PLEASE BEWARE OF FEEDING BOUTIQUE DOG FOODS with and without GRAINS or with LEGUMES & POTATOES (PEAS, LENTILS, CHICKPEAS, FAVA BEANS, POTATOES/SWEET POTATOES, ETC.), RAW diets, and HOMEMADE diets, ALL these diets are STRONGLY LINKED TO NUTRITIONAL DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy/HEART DISEASE) in dogs, scroll down for links to many vet articles. THE FDA IS INVESTIGATING, as of October 2020, the FDA has had more than 1100 cases reported, many dogs have DIED.

Check the expiration date when you purchase dog food. BUY SMALL BAGS, the food is fresher! 

Because of the high incidence of nutritional DCM linked to boutique dog food brands, raw diets, & homemade diets which are not properly researched or formulated, have not had longterm feeding trials, do not employ full time board certified PhD vet nutritionists, and use co-packers, vets and vet cardiologists currently recommended only the following five brands (NOT any of their grain-free options) Royal Canin, Purina, Eukanuba, Iams & Hill's/Science Diet. Within these five brands there are hundreds of formulas to choose from.

I occasionally rotate foods among Purina Pro Plan (various Sport Performance formulas), Royal Canin (Small Breed) and Eukanuba Small Breed. There is no reason to rotate except to get my dogs used to different brands if I'm out of town at a dog show & run out and need to buy what's at the store I can get to.

When you bring a new puppy or adult home, it is very important for the dog to drink water during the first few days before it is used to your routine. Often they forget to drink enough or get busy with all the excitement or don't know where the water bowl is during the adjustment time. When they don't drink enough, they get constipated, when they get constipated, they can become toxic and go 'down' very quickly.  This is another reason to add some hot water over their kibble meals.

Please use stainless steel or ceramic or glass for food and water dishes. Plastic and aluminum change the chemical balance and react with the food and can cause a loss of pigment on the nose of some dogs. The plastic used to make dog dishes is not food grade like that made for human use.

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I add ProZyme (digestive enzyme) to every single meal.  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/     Diet-Associated DCM in Dogs Facebook page
There are hundreds of vets, cardiologists, vet nutritionists & breeders on this page with many files, documents & charts with more information, including foods linked to DCM.  

This informative article by board-certified veterinary nutritionist Rebecca Remillard makes clear why feeding trials are so important.

https://www.cliniciansbrief.com/article/top-5-pet-food-protein-principles?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Clinician%27s%20Brief%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=Online%20190801&oly_enc_id=6890G2421578C4A&fbclid=IwAR1PXgDDfq4S0LkUtdr9MBz2VkWkHggY4WPH7C5JNcQ7_In4T3pmK3cXsv0

This is a very good podcast regarding nutritional DCM by a board certified vet nutritionist (Feb 2020)

 https://www.spreaker.com/user/9809038/down-with-dogs-episode-dcm?fbclid=IwAR1xYih4c1UCIeCyJ-2nYAx_PCaRh0Hneuo3yEwHcvDv6oxMHmyWTeStA5Q

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MYTH:  Only 560 U.S. Dogs Have Nutritional DCM (Nov. 2019)

https://taurinedcm.org/myth-only-560-u-s-dogs-have-nutritional-dcm/?fbclid=IwAR1JWELtnNEFpgNPYbCBiOYKIl6u7kOs7e61g_hVy8eiEAQjHrDQdxuODyk

IMPORTANT new information about GRAIN-FREE DOG FOODS!

In the past few months dogs fed grain-free foods have been DYING from heart failure (DCM--Dilated Cardiomyopathy). Apparently the legumes such as garbanzos/chickpeas, lentils, peas, Fava beans, potatoes/sweet potatoes, etc. BLOCK the dog's body from absorbing taurine. Many dogs eating these foods are developing heart disease, the FDA has issued a warning (see link below). If the heart disease is caught early enough and the food is switched back to 'normal' grain-inclusive foods, the heart disease can be reversed. If you are interested in learning more about the connection between grain-free boutique dog foods and dilated cardiomyopathy, please check out this Facebook group: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/     Diet-Associated DCM in Dogs
There are hundreds of vets, cardiologists, vet nutritionists & breeders on this page with many files, documents & charts with more information, including foods linked to DCM. 

June 27, 2019 FDA's latest update, NAMING dog food varieties. Please, if you still insist on feeding these foods, take your dog to the vet for a heart check-up!

