The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has identified 16 brands of pet food it says are most frequently connected to a spike in reported cases of heart disease in dogs, according to some news reports.
The agency initially simply pointed to pet food labeled as “grain-free” and which contained peas, lentils and other legume seeds and/or potatoes as their primary ingredients. The FDA is continuing to investigate reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs that eat certain types of food. The heart disease can cause congestive heart failure in dogs.
Pet food brands dispute the warnings, stating that the heart disease may be the result “of many factors, including a recipe formulation and processing” and the health of the individual pet. They urge pet owners to consult with their family vet.
The list of brands that the FDA suspects are related to increased reports of DCM:
- Acana: 67
- Zignature: 64
- Taste of the Wild: 53
- 4Health: 32
- Earthborn Holistic: 32
- Blue Buffalo: 31
- Nature’s Domain: 29
- Fromm: 24
- Merrick: 16
- California Natural: 15
- Natural Balance: 15
- Orijen: 12
- Nature’s Variety: 11
- NutriSource: 10
- Nutro: 10
- Rachael Ray Nutrish: 10
