“DEBUNKING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRAIN-FREE DIETS AND CANINE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY”

Canine dilated cardiomyopathy (CDM) is a disease where the muscle of the heart becomes stretched and thin and is incapable of contracting correctly. The chambers of the heart become dysfunctional. This can cause a decrease in the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body, as well a reduction in blood entering the heart from the rest of the body. This alteration in the amount of blood and oxygen supplied can cause damage to organs such as the kidneys.
 Fluid can also accumulate around the lungs, among other complications.

This disease mainly affects large dog breeds. Breeds most affected are Dobermans, Great Danes and Boxers, among others. In fact, CDM can present in different forms depending on the breed of the dog.

Symptoms include breathing difficulties, weight loss, fainting, weakness or swelling of the abdomen due to fluid accumulation.  Some dogs can die suddenly without any previous symptoms. 

In recent years, the possible cause-effect relationship between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs has been studied. In a recent study by veterinary specialists in cardiology and nutrition at BSM Partners, and recently published in the Journal of Animal Science (JAS), shows that there’s no conclusive evidence to establish a link between the two.

This research only aimed at providing better understanding of the subject, so only up to 150 cases were studied. In addition to ruling out the existence of a link between grain-free and legume-rich diets and CDM, it was also concluded that dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs is a largely inherited disease. Of course, there are other causes, such as low levels of certain amino acids or certain medications that can cause heart damage.