Barley in her most wolfiness hour circa July 2016 (first camping trip) Before the publication of the FDA report , dilated cardiomyopathy was believed to be caused by a genetics. It is understood that the identification of a splice site deletion of the PDK4 gene is associated with the development of DCM ( Meurs, et a., 2012 ). This abnormality is commonly seen in Doberman Pinchers, Saint Bernards and Caviler King Charles. Now, we are starting to see breeds who are not genetically predisposed being diagnosed with DCM. Their connection? A diet heavy in peas, lentils and potatoes - seen in many grain-free diets. As a reminder, it is not the lack of grains causing heart disease, but what is being used as a grain- substitute . When Barley was diagnosed with DCM, the veterinarian mentioned that it could take a month to get the taurine results back from the lab (it took ~ 2-3 weeks). The taurine labs have been overloaded with requests. ...
The purpose of this blog is to share our experience navigating the sudden diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy in our three year old golden retriever and exploring the connection between boutique, exotic ingredients and grain-free diets and heart disease in dogs.