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy?fbclid=IwAR18Kf2MUqSATbJAqYr2d11MHt9BsZf9ZJ3QBKQWJhjInkgqVxHVRXDD7ps

 7-9-19 Interview with Dr. Joshua Stern, vet cardiologists/genetecist who discovered nutritional DCM

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/4121252-researcher-possible-connection-between-diet-and-canine-heart-disease-is-reversible/?fbclid=IwAR14Wz7xTnIpsdoMCI4z537E4xkg_tZ4bhysIpBxB3R-SJJWt1L0JR6SWa8

News video, dog with nutritional DCM May 2019

https:/https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/05/02/fda-warns-pet-diets-heart-problems/?fbclid=IwAR1MriMKf-QGnJU_IdooU5BP6dky6PN2kzSZ2Q03bkbeOO6Hgd-gHZbPEe0/denver.cbslocal.com/2019/05/02/fda-warns-pet-diets-heart-problems/?fbclid=IwAR1MriMKf-QGnJU_IdooU5BP6dky6PN2kzSZ2Q03bkbeOO6Hgd-gHZbPEe0

Illinois College of Vet Medicine Oct. 2018

https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet_column/dcm-canine-heart-disease-boutique-diets/?fbclid=IwAR3hoEK0BtzyCKIaYHPKpgOhyt755jENQlprXXYdjFggUONBPAUqsR-7OVQ

UC Davis vet interview re: grain-free/heart disease:

https://www.facebook.com/TVOlivia/videos/320378325205221/?hc_location=ufi

And an article by Dr. Stern in the JAVMA:  

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/JAVMA_DA-DCM.pdf?token=AWx-6bsktu-6udCAG25P4YVk3uc3Z8ZYh93jKHxhqsgA2_7AS6sobs2hVjkjiLQc3w8SD252utLTBu1BeZPf4N0cQGNx4UPk2y7SFm8rxGlRGuSjUgxRYOTuE3lmolGn0oqTduMT5TnXU_vCP9fgYLd9wAEIzI2Ab15zFSce7S7qKA

There are a ton of food questions answered on this page (by vets):

https://taurinedcm.org/taurine-dcm-faq/?fbclid=IwAR3cfGXYr3mCaz95ITm4dnGQO-7brFmUIY00A8FuIe-pddgmTIKftJQIU

FDA update regarding grain-free foods & Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)  June 27, 2019:

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy?fbclid=IwAR18Kf2MUqSATbJAqYr2d11MHt9BsZf9ZJ3QBKQWJhjInkgqVxHVRXDD7ps

FDA update 2-15-2019

https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/7887-fda-asks-pet-food-industry-for-dcm-related-information?fbclid=IwAR3eL-9h0qf8vDVFy-PqSytZk6Ugvuu-L5xDTi16VWSG5STt8Jj6v_EpZYE

FDA update 2-19-19

https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm630991?fbclid=IwAR0lUvzdBOFOtrSrJ_4B54VaGTY2Suo-FDDdxckVqGDiQ8ZpY_9-JGbLDYY

 and a list of ingredients related to DCM (FDA document 2-19-19):

https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/ucm630993.htm?fbclid=IwAR0cfKw213Pw_Tk5pc_x6ltVBfZAXgCPwqYG3H1XRc2mORK73P8d0boiUY0#diet

News article March 2019

https://www.wmar2news.com/matterformallory/dog-diagnosed-with-heart-disease-after-being-fed-grain-free-diet?fbclid=IwAR1X4GcstuNA5h_RUuGobAVEHsF62NFh1F144mW12OxojI1wf6DlNFkyX6s

Another article, Jan. 2019 

https://slate.com/technology/2019/01/stop-buying-grain-free-food-for-your-pets.html?fbclid=IwAR0loB5p_5WkoM0AEllHarnFS1gqCVE21dsskVELwum6WoJZl5ONIAbeAaQhttps://slate.com/technology/2019/01/stop-buying-grain-free-food-for-your-pets.html?fbclid=IwAR0loB5p_5WkoM0AEllHarnFS1gqCVE21dsskVELwum6WoJZl5ONIAbeAaQ

Excellent page with information about Taurine & grain-free:  

https://taurinedcm.org/taurine-dcm-faq/?fbclid=IwAR0PVfHlFIgRgQUG20b1Cb3n8kOmnqZesWFLg-DZ-HqXYrIUc4_lb9zvpwA

Are dogs truly allergic to many foods? Interesting information from Tufts Vets School:

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/01/food-allergies/

Remember, healthy dogs take vitamins, too!!   www.nuvet.com/62539