Hey, 

Happy Wednesday!

I’m terrible at making decisions, whether trivial or important.

With the trivial stuff, I just have to take a punt before my wife’s eyes roll so much they end up staring at the back of her skull. 

But with the serious stuff, I often hesitate because there’s either too little or too much information to hand.

This is a problem for a lot of people when it comes to choosing dog food — a really important decision. 

What’s healthy? What’s safe? What’s good value? 

As we always say, no one dog food is best for every dog. That’s why we have our Best Dog Food lists.

One of the biggest areas of confusion is the debate around grain-free dog food and the alleged link to the heart condition Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). 

You can read about it here: FDA Investigating Potential Link Between Diet and Heart Disease in Dogs

News has emerged that a Missouri court has certified a class action lawsuit against Schell & Kampeter, Inc. — which does business as Diamond Pet Foods, Inc. — brought by dog parents who purchased Taste of the Wild Grain Free Dog Food from August 27, 2015, to June 21, 2024.

You can read the full news story here: Missouri Court Certifies Class Action Over Alleged Grain-Free Dog Food and DCM Link

This is the second class action suit related to DCM and grain-free dog food. 

In February, KetoNatural Pet Foods filed a proposed class action lawsuit against Hill’s Pet Nutrition, alleging that Hill’s and a group of veterinarians conspired to manipulate the FDA into examining a potential link between increased risk of DCM and certain grain-free dog foods.
 

These actions are further pieces in a very disjointed and incomplete jigsaw that confuses dog parents. This is what DFA’s nutritionist, Laura Ward, has said on the subject:

“There have been numerous studies researching the effects of grain and grain-free dog foods on heart health. However, to date, there have been no proven links seen between grain or grain-free diets and DCM. 

“As there is no evidence to suggest there are advantages or disadvantages to grain or grain-free options, we continue to rate and recommend both on DFA. We will, of course, continue to monitor investigations around this topic. 

“We understand that pet parents have real concerns and that some vets are convinced there is a link between diet and cardiomyopathy. However, we have a responsibility to report on concrete facts.”

We would love to be able to give people definitive advice on this and ease your concerns but it’s impossible. (Use of the term “grain-free” is particularly unhelpful — there is no suggestion that a lack of grain has any connection with DCM, but rather the inclusion of other ingredients.)

But rest assured, we will keep you up to date with any relevant and substantial news on the matter.

Until next time,

Andrew

Editor
The Dog Food Advisor
Saving Good Dogs From Bad Dog Food

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