We have received emails and/or messages from many of you concerning the report recently released by the FDA of a list of dog food brands they have linked to heart disease. We are very grateful that so many of our Golden Families are just as concerned for their dogs health as we are! This story definitely caught our attention and concern since we do feed the foods that were listed at the top of their list. 

This study is looking at owner reports of a Dilated Cardiomyopathy that was found in their dog and the brand name of the food the dog was currently on when they reported the health concern to the FDA. A Dilated Cardiomyopathy in dogs is a disease state of the cardiac muscle that results in decreased pumping motion that sends blood out and around the body. The cause of this in dogs is still under debate. The statement released by the FDA Friday is an extension of the statement released in 2018 saying that “grain-free” foods are bad for your dog. This study report released included a wide range of breeds with the highest being Golden Retrievers that were reported, and ACANA being the number one most reported cases out of 500. Others on this list are Zignature, Taste of the Wild, 4Health, Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Natures Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Natures Variety, Nutrisource, Nutro, and Rachael Ray Nutrish. 

We did further research into all of the facts of this study and took other opinions into account. We are keeping our dogs on ACANA and the other foods we feed that are listed on our website. We have spoken with our vet and he is confident that ACANA and our other brands we recommend are good foods. When looking further into this study it is stated within that they have no scientific evidence linking diet and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. Zignature and Champion Petfoods (ACANA and Orijen) have released statements which can be read in the link below on CBS News website. These pet food companies do work with vets, safety experts, and other animal nutritionists to ensure a good food. Tons of dogs are thriving on “grain-free” foods. 

We encourage owners to do their own research on this matter and consult with their vet. However, we are keeping our dogs on ACANA. We are focused on giving our dogs the best, happiest, and healthiest life we can. We continue to research and look into different ways we can help our four-legged family be healthy. Recently we have added supplements to their diet. More information of what we use is on our website at: 
https://allshadesofgoldens.com/about-all-shades-of-goldens/supplements/ 
 
 Any questions please feel free to contact us!

Links

The Study: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy#diet
 

In The News: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dog-food-causing-heart-disease-fda-suspects-citing-16-dog-food-brands-under-investigation/