The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association has issued a reminder to dog owners that they should always feed their pets with a complete and balanced diet, made by reputable manufacturers.
The warning comes as an ongoing investigation into a dog disease – canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – looks at the possibility of diet contributing to its cause.
DCM in dogs is a primary disease of cardiac muscle that results in a decreased ability of the heart to generate pressure to pump blood through the vascular system.
The PFMA continues to monitor the investigation carried out by US-based Food & Drug Administration (FDA) which started in 2018.
According to the FDA: “Most of the diets associated with the reports of non-hereditary DCM have legume seed ingredients, also called ‘pulses’ (for example, peas, lentils, etc.), high in their ingredient lists,” which is in line with the findings of a new study by Tufts University. However, FDA emphasises that pulse ingredients have been used in pet food for many years, with no evidence to indicate they are inherently harmful to dogs.
Current research suggests that a variety of factors may influence the development of DCM in dogs and the FDA has currently no definitive information indicating that diets under investigation are inherently unsafe and need to be removed from the market.
But PFMA has urged owners to take a sensible approach to feeding their dogs with a complete and balanced diet. Owners should look for the term ‘complete’ on the pet food label. This is a legal term that means the product must by law provide all the nutrients a pet needs for healthy bodily function.
To ensure a ‘complete’ diet, members of the PFMA formulate their diets in line with the Nutritional Guidelines for Cats and Dogs, issued by the European pet food federation FEDIAF. These guidelines detail the nutritional needs of cats and dogs at the varying life-stages from growth through to senior.
