Your dog's food may be linked to canine heart disease
(CNN)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning dog owners of a possible link between certain dog food brands and a serious form of canine heart disease.
The FDA has investigated more than 500 cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain types of food, according to their statement. DCM is a condition that effects a dog's heart and results in an enlarged muscle. Dogs with DCM tire easily, cough, and have difficulty breathing.
When the FDA first alerted the public in 2018 to cases of DCM, the agency didn't mention specific brands; only foods labeled as "grain-free" and containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds and/or potatoes as the main ingredients.
As part of that investigation, the FDA has now identified 16 brands of dog food which had the most frequent reported cases of DCM. The top three brands, according to the FDA, are Acana, named in 67 reports; Zignature, named in 64, and Taste of the Wild, named in 53 reports.
"We know it can be devastating to suddenly learn that your previously healthy pet has a potentially life-threatening disease like DCM. That's why the FDA is committed to continuing our collaborative scientific investigation into the possible link between DCM and certain pet foods," said Dr. Steven M. Solomon, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/28/us/dog-food-linked-to-canine-heart-disease/index.html
Oh, great. We cook for our dogs, but also give them the 4-Health kibble. The research we did said it was one of the highest quality foods. Guess its back to the drawing board. Great Pyrenees have a short enough life span already.
Note: I believe the recall clip on this site is from last year. I couldn't find it anywhere else that is recent.
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He’s now dead, of a heart attack. He was just diagnosed in January with a murmur.
After spending hours looking at ratings online, some sites say the brands listed above as most frequently associated with DCM, are the the same ones most highly rated on other sites. There are some obscure brands out there that are mentioned as good, but look hard to find and quite expensive--a big factor when you're feeding three 150 lb dogs.
Tons of recipes out there for making your own. 30-40% protein is ideal. I use a lot of boiled chicken, chicken livers, gizzards, along with veges and usually pasta or brown rice. Throw in a vitamin/mineral tablet. There is a new farm store in town that was going to sell mutton/lamb. I may check there for hearts and kidneys (smell terrible while cooking, but very healthy).
I started doing this originally when they were doing a bunch of recalls after finding melamin in various brands, including top ones. I've just gotten lazy lately, and only cooking meat to go on top of kibble.
I'm done with commercial food.......again. 
