Lots of people have heard of the dog food news on CNN and the FDA’s take on it. I’ve known about this heart failure/ grain free (or “boutique”) food connection for months now, so here’s been my advice to my clients, and now to you:
1) Choose a food from one of the big companies that have vets in their employ. This would be Royal Canin, Purina, and Science Diet/Hills. My favorites in that order.
2) No they aren’t sexy with mountain lions on their bags but their foods are formulated and tested to be complete and safe. I recommend adding fresh veggies (dogs like veggies!) to give a little healthy fresh kick.
3) No dog needs to be grain free UNLESS there is a SPECIFIC allergy (rare). Dogs have enzymes to break down grain and to break down cooked food. They’ve evolved with us and are as far removed from wolves as you can get. There’s a lot of science behind this, trust me on that.
4) If your dog DOES have a food allergy, I recommend sticking with a hypoallergenic (prescription) food UNTIL we know for sure why these foods are killing them.
5) If you INSIST on cooking for your dog, go to balanceit.com so that you do it right and don’t send your beloved fuzzy into a metabolic deficit of some kind.
6) Cats, so far, are not included in this. Cats are obligate carnivores and SHOULD be grain free for optimal health. This is a hill I will die on.
7) Go get your pet checked by your vet, so they can listen to the heart and answer your questions. (I don’t want to field a ton of questions here, I’m on vacation as of this afternoon, ok?)
Love,
Your friend The Vet.