heart diseases. When properly formulated, grain-free dog foods are safe for dogs.
Q: Is It Healthier for Dogs to Eat Grain-Free Food?
A: In most cases, feeding your dog grain-free food will help live a much healthier life free from any health complications. However, many dogs that eat regular dog food still live perfectly healthy, so no guarantee switching to grain-free dog food will automatically alleviate your dog’s health condition.
Conclusion
Keeping dogs healthy is the mandate of every dog owner. Any diet can make a big difference in a dog’s well-being and with the investigations still ongoing on the link between grain free dog food and DCM, dog owners should be more cautious with the type of food they give their dogs.
Additional Information: Potenteil Link Between Certain Diets and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